Swansea University
Registrar and Chief Operating Officer
Location: Swansea, Wales
Salary: Competitive executive remuneration package
Swansea University is a research-led institution that thrives on exploration and discovery, offering a compelling balance of excellent teaching, world-leading research and an enviable quality of life across its two beachfront campuses. Having celebrated its centenary in 2020, the University is proud of the role it has played in the transformation of Swansea as a city of distinction since 1920. Today, Swansea educates more than 22,000 students from over 100 countries and supports a large and diverse academic and professional services community. Ranked within the top 300 universities globally and top in Wales in the Guardian University Guide 2026, Swansea continues to strengthen its international reputation while investing in ambitious programmes of research, innovation, campus development and strategic partnerships.
We are now seeking to appoint an outstanding Registrar and Chief Operating Officer (COO) to play a central role in shaping the next phase of Swansea University’s development. This is a pivotal executive leadership role with broad institutional scope. Reporting to the Vice-Chancellor and working as a key member of the Senior Leadership Team, you will have significant influence across strategy, governance, operational performance and organisational effectiveness.
You will provide strategic leadership for major professional services functions including Education Services, Marketing, Recruitment and International, People Services, Strategic Change, Research and Knowledge Exchange, Student Life and Faculty Operations. You will lead the continued development of effective, resilient and high-performing services that support the University’s strategic ambitions, student experience and long-term sustainability, embedding a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration and service excellence across the institution.
The role will also hold significant responsibility for governance, regulatory compliance and institutional accountability, including engagement with Council and its committees, while ensuring the University is well-positioned to respond effectively to future opportunities, challenges and sector change. A key aspect of the role will be embedding a culture of collaboration, service excellence and continuous improvement across the institution, enhancing organisational effectiveness, supporting informed decision-making and ensuring the University remains agile, resilient and fit for the future.
This is a pivotal role, and you will bring substantial senior-level leadership experience gained within higher education, the wider public sector or a comparably sophisticated environment. You will have a strong track record of leading organisational improvement, overseeing diverse operational portfolios and building high-performing teams and inclusive cultures. You will bring the credibility, judgement and strategic capability to operate effectively across a broad stakeholder environment, alongside strong commercial awareness. You will also be a dynamic and adaptable leader, comfortable operating at pace within a complex and fast-moving environment.
This is an exceptional opportunity to join an ambitious, globally connected university at an exciting stage in its development and to play a defining role in shaping Swansea University’s future direction, operational effectiveness and institutional impact.
To find out more about this opportunity and to apply, please visit: https://www.veredus.co.uk/opportunities/ quoting reference number 1219.
For a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultants at Veredus: Reece D’Alanno on reece.dalanno@veredus.co.uk or Nataliya Starik-Bludova on nataliya.starik-bludova@veredus.co.uk.
Closing date for applications is 5pm on Friday, 23rd October 2026.
