Head of Community Engagement

Leeds University Union is looking for an inspiring Head of Community Engagement to lead a new department at the heart of its 2026-2030 strategy.

Bringing together student groups, community events and programmes, and student voice and organising, you will unite three teams around a clear vision and help students connect, lead and make change happen.

This is an opportunity for a transformational leader who can turn strategy into delivery, build trusted partnerships and create impact for more than 38,000 students.

You do not need to come from a students’ union, but you will need to understand the power of community and member-led organisations.

About the role

This is a brand new department and a brand new role. We are looking for a leader who can set the vision, outcomes and priorities for LUU’s new Community Engagement department, bringing three teams together as one connected and high-performing service.

Key duties will include:

• Providing strategic leadership across 370+ student groups, community events and programmes, student voice and organising, student leadership, sport and physical activity.
• Building influential partnerships across the University of Leeds, accommodation providers, city partners, sector bodies and the wider community.
• Ensuring activity is inclusive, affordable, safe and evidence-led, providing confident oversight of budgets, safeguarding, health and safety, freedom of expression and a varied risk portfolio.

This is a full-time, permanent role based at Leeds University Union. The successful candidate will be expected to work on campus for a minimum of three days each week, with up to two days working from home.

Visible leadership is important. The portfolio includes student-led events, trips, sport and other activities that can require flexibility outside normal office hours, as well as participation in LUU’s on-call safety arrangements.

Salary: £47,258 per annum. Benefits include generous holiday and Union closed days, learning and development, holiday buy-back, an NUS TOTUM card, venue discounts, and discounted travel and gym membership.

Who we are looking for 

We are looking for an inclusive and transformational leader who can bring people together, give a new department a shared identity and translate an ambitious strategy into visible impact for students.

You may be working in higher education, a membership or community organisation, youth or volunteer development, sport, participation or another complex not-for-profit environment.

You will bring experience of leading teams and change, developing strategic partnerships and delivering through others.

You will understand how to support volunteers or member-led communities, use insight to improve services and manage significant budgets and resources.

You do not need to be the technical expert in every area. What matters is your judgement, your ability to ask the right questions and your confidence in giving assurance on risk, safeguarding and complex activity.

You will be collaborative, calm under pressure, unafraid to innovate and able to build relationships with students, elected leaders, colleagues and senior partners.