Shape the future of legal, compliance and governance services at an ambitious, student-focused university.
Edge Hill University is seeking an exceptional Associate Director of Legal and Compliance Services to lead and develop a high-quality legal operations and compliance function within one of the UK’s most successful modern universities.
This newly established leadership role offers a rare opportunity to shape and develop legal and compliance services across a complex and ambitious higher education institution.
Working closely with senior colleagues across academic and professional services, you will help the University navigate legal, regulatory and compliance matters while enabling innovation, effective decision-making and institutional success.
This is an exciting opportunity for a collaborative and pragmatic professional who combines sound judgement with strong stakeholder management skills and a commitment to delivering practical solutions in a values-led organisation.
Who we are
Founded in 1885 as the first non-denominational teacher training college for women, Edge Hill University was built on the belief that education should transform lives.
Today, it is a thriving, ambitious and award-winning institution with more than 12,000 students and a growing national reputation for excellence in teaching, student experience, research and innovation.
Located on a stunning 160-acre campus in Lancashire, Edge Hill is recognised for its commitment to inclusion, opportunity and social mobility.
The University was named University of the Year for Student Experience in the Daily Mail University Guide 2026 and continues to invest significantly in its campus, people and future ambitions.
At Edge Hill, people are at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to creating an environment where colleagues can thrive, contribute and make a meaningful impact.
About the role
This newly created role offers a rare opportunity to establish and shape the University’s approach to legal services, compliance and regulatory assurance.
Working across a complex and ambitious institution, you will help build the frameworks, relationships and governance arrangements that support effective decision-making and manage institutional risk.
Reporting to the Director of Assurance, Risk and Legal Services, you will play a critical role in ensuring legal, regulatory and compliance matters are managed effectively across the institution.
This is a strategic, institution-wide role focused on building greater maturity, structure and consistency across legal, compliance, risk and insurance activities.
The postholder will act as the central triage point for legal matters, ensuring issues are directed appropriately and external legal advice is procured efficiently.
Success in the role will be measured not by the volume of legal advice provided, but by the ability to build confidence, improve consistency and help the University make informed, risk-aware decisions.
A key priority will be establishing clearer frameworks for contract management, defining responsibilities and escalation routes across procurement, partnership, research and other university agreements. The role will also lead key compliance projects, including the review of student fee agreements, and provide proportionate oversight of insurance arrangements, moving the University towards a more proactive approach to risk management.
This newly created role provides strategic legal leadership across the university, ensuring robust governance, regulatory compliance and effective management of legal risk. Working closely with the Executive and Senior Leadership Team, the postholder will oversee complex contractual and partnership arrangements, support growing international activity, and bring greater coordination to the university’s use of external legal advisers.
The role offers a unique opportunity to establish and shape a new institution-wide function, combining legal expertise with stakeholder engagement, influence and assurance. Success will come from building strong relationships across the university, providing constructive challenge, and helping senior leaders make informed, risk-aware decisions.
The Associate Director will lead the already established Student Casework team, led by the Head of Student Casework, as well as the Insurance Officer and Information Governance Officer.
Key responsibilities include:
- Acting as the senior coordinator for legal matters across the University.
- Managing relationships with external legal advisers and ensuring high-quality, value-for-money legal support.
- Providing leadership and oversight for information governance and insurance services.
- Supporting the identification, management and mitigation of legal and regulatory risk.
- Developing policies, procedures, guidance and service standards across areas of responsibility.
- Contributing to the University’s wider assurance, governance and risk management arrangements.
This role offers the opportunity to shape a developing service, build internal capability and make a significant institutional impact.
Who we are looking for
We are seeking an experienced professional with a strong understanding of legal, regulatory and compliance issues within complex organisations.
You do not need to be a specialist in every area of law as the University will continue to draw on external legal expertise where required. Your role will be to provide strategic oversight, coordinate advice and ensure legal considerations are effectively embedded within institutional decision-making.
While experience within higher education, education, the public sector or another highly regulated environment would be advantageous, we are also open to candidates from other sectors who can quickly develop an understanding of the higher education landscape and regulatory framework.
