Job Description

Interim Sub Dean

Application Deadline: 10 April 2026

Department: Welfare

Employment Type: Fixed Term Contract

Location: Oxford

Compensation: £5,820 / year

The Interim Sub Dean primarily supports the Dean in overseeing non-academic discipline within College and occasionally supports the Heads of Wellbeing in the supervision and provision of welfare support. This is a responsible position, in which the Interim Sub Dean is frequently in the ‘front line’ of decanal work in the college.

The Interim Sub Dean is expected to assist the Dean and deputise for them when called upon to do so. They will carry authority delegated by the Dean and Heads of Wellbeing and should always act professionally, and in a manner which commands respect from undergraduate and graduate students. In particular, when on duty or reserve they need to be and remain able to carry out their duties promptly, properly, and conscientiously at all times.

The post is available from 10th May 2026 or as soon as possible thereafter and is offered until the 31st of December 2026 to cover the permanent job holder who is currently seconded to another role. It is a part-time role - of circa 10 hours per week (8 hours within office hours), occasional evening hours (2 hours monitoring students’ events), and rotas thereafter - during the three Oxford terms and the weeks immediately preceding and following full-term (10 weeks each term). The Interim Sub Dean will also work 4 hours per week outside of term, exclusive of agreed holidays. During term it is expected that the post-holder will be on-site; outside of term it may be possible to work remotely/flexibly.

Relationships
Responsible to: The Dean (and on welfare issues the Heads of Wellbeing)
Liaison with: Lodge staff, Housekeeping, Catering, the Junior Welfare Deans and Gardening teams.

Main Tasks

• Deputise for and assist the Dean.
• Provide support inside office hours.
• Assist with all aspects of running the Dean’s office.
• Act as secretary to disciplinary committees and appeal tribunals within college.
• Conduct risk assessments of students led event booking requests.
• Write papers with/for the Dean to present to pertinent bodies and committees on decanal matters.
• Review guidance issued to students in relation to decanal matters.
• Liaise with the Dean to regularly review decanal regulations and discipline procedures.
• Manage incoming and outgoing correspondence for the Dean’s office e-mail account.
• Maintain professional administrative and information management systems within the Dean’s office.
• Refer cases to the Dean as necessary.
• Meet occasionally with the Heads of Wellbeing and to attend meetings set up in connection with welfare matters, at which their attendance is desirable.
• Attend occasional gatherings and meetings related to their role.
• Monitor students approved night-time events within College.
• The Interim Sub Dean while on duty or on reserve will be contactable and may only leave the College provided that they are able to return quickly (within 10 minutes) if required.
• Respond to decanal call outs.
• Work with the Lodge staff to deal with any problems of disruptive behaviour within college outside normal working hours1; to ensure that students’ parties and other events end at the appointed time and in good order.
• Support the Junior Welfare Deans with difficult cases out of hours.
• When on reserve, respond to welfare call outs if the Junior Welfare Dean on duty is on available.
• Share information related to student welfare as appropriate with some/all of: the Dean (for matters of discipline), Heads of Wellbeing, Junior Welfare Deans, and Nurse, (for matters of welfare), at the earliest convenience to ensure appropriate information-sharing and co-ordinated follow-up.
• In exceptional circumstances an off-duty Interim Sub Dean may be asked to assist with an ongoing incident.
• Act as one of the College’s qualified First Aid team. The College will require (and pay for) the appointees – unless already recently qualified in first-aid – to go on a first aid course prior to appointment.
• Play a visible and active part in College life.
• Other duties as may from time to time be assigned.

1 Note that the Lodge Porters are the first port of call for issues such as maintenance problems, complaints about noise, vandals, trespassing, fire alarms, and violations of College Regulations. The role of the Interim Sub Dean is to act as back-up in difficult cases.

Selection Criteria

Essential

1. Have completed or be near completion of a D.Phil. In particular this post may suit a post-doctoral or early career researcher.
2. An appreciation of the disciplinary and welfare issues relevant within a student community.
3. Excellent communication skills; able to form positive relationships and obtain the confidence of all sections of the College, in particular the Junior Members. Liaison with the JCR and MCR committee members will be an important and valuable part of the role.
4. Excellent organisational skills, able to manage a busy workload with competing demands.
5. Experience of working with confidentiality, discretion, tact, and diplomacy.
6. Evidence of committed, enthusiastic, and resilient nature.
7. Evidence of mature and good judgement.
8. Able to respond and act appropriately on own initiative and with a high degree of flexibility in response to a wide range of unpredictable situations, if necessary, unguided.
9. Valid First Aid at Work Certificate or willingness to train to become a qualified first aider.
10. Willing and able to take a flexible approach to duties, working unsociable hours including evenings and weekends.
11. Available to work circa 10 hours per week (8 within office hours and 2 in the evenings), and participation in a rota covering Friday evenings and weekends.

Desirable

1. Previous experience in a similar role.
2. Experience of working with the public and/or in a customer service environment.
3. Experience of dealing with emergencies e.g. accidents, thefts, fire evacuations etc.

Terms and Conditions

The salary will be £5,820 per annum (at current rates). The anticipated start date will be 3rd week of Trinity Term or as soon as practicable thereafter and the contract will run until 31st of December 2026. The Interim Sub Dean will be required to work circa 8 hours per week (within office hours), occasional evening hours (2 hours per week), and rotas thereafter (on call or on reserve for 8/10 of term time – Friday evenings and weekends) - during the three Oxford terms and the weeks immediately preceding and following full-term (10 weeks each term) to ensure consistent coverage of decanal and welfare support during term time. Outside of term, the Interim Sub Dean is expected to work circa 4 hours per week (within office hours, and exceptionally in the evenings and weekends during the vacation periods), exclusive of agreed holidays.

Benefits of working for the College include single student accommodation in College, the option to join a University pension scheme.

Other benefits include up to 3 meals per day when the kitchens are open (currently the kitchens are closed on a Sunday). These meals are for your own personal use and are non-transferrable.

Applicants must be eligible to work in the UK.

To apply for this position, please click the 'Appply Now' button and submit a CV and covering letter before noon on Friday 10th April 2026. Interviews are expected to take place on Monday 20th April 2026.

A principal aim of this College’s Equal Opportunities Policy is to ensure that in the recruitment, selection, training, appraisal, development and promotion of employees, the only consideration must be that the individual best meets, or is likely to meet, the requirements of the programme or course or post.

Lady Margaret Hall is committed to provide a learning, working and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its members are respected, and which is free from prejudice, intimidation and all forms of harassment, including bullying. We seek to ensure that no-one suffers, either directly or indirectly, as a result of discrimination.

Lady Margaret Hall has a range of family friendly policies.