Dear colleagues

I wish to pass on the news that Professor Steve Egan, Vice-President (Implementation) has decided to retire from his role at the University on 28 February 2020. Steve joined us from the Higher Education Funding Council for England, where he was Deputy Chief Executive, in 2015.

During his time here, Steve has played a major role in a number of University successes – IAAPS, the Institute for Coding, improving our digital services, establishing The Edge, and visibly supporting the growing profile of our sporting achievements. As a Professor of Practice he has also taught and supported research in the School of Management. In the short time I have been here, I have relied on Steve to advise and deliver on some really challenging issues, and I know that he will be missed by many of us in the University. There will be plenty of time for us to wish him well before he retires early next year.

As we look towards next year, this gives us an opportunity to think about the leadership and support of the professional services. Because of the exceptional contribution Steve has made over the last four and a half years, after considering a range of ideas, we have decided to translate this post into a new senior role of Chief Operating Officer.

The job description, which we are currently developing, says that “this person will be responsible for the University-wide planning, operations and direct service delivery of key corporate functions including Estates, Digital, HR, Sports, Arts, Legal and Commercial Services. They will challenge and innovate how we deliver our professional services, ensuring that the University is competitive in terms of resources, efficiency, and quality of service. Working alongside the academic leadership team, the COO will be a leader of organisational culture and values and share responsibility for promoting the University and enhancing its stature and reputation.”

This outlines the focus of the role, but as we prepare for the recruitment process, further detail will develop. If you have any thoughts you wish to share, do send them to Richard Brooks, HR Director, to be considered during the process. My hope is that we will have someone in post in early 2020.

With kind regards,

Professor Ian White FREng
Vice-Chancellor and President