The successful candidate will have experience coordinating legal, compliance or regulatory matters across a complex organisation, alongside the ability to manage external professional advisers and procure specialist advice effectively.
More importantly, you will be a collaborative and pragmatic leader who works in partnership with colleagues, helping to find solutions and enabling progress while appropriately managing risk.
This is a highly visible role with the opportunity to influence decision-making across every part of the University, from student experience and academic provision to commercial partnerships, international activity and institutional governance.
You will be confident influencing senior stakeholders, building trusted relationships, and providing constructive challenge where required.
We are looking for someone who can establish effective frameworks, improve processes and bring greater consistency and maturity to legal and compliance activities across the University.
A professional legal qualification would be advantageous, as would experience of contracts, commercial agreements, information governance, student casework or regulatory compliance.
Above all, you will be a credible, values-driven leader who combines strategic thinking with practical delivery and who will thrive within Edge Hill University’s collaborative, welcoming and community-focused culture.
Benefits
As well as the opportunity to join a welcoming, campus-based community, Edge Hill University offers an attractive range of benefits. Staff enjoy access to excellent onsite facilities, including a gym and swimming pool, free parking, and extensive green spaces across the award-winning campus.
The Associate Director will be appointed on a management contract and benefit from:
- 35 days’ annual leave, plus bank holidays and five concessionary days
- A hybrid working model, with approximately 50% of time spent on campus (typically two to three days per week)
- Membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS)
- Optional private healthcare (currently provided by BUPA)
- Life insurance
Management salaries are reviewed annually, and the University offers a comprehensive induction programme, access to coaching and mentoring support, and ongoing professional development opportunities through Advance HE. Relocation support may be available for candidates moving to the area, alongside the option to rent University accommodation during the working week.
To view the role description and person specification, please go to the ‘How to Apply’ tab above, fill in your details and download the candidate pack.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Dr Sophie Carney | sophie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 528307
Welcome from the Director of Assurance, Risk and Legal Services
Thank you for your interest in the position of Associate Director of Legal and Compliance Services at Edge Hill University.
This is an exciting opportunity to join the University at a pivotal moment in the development of our assurance, legal and compliance services. We are bringing together a number of complementary functions into a newly formed team, creating a rare opportunity for an experienced professional to help shape the future direction, culture and operating model of the service from the outset.
At Edge Hill, we are proud of our reputation as a values-led institution that places students, colleagues and communities at the heart of everything we do. As the higher education sector continues to evolve, the University is committed to maintaining robust governance, effective compliance and proportionate risk management while supporting innovation, collaboration and growth.
Working closely with colleagues across academic and professional services, the successful candidate will play a key role in developing and delivering high-quality legal and compliance support. The role offers significant variety and influence, encompassing legal operations, compliance, information governance, insurance and student casework, while helping the University respond effectively to both challenges and opportunities.
We are looking for someone who combines professional expertise with sound judgement, strong relationship-building skills and a pragmatic approach to problem-solving. In return, you will have the opportunity to make a lasting contribution within a collaborative and ambitious institution that is committed to continuous improvement and creating positive outcomes for students and staff.
If you are looking for a role where you can help shape a developing service, influence meaningful change and contribute to the future success of a thriving university community, I hope this opportunity will be of interest to you.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Peter Roberts
Director of Assurance, Risk and Legal Services
Edge Hill University
About us
For more than 140 years, Edge Hill University has been transforming lives through education, research and innovation. Established in 1885, the University has grown from a pioneering teacher training institution into a modern university recognised nationally for its student experience, teaching quality and civic impact.
Located in Ormskirk, Lancashire, the University benefits from close connections to Liverpool, Manchester and the wider North West region. It serves as an important civic institution, bringing together education, business, public services and communities to create opportunities and drive positive change.
Edge Hill combines ambitious strategic goals with a strong commitment to inclusion, well-being and social mobility. More than 70% of undergraduate students have at least one widening participation characteristic, reflecting the University’s longstanding commitment to opportunity and student success.
The University has invested more than £350 million in its campus over the past two decades and continues to enhance its facilities, research capability and student environment.
