Associate Director, Student Experience

Manager, Student Experience — University of Waikato

Hillcrest Campus | Continuing, Full-Time

About the Role

This is an exciting time to join the University of Waikato's Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) portfolio as it undergoes transformational change to place students firmly at the centre of everything it does. As part of this evolution, a newly established role has been created to provide strategic leadership and operational oversight across the University's student experience functions — from first enquiry through to graduation.

Reporting to the Director of Student Services, the Manager, Student Experience will lead a team of managers and professional staff responsible for enquiries and frontline operations, student voice and representation, pre-arrival, arrival and orientation, on-campus experience initiatives, and the stewardship of Te Manawa as a vibrant, welcoming student hub — including its 24/7 building and weekend service model.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) portfolio holds responsibility for teaching and learning, curriculum oversight, academic governance and quality assurance, student administration and enrolment, and the pastoral care and wellbeing of students. This role sits at the heart of that portfolio and will play a central part in shaping a more connected, responsive student experience that enables students to thrive and supports staff to deliver services of the highest quality.

While the purpose of the role is clearly defined, there is genuine scope for the successful candidate to shape how it evolves in practice. This is an opportunity to bring your expertise, influence direction, and make the role your own — while contributing meaningfully to the future of the University's academic portfolio and the success of its students.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership and operational oversight of the University's student experience functions, ensuring services are integrated, responsive, and genuinely student-centred
• Lead and develop a team of managers and professional staff across frontline and student-facing service environments
• Oversee the full student experience lifecycle including enquiries, pre-arrival, arrival, orientation, on-campus engagement, and student voice and representation
• Champion the stewardship of Te Manawa as a dynamic student hub, including management of extended service hours (24/7 building operations and weekend service delivery)
• Drive service improvement, change, and innovation across student-facing environments, applying strong knowledge of student engagement and service design principles
• Manage budgets, resources, rosters, and performance outcomes effectively across a complex, multi-channel service environment
• Design and implement integrated, technology-enabled service models and customer-focused processes that meet the evolving needs of students
• Build and maintain constructive relationships with diverse stakeholders, including students, representative groups, academic colleagues, and professional staff
• Contribute to the broader portfolio transformation by helping shape a connected, future-focused student experience aligned with the University's strategic direction
• Apply a demonstrated understanding of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and mātauranga Māori in leadership, decision-making, and service delivery

Who You Are

You are an experienced, people-centred leader with a proven track record in student experience, student services, frontline service delivery, or a comparable complex service environment. You combine strategic thinking with hands-on operational capability, and you bring a genuine commitment to belonging, accessibility, and service excellence.

You will bring:

• Demonstrated experience leading student experience, student services, frontline service delivery, or a similarly complex service environment
• Proven ability to provide strategic leadership and manage people, teams, and service operations effectively
• A track record of success in leading service improvement, change, or innovation in student-facing environments, with a strong grasp of student engagement and service design
• Capability in managing budgets, resources, rosters, and performance outcomes across extended service hours or multi-channel environments
• Proven ability to design and implement integrated, technology-enabled services and customer-focused processes
• Excellent communication and relationship-building skills, with the ability to engage constructively across diverse stakeholders, including students and representative groups
• A demonstrated understanding of and commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and mātauranga Māori, and the ability to apply this in leadership, decision-making, and service delivery
• A relevant postgraduate qualification with relevant experience, or a relevant bachelor's degree with extensive experience

Experience with student service or customer relationship systems and an understanding of the New Zealand tertiary environment would each be an advantage.

Don't meet every single requirement? Research shows that some people are less likely to apply for roles unless they meet every listed qualification