Head of Registry

Salary

SS1, £73,709 - £82,533 per annum (with appointment on a spot salary basis)

Contractual hours

Basis

Full Time

Job category/type

Professional Services

Date posted

09/06/2026

Job reference

REQ000560

Professional Services

Fixed Term: 18 months This role may be eligible for visa sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route. If requiring visa sponsorship, the successful applicant will also need to meet a range of individual criteria to satisfy Home Office requirements. If the role is offered on a part-time basis, this might also affect eligibility Applicants are encouraged to individually assess whether they may be eligible for visa sponsorship prior to applying. More information on eligibility can be found on the Government website. THE POST – Head of Registry

The Head of Registry provides strategic leadership for all Registry services at UWS, ensuring the delivery of an efficient, high-quality and student-centred service. This senior role oversees key operational areas including enrolment, student records, examinations and assessment, timetabling, and statutory returns. The post holder will drive continuous improvement across Registry functions, leading service redesign where necessary and embedding sector best practice and digital innovation to enhance efficiency, compliance, and the overall student experience.

Leading a high-performing team, the Head of Registry will foster a culture of excellence, innovation and continuous improvement, setting clear objectives and ensuring delivery to agreed standards and deadlines. The role also carries responsibility for ensuring compliance with all relevant legislative and regulatory requirements, managing risk, and maintaining robust governance frameworks. Acting as a key institutional representative, the post holder will also play a pivotal role in shaping policy and supporting academic quality processes.

The successful candidate should have the following:

• A first degree or equivalent professional experience
• A higher degree/postgraduate qualification, relevant professional qualification, or equivalent senior-level experience
• Demonstrated leadership of design and delivery of high quality, student-centred services
• Expert knowledge of student and academic administration within UK Higher Education, including policy and process development, and operational leadership
• Strong experience, alongside a strategic understanding and knowledge, of national HE and institutional issues relating to educational quality and administration.
• Experience of managing significant budgets, including delivering strategic change with financial efficiencies.
• Experience of leading and managing directly or indirectly large teams of people.
• Proven record of leading complex change projects and delivering measurable improvements.

The University of the West of Scotland is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic modern universities. Our reach across the country, together with our London campus, means that UWS is a significant force in global knowledge creation, innovation, and a leading provider of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree education. Our degrees provide students with a transformational experience; equipping them with highly sought-after graduate skills that set them up for global success in world-leading sectors, industries and businesses.

With cutting-edge courses, modern pedagogy and practical knowledge, we enable our students and staff to experience the joy of learning, teaching, research and innovation, and apply their knowledge for the benefit of others.

UWS is officially ranked by Times Higher Education in the top 200 universities worldwide under 50 years old (2024 Young University Rankings)

Our professional services teams are the backbone of UWS, providing robust and innovative solutions to support the vast range of work across learning and teaching, and research and innovation. You will join a supportive and dedicated team, playing a key role in a range of work that will help drive forward our ambition to deliver world-leading research, and graduates who will design, shape and build a new future.

We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes:

• 24 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays
• An additional days leave on your birthday
• Defined benefit contribution pension scheme (including death in service benefits upon joining the scheme
• A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance
• Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers
• Fitness facilities across our campuses
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme
• Professional, career and research development opportunities.

Interview Date: To be confirmed

Please note that the appointment will be made on the first point of the salary scale (unless by exception, where evidence would need to be provided).

The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.

You can find out more about how the University uses your personal data as part of the recruitment process by looking at the UWS HR Applicant Privacy Notice at www.uws.ac.uk

UWS are committed signatories to the Armed Forces Covenant.

UWS is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.

UWS is a “Disability Confident” employer.

University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC002520