Governance Manager

Governance Manager (Executive Focus)

We are seeking an experienced and proactive governance professional to join our growing Governance Office as Governance Manager (Executive Focus).

This is a key leadership role supporting the University Executive Board (UEB) and senior leadership committees that drive delivery of the University's strategy, ensuring that decision-making is well-informed, transparent and effective.

This role sits within the Governance Office, reporting to the Head of Governance, and works in close partnership with the Governance Manager (Strategic & Academic Focus). Together, these roles form the professional core of the University's governance operations, connecting the work of the Executive, Council and Senate to ensure coherent and effective oversight.

You will:

• lead the governance cycle for UEB, ensuring clear forward planning, timely papers, and high-quality minutes and decisions.
• provide expert advice to senior leaders on governance, policy and regulatory compliance, helping to embed consistency and clarity across executive decision-making structures.
• drive improvements to the University's internal governance and assurance processes, promoting alignment between executive and formal governance frameworks.
• mentor Governance Partners, supporting professional growth and high-quality delivery across the team.

You'll join a collaborative and forward-looking team that values professionalism, innovation and inclusivity — helping to ensure the University's governance and assurance structures support our strategic ambitions.

You will be an experienced governance or senior administration professional who understands how strong governance supports effective leadership and institutional success. You'll bring confidence, diplomacy and exceptional organisational skills to ensure that executive-level decision-making runs smoothly and transparently.

We're looking for someone who can demonstrate:

• experience of supporting senior executives, boards or committees, ideally within a large or complex organisation.
• strong understanding of good governance and assurance practice, with the ability to translate this into efficient and effective processes.
• excellent communication and drafting skills, including the ability to prepare concise and accessible reports, papers and minutes for senior audiences.
• confidence in building and maintaining relationships with senior stakeholders, exercising discretion, political awareness and sound judgement.
• exceptional planning and organisational skills, with the ability to balance competing priorities and work to tight deadlines.
• a proactive and improvement-focused approach, able to identify opportunities to streamline and strengthen governance processes.
• experience of leading or supporting others, encouraging professionalism, inclusion and continuous development across the team.
• commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion, and to collaborative, high-quality service delivery.

A degree-level qualification or equivalent experience, with additional professional training in governance, business administration or management (e.g. CIPFA, CGI) is welcomed but not essential.

This is offered on a part-time basis (0.8 fte) for a fixed-term period to cover parental leave. We are, however, open to discussing flexible working arrangements that balance individual and organisational needs.

For an informal discussion about the role please contact Elisabeth Day, Interim Head of Governance at

Interviews are scheduled to take place on 10th & 11th December 2025.

We welcome applications from candidates who are motivated by improving how complex organisations make decisions and demonstrate accountability — and who enjoy working at the interface between governance, leadership and strategy.

We're committed to supporting flexible working and welcome conversations about how this role could best fit your circumstances.

We consider ourselves to be a university where difference is celebrated, respected and encouraged. We have an excellent international reputation with staff from over 60 different nations and have made a positive commitment towards gender equality and intersectionality receiving a Silver Athena SWAN award. We truly believe that diversity of experience, perspectives, and backgrounds will lead to a better environment for our employees and students and encourage applications from all genders, backgrounds, and communities, particularly from under-represented groups, and value the positive impact that will have on the university. We are committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for our students, staff, and community by reinforcing our Safer Recruitment commitment.

We're very proud to be a signatory of the Armed Forces Covenant. an accredited Disability Confident Leader; autism friendly university, committed to building disability confidence and supporting disabled staff.

We're continually expanding our benefits package to better support you and enhance your experience with us and the below is just an example of some of the many great benefits we offer:

• Free counselling services through Health Assured
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme
• Staff discount at Team Bath gym
• Staff discounts on postgraduate tuition fees
• Staff discount on language courses
• Generous employer contributory pension schemes
• Generous annual leave allowance with an additional 5 discretionary days so that you can enjoy a positive work life balance
• A wide range of personal and professional development opportunities including Apprenticeships, LinkedIn Learning and more
• Free entry to the Holburne Museum in Bath
• Local discounts and more
• A family-friendly workplace
• An excellent reward package that recognises the talents of our diverse workforce
• Relocation allowance
• Visa reimbursement and Interest-Free Loan to help with the cost of some immigration expenses

Find out more about our benefits and watch the video to hear from our staff about what makes the University of Bath a great place to work as well as following us X and LinkedIn.