Head of Student Wellbeing

Welcome to HWU

Hear from our Deputy Registrar & Head of Student Life, Campbell Powrie.

We are delighted to invite applications for the post of Head of Student Wellbeing at Heriot-Watt University.

This is an exciting opportunity to lead a talented multidisciplinary team; develop the University’s strategic approach to wellbeing, mental health and GBV; and drive meaningful change that enhances the student experience.

You will play an important role in delivering our Strategy 2035 ambitions and will work collaboratively across the University, and with external partners, to build robust and effective student‑centred services.

If you are an experienced leader with a passion for supporting students, strong professional skills and sector insight, and the ability to inspire others, I warmly invite you to apply. Your expertise and leadership can help us ensure that all students, wherever they study with us, feel valued, supported and empowered to succeed.

Campbell Powrie,

Deputy Registrar & Head of Student Life

About

Our Heritage and Scottish Roots

Founded in 1821 as the Edinburgh School of Arts, Heriot-Watt was the world’s first Mechanics Institute, born out of the Scottish Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution, with a mission to educate working people for technical and scientific jobs. Our founding mission, and character of the University across the years has been to make education accessible and deliver tangible benefit to industry and society.

Over the years, we have grown from a technical college to a global university with a reputation for excellence in science, engineering, business, and design.

As we look forward, we reflect on our origins and build on this heritage which sets the foundations for our future and Strategy 2035.

Heriot-Watt University today

Heriot-Watt University is a charity registered in Scotland, with a distinctive multinational operation through its campuses in the UK, UAE and Malaysia, as well as through collaborative activity with partners around the world and its Virtual Campus. Heriot-Watt University Malaysia is a Private Higher Education Institution and subsidiary company of the Heriot-Watt Group; Heriot-Watt University Dubai is a branch entity; and Oriam – Scotland’s National Performance Centre for Sport – is also a subsidiary company, along with Heriot-Watt Trading.

A Distinctive University; A Sustainable Future

Growing from these Scottish roots in the 19^th century, the University remains renowned for employability, for access and inclusion; and for its applied research impact and global reach. The University has an exceptional track record in transnational education with a globally connected delivery model, enabling students to ‘Go Global’ and learn through global teaching teams across campuses and cultures.

The University’s staff and students are the bedrock of its reputation, and it is their achievements in teaching, learning and research, underpinned by our values as a community, that makes the University what it is today. These values – to Inspire; Belong; Celebrate and Collaborate – help us stay true, with respect for one another; understanding and valuing diversity.

We have an exceptional partnership with our students and, as a university community, we care most about the transformational value of education which is accessible and research which impacts on real world challenges and benefits society.

We are thought leaders in sustainability and see that future prosperity depends on us curating a future with institutional, environmental, economic and human factors in mind. As we look forwards in Strategy 2035, we are sharpening our focus and building on these strengths and characteristics.

Our Institutional Impact Statement is the anchor for our strategy, defining our purpose as follows:

WE ARE FUTURE SHAPERS. Our Purpose is to develop leaders to build an equitable, sustainable, and enriching society. Our community will leverage its global presence and focused expertise to provide applied learning and research to transform lives and address real-world challenges.

Strategy 2035

Our strategy focusses on applied learning for life and employability, with research that addresses real world challenges. We are partners, collaborators, entrepreneurs and innovators. We care about sustainability, about developing and educating people who will lead out and make a difference in the world.

Role description

The Role

Head of Student Wellbeing – Heriot-Watt University

Job purpose

The Head of Student Wellbeing is a key role which will provide strategic leadership for Heriot-Watt University’s Student Wellbeing Service across our global campuses. The successful candidate will lead a proactive, student-centred and evidence‑based approach to supporting student wellbeing, ensuring services meet the diverse needs of our global student community. Working collaboratively across academic, professional services and external partners the successful candidate will foster an environment where all students feel supported, valued, and able to succeed. The Head of Student Wellbeing will play a central role in the development and implementation of the Student Wellbeing operational plan, working in partnership with key internal and external stakeholders

Reporting to the Head of Student Life, and as a key member of the University’s Student Life Division (part of the Registry & Academic Support Directorate), the Head of Student Wellbeing will play an important role in contributing to the wider student experience at Heriot Watt University.

The role will be based at the University’s Edinburgh Campus and will lead a team of 25 professional staff located at the Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders Campuses and structured into 4 main teams: Chaplaincy, Counselling, Disability Services and Student Experience.

