Head of Operation and Strategic Planning

The National Coordinating Centre for Public Engagement (NCCPE) supports culture change in the UK Higher Education (HE) sector. We are working to build an inclusive higher education sector where communities can contribute to, and benefit from, knowledge, teaching and research. We do this by supporting excellent public engagement practice; creating the conditions for public engagement to thrive in universities; and building strong networks and partnerships to amplify our impact.

We are an agile and creative organisation, core funded by UK Research and Innovation, Research England, Wellcome, Higher Education Funding Council for Wales, Scottish Funding Council and the Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland. We are also funded by earned income from projects and services provided to HEIs. The Centre is jointly hosted by University of the West of England (UWE) and University of Bristol (UoB), benefit ting from being part of two vibrant universities.

This role is being recruited through UWE.

As Head of Operations and Strategic Planning, you will be a senior leader at the heart of the NCCPE, helping ensure that the centre is not only effective in delivering its mission, but also a great place to work — where people feel valued, supported, and able to thrive.

You will lead the delivery of our operational strategy, overseeing finance, HR, contracting, resource planning, and service innovation. Working closely with the Co-Directors and Department Heads, you will help shape the Centre’s strategic direction, secure long‑term funding, and ensure our systems and culture enable high‑quality, inclusive, and impactful work. You will also manage the Operations Team, fostering a positive and developmental working environment where staff can thrive.

This is a challenging leadership role, ideal for someone who enjoys combining strategic oversight with hands‑on delivery. Join our dynamic team based at Portwall Place in central Bristol, and help us build a resilient, inclusive, and future‑focused organisation that supports universities to engage meaningfully with society.

NCCPE is part of our Research and External Engagement team (REE). To learn about REE and what we do.

You will be an experienced operational leader, with a strong track record of developing and delivering organisational strategies, managing teams, and driving continuous improvement. You’ll be confident navigating complex systems, making data‑informed decisions, and building effective relationships across all levels.

You’ll bring excellent communication and analytical skills, a commitment to inclusive practice, and a passion for enabling others to do their best work. With a collaborative mindset and a focus on service excellence, you’ll play a key role in helping the NCCPE deliver on its mission to catalyse culture change in higher education.

Our offices are based in the city at 4 Portwall Place, Bristol BS1 6NB
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You’ll typically spend at least 2 days per week in the office with the opportunity to work from home on the remaining days.

We are one of the largest providers of Higher Education in the South West with 38,000 students and 4,000 staff from right across the globe. Based in vibrant Bristol , our ambitions are to make a positive difference to our planet, transforming futures through actions and solving real world challenges.

We offer a wide range of employee benefits including progressive pay rates, very generous annual leave and career average pension schemes as well as retail savings, onsite nursery and opportunities for training and personal development.

UWE Bristol recognises the power of a truly diverse university community.

We’re part of a vibrant, multicultural city and welcome talented people from all backgrounds. Diversity is our strength, enhancing creativity, decision‑making, and problem‑solving. Join our supportive community and thrive.

As a Disability Confident employer, we welcome applications from those who identify as having a disability. We particularly encourage applications from global majority candidates as we are currently under‑represented in this…