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The Students' Union at Bournemouth University

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<html><head></head><body><div><strong>CLOSING DATE 9 APRIL 2026 by 2 pm</strong><br>(Salary Band B1 - In line with SUBU’s pay framework, new employees are appointed at the lower end of the salary band).</div>
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<div><a href="https://www.subu.org.uk/pageassets/support/subu/jobs/Head-of-ResLife-Recruitment-Pack-3.pdf">Please see recruitment pack here (right click to open a new tab)</a></div>
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<div><strong>Purpose of Role</strong></div>
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<div>The Head of ResLife provides strategic leadership for the development, delivery, and continuous improvement of the ResLife programme across Bournemouth University-run and partner accommodation.</div>
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<div>The role leads a team of staff and students to deliver a high-quality residential life programme that enhances students’ sense of belonging, supports friendship formation, and develops life skills and resilience to support successful transition into university life.</div>
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<div>As the strategic lead for accommodation-based student engagement, the postholder manages key partnerships with accommodation providers, Bournemouth University, and internal SUBU services to create inclusive, safe, and connected residential communities. The role ensures that ResLife activity is insight-led, student-informed, and fully aligned with BU’s and SUBU’s strategic objectives and wider student offer.</div>
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<div>As a member of SUBU’s Senior Management Team, the Head of ResLife contributes to the organisation’s overall vision, strategic direction, and long-term planning, ensuring that accommodation-based services are effectively embedded within SUBU’s operational and strategic framework.</div>
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<div><strong>Key Tasks</strong></div>
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<div><strong>Strategic Duties:</strong></div>
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<li>Lead SUBU’s strategic approach to accommodation-based student engagement and community development.</li>
<li>Develop and implement strategies to increase engagement among students living in halls, ensuring inclusion of students from all backgrounds and demographics.</li>
<li>Contribute to organisational strategy as a member of the Senior Management Team, translating strategic aims into operational delivery.</li>
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<div><strong>Service Development and Delivery</strong></div>
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<li>Lead the development, management, and continuous improvement of the ResLife programme, ensuring it meets defined objectives relating to social connection, community building, and skills development.</li>
<li>Oversee the creation and delivery of an annual calendar of events and activities aligned to SUBU’s strategic priorities, wider student offer, and service level agreements.</li>
<li>Ensure ResLife services integrate seamlessly with other SUBU services, venues, and programmes to provide a coherent experience for halls-based students.</li>
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<div><strong>Leadership and Line Management</strong></div>
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<li>Line manage and develop the ResLife Manager, providing clear direction, support, and performance management.</li>
<li>Provide strategic oversight of the wider ResLife staff and student team, fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing culture.</li>
<li>Lead recruitment, training, and ongoing development of the ResLife team&nbsp;</li>
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<div><strong>Partnerships and Stakeholder Engagement</strong></div>
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<li>Build and maintain strong relationships and ensure effective communication with the university, accommodation providers, SUBU staff and Officers teams, Bournemouth University teams, local community partners, and external stakeholders.</li>
<li>Act as the senior ResLife representative in university and students’ union working groups, projects, and forums.</li>
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<div><strong>Risk Management and Student Support</strong></div>
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<li>Ensure robust systems for student support, escalation, and signposting are in place and adhered to.</li>
<li>Support effective incident response and crisis management within residential settings.</li>
<li>Contribute to the development and review of policies relating to residential life.</li>
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<div><strong>Data, Insight and Evaluation</strong></div>
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<li>Oversee the collection, management, and analysis of student data, surveys, and engagement metrics related to ResLife.</li>
<li>Produce reports and analysis demonstrating the impact and effectiveness of the ResLife programme for internal and external stakeholders.</li>
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<div><strong>Financial and Resource Management</strong></div>
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<li>Manage budgets, resources, and contracts related to ResLife activity.</li>
<li>Ensure effective financial planning and in-year budget management, including responding to fluctuating resident numbers.</li>
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<div><strong>Compliance and Governance</strong></div>
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<li>Ensure ResLife services operate within legislative and regulatory requirements, including safeguarding, equality, data protection (UK GDPR and DPA), and health and safety.</li>
<li>Maintain accurate records and information systems relevant to the service.</li>
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<div><strong>Organisational Contribution</strong></div>
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<li>Organise and contribute to planning sessions, reviews, and development activity.</li>
<li>Undertake administrative responsibilities including email and diary management.</li>
<li>Carry out any other duties reasonably required within the scope of the role.</li>
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<div><strong>General for all staff&nbsp;</strong></div>
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<li>Key Union Events Duties: proactively to assist with the organisation and administration of the larger Union events such as Fresher’s, Summer Ball and Elections.</li>
<li>Adopt and endorse the organisation’s Vision and Values and all SUBU’s policies and procedures, across all aspects of the role.</li>
<li>Participate in training, meetings or conferences considered relevant to their job with agreed Personal Development plan</li>
<li>Adhere to all relevant legislative frameworks.</li>
<li>SUBU is committed to promoting, educating, and taking direct action on environmental sustainability. All SUBU employees are expected to integrate environmental sustainability values and action into their role where feasible.</li>
<li>To undertake any other task that is deemed reasonable within your skill set</li>
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<div><strong>Person Specification&nbsp;</strong></div>
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<li>Significant experience leading student-facing services, programmes, or communities.</li>
<li>Proven leadership and people management experience and skills, staff development and performance management.</li>
<li>Strong understanding of student wellbeing, inclusion, and engagement in a higher education context.</li>
<li>Demonstrable understanding of issues experienced by students (e.g. general life-skills, budgeting, mental health, drugs, alcohol and healthy verses unhealthy lifestyles) as well as other challenges currently facing students in Higher Education.</li>
<li>Excellent communication, stakeholder management and partnership-working skills.</li>
<li>Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on operational delivery.</li>
<li>Experience in financial and budget management.</li>
<li>High levels of resilience, self-motivation, and emotional intelligence.</li>
<li>Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver complex projects.</li>
<li>Ability to innovate, to recognise challenges, analyse problems and apply effective solutions.</li>
<li>Clean drivers licence, active driver</li>
<li>DBS check will be required</li>
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<div><strong>Additional Information</strong></div>
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<div>Please note that this role will be required to work in rotation on Christmas Day every three years, with other permanent members of staff on the ResLife team. This is to deliver services for those students who remain in halls.&nbsp;</div>
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<div>We expect this day’s work to be for a duration of up to 4 hours. Colleagues working this day will receive an additional premium of £500.</div>
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Head of ResLife

SUBU is dedicated to enriching the lives of Bournemouth University students, whether that is through clubs and societies, putting on events in our venues or by supporting students with our Advice Service. We exist to further the interests of students at Bournemouth University, and everyone in our team contributes to that.

At SUBU, you’ll find people who are passionate about their work, and believe in our values of Supportive, Progressive, Integrity, Collaborative, and Equity.

About Us

- We show empathy and compassion.&nbsp; - We understand and respond to what people need.&nbsp;  - We share our knowledge, time, care, space, resources to help people thrive.

Support

- We are innovative & forward thinking.&nbsp; - We strive for better and stay ahead of the curve.&nbsp;  - We actively seek & respond to feedback.

Progressive

- We are authentic & our actions and words align.&nbsp; - We are open and honest.&nbsp;  - We are accountable.

Integrity

Collaboration

- We listen.&nbsp; - We recognise differences and different solutions.&nbsp;  - We are working for a level playing field.&nbsp;  - We focus on the process and not just the end result.&nbsp;  - We respect each individual’s rights.&nbsp;  - We advocate and lobby on behalf of those who need it.&nbsp;  - We are proactive instead of reactive.