The Head of Student Wellbeing will develop strong relationships with stakeholders from across the University, and with external partners. Whilst the role does not line-manage Wellbeing staff in our Dubai and Malaysia Campuses, they will provide professional leadership to the team based across all our campus locations. The role holder will also be expected to manage an appropriate level of student case work.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

• Lead the development and delivery of Heriot-Watt’s Student Wellbeing strategic and operational planning, aligned with the institution’s Values and Strategy 2035.
• Provide expert guidance to senior University leadership on emerging issues relating to student mental health, wellbeing, disability and GBV.
• Develop policy and procedures to support student wellbeing and retention.
• Ensure compliance with the Equality Act, QAA Codes of Practice and sector guidance (for example from Universities UK, HUCS, AMOSSHE).

Service Management and Enhancement

• Manage the UK-based multidisciplinary service, including counsellors, mental health advisers, wellbeing practitioners, disability support specialists, student experience and chaplaincy colleagues.
• Oversee the design, delivery, and continuous improvement of the University’s wellbeing services, ensuring they are accessible, inclusive, and student‑centred.
• Establish and monitor service standards, risk protocols, and case management practices.
• Participate in University committees and groups to promote and embed the wellbeing agenda and encourage a whole university approach to student wellbeing.
• Provide case management, professional leadership and support to the managers of the Wellbeing Services in the Dubai and Malaysia campuses and lead on the embedding of best practice across the University’s global campuses.

Student Mental Health and Support

• Ensure the provision of safe, robust, and timely mental health support, including crisis intervention, risk assessment, and individualised support plans.
• Build effective referral pathways with NHS services, external clinical providers, and community partners.
• Maintain compliance with relevant legislation and sector standards, including the Equality Act 2010, GDPR, and Universities UK and Sector guidance.
• Manage critical incidents and high-risk cases, respond to mental health crises and liaise with internal and external partners as required.
• Lead on GBV initiatives and support the development of the Equally Safe strategy within the University.

Inclusivity and Student Engagement

• Champion equality, diversity, and inclusion across all wellbeing activities and initiatives, ensuring services are responsive to the needs of a diverse international student body.
• Collaborate closely with the Student Union, EDI teams, Schools, and other University networks to support belonging and inclusion.
• Lead preventative campaigns, wellbeing events, and engagement activities that build a positive, supportive community culture.

Data, Reporting, and Quality Assurance

• Use data, analytics, and student insight to evaluate wellbeing service performance and inform strategic priorities.
• Produce high‑quality reports, proposals, and recommendations for relevant University governance groups.

Partnership Development

• Represent Heriot-Watt in regional and national networks related to mental health, wellbeing and GBV (for example, the Edinburgh Fearless Partnership and Universities Scotland Mental Health Working Group).
• Develop key partnerships and maintain effective relationships externally with statutory service providers, other HE providers and relevant others.
• Promote the wellbeing agenda across the global University community through effective partnership working.
• Oversee, plan and deliver relevant training to institutional colleagues relating to student mental health.

Essential Qualifications, Experience, and Skills

• You will be an experienced leader who has extensive experience working in student wellbeing, mental health, or student support services, within the University or College sector.
• Degree-level qualification, or equivalent professional qualification/experience in a relevant field.
• Knowledge of UK legislation relevant to student wellbeing, mental health, safeguarding, disability, GBV and data protection.
• Understanding and engagement in developments in the external environment.
• Strategic insight, and the ability to plan at a strategic level
• Ability to summarise complex ideas or highly detailed or specialist information
• Ability to successfully manage and address competing work demands
• Strong commitment to the University Values
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and influence at all levels.
• Excellent communication and relationship-building abilities across culturally diverse communities.
• Sound judgement in managing sensitive, complex, and high‑risk situations.
• Commitment to equality, inclusion, and shaping a compassionate, student‑centred culture.
• Analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive evidence-based improvement.

Desirable

• Appropriate professional accreditation (for example, the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy, Health Care Professions Council, Nursing & Midwifery Council, British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies.).
• Appropriate relevant professional qualification (Counselling, Mental Health or Social work) or equivalent experience relating to Mental Health and service delivery.

How to apply

The closing date for applications is

GDPR personal data notice

According to GDPR guidelines, we are only able to process your Sensitive Personal Data (racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religious or philosophical beliefs, trade union membership, genetic data, biometric data, health, sex life, or sexual orientation) with your express consent. You will be asked to complete a consent form when you apply and please do not include any Sensitive Personal Data within your CV (although this can be included in your covering letter if you wish to do so), remembering also not to include contact details for referees without their prior agreement.

Due diligence

Due diligence will be carried out as part of the application process, which may include searches carried out via internet search engines and any public social media accounts.

Equality of Opportunity statement

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised, and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all. Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website.