Alongside excellence in education, Edge Hill is delivering growing research impact, with 62% of research submitted to REF 2021 rated as world-leading or internationally excellent.
As the University prepares to launch its next strategic plan for 2026-2031, it remains focused on ensuring every student succeeds, graduates thrive, ideas create impact, and communities grow stronger.
This is an exciting time to join a forward-looking institution that combines ambition with a genuine commitment to people and place.
Accessibility information
Edge Hill University is committed to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment where staff, students and visitors can fully participate in university life. We recognise that everyone has different accessibility needs and work to remove barriers by providing support, reasonable adjustments and accessible information where required.
We continually review and improve our accessibility practices to ensure our facilities, services and experiences are as inclusive as possible. Our accessibility guides provide detailed information to help visitors navigate campus facilities and plan their journeys with confidence.
If you require any adjustments or support at any stage of the recruitment process, we encourage you to contact us so that we can discuss your individual requirements.
We can provide a range of accessibility support, including:
- Step-free access to buildings, key meeting rooms, workspaces and accessible facilities.
- Interview rooms with hearing loop support.
- Welcome for assistance and accessibility dogs.
- Recruitment materials and documentation in alternative formats.
- Access to sign language interpretation for interviews where required.
- Flexible working arrangements and hybrid working options where appropriate.
- Consideration of individual reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment and employment process.
Edge Hill University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer and is committed to building disability confidence and support across its staff and student community.
The University is also committed to fostering an inclusive workplace where difference is valued and everyone can thrive.
Reasonable adjustments and workplace support arrangements are considered on an individual basis, ensuring that colleagues receive the support they need to succeed in their roles.
To arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Dr Sophie Carney | sophie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 528307
Thank you for your interest in this role. Please download the Role Description and Person Specification.
To formally apply, please submit a CV and supporting statement (ideally maximum 2 sides of A4 each) that clearly outlines your suitability for the role against the criteria provided in the person specification, including your interest and motivation in applying for this position.
Please include your home address, contact email and mobile.
Please ensure that your application is emailed to response@peridotpartners.co.uk, inserting “Application: Edge Hill University —Associate Director Legal and Compliance Services” into the subject field. You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt within 2-3 days. If you do not receive an acknowledgement, please contact our admin team.
For further information or to arrange a confidential discussion, please contact our advising consultant at Peridot Partners:
Dr Sophie Carney | sophie@peridotpartners.co.uk | 07399 528307
As a sector-leading executive search consultancy, we know the importance of creating recruitment processes that are fair, inclusive and free from bias. We are committed to promoting equality and diversity and developing a process that values differences.
If you require any job information in an alternative format (e.g. large print), please contact the lead consultant. Please also let us know if you would like to submit your application in an alternative format.
Applicants with disabilities are welcome to contact us in confidence at any stage of the recruitment process to discuss any reasonable adjustments or support that may be required to ensure fair and equal participation.
Recruitment selection processes are based on evidence of competence stated in the person specification and in relation to our values.
Following offer, successful candidates will need to provide original proof of identity, qualifications and professional memberships, and evidence their right to work in the UK.
Timetable
Closing date: 9 a.m. Monday 21st September 2026
Candidates informed of outcome: Friday 25th September 2026
First stage interviews: w/c Monday 28th September 2026
Second stage interviews: w/c Monday 5th October 2026
We are in the process of confirming interview dates. Once confirmed, we will update the site and contact those who have applied.
Equal Opportunities Monitoring
Peridot and Edge Hill University are committed to promoting equality and diversity. To help us raise awareness and support a culture that is diverse and recognises and develops the potential of all, we need to appreciate the profile of candidates who apply for positions. We will send you an equality monitoring survey at the point of receiving your application and at the time of placement. This ensures that our processes remain inclusive and equitable throughout, and provides us with important data to help us showcase our impact.
The information will be treated confidentially and anonymously and will help us to support our commitment to fair recruitment practice. All information provided will be held in the strictest confidence and will not be shared with anyone, in line with the Data Protection Act 2018 launched on 25 May 2018.
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