Section Manager

UCL - UCL Department of Computer Science

About us

UCL is a world-leading, multidisciplinary university with a vibrant community of over 13,000 staff and 38,000 students from more than 150 countries. We offer degree programmes across a broad range of disciplines including Arts and Humanities, the Built Environment, Brain Sciences, Engineering, Education, Law, Life Sciences, Mathematical & Physical Sciences, Medical Sciences, Population Health Sciences, and Social and Historical Sciences.

The UCL Department of Computer Science is recognised as one of the UK’s top research and teaching departments, with a strong global reputation. We are currently experiencing a period of significant growth and offer a range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes alongside an extensive research portfolio.

Our research has lasting impact across society and we collaborate widely across UCL and with other institutions through large-scale, interdisciplinary initiatives.

The department is currently undergoing a strategic restructure, creating new sections aligned with thematic academic areas of teaching and research. The sections are:

• Applied Computer Science
• Financial Computing
• Foundational Computer Science
• Machine Learning

Each Section is responsible for its academic teaching programmes and research activities and reports into the Department’s senior management team.

About the role

We are seeking to recruit three Section Managers to support the development and delivery of operational infrastructure within each Section. The Section Manager (SM) will play a key role in ensuring the smooth running of teaching, research, and wider departmental activities by taking ownership of the day-to-day and strategic operations within their Section.

You will lead on the management and development of Section-wide resources, including staff, finances, health and safety, IT, estates, communications, and general administration. The role is responsible for maintaining effective systems and processes and ensuring the consistent application of UCL, Faculty, and Departmental policies.

This is an exciting opportunity to help shape the future of the Department as we transition to this new operating model.

About you

You will be a highly organised, proactive, and solutions-focused professional with experience of operational and/or project management in a complex environment. You will have excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills, and a strong track record of delivering high-quality services.

You will be confident managing multiple priorities and comfortable navigating organisational structures and change. Experience in higher education or a research-intensive environment is advantageous, but not essential.

You will thrive in a collaborative setting, demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement, and be motivated by supporting academic excellence. Crucially, you will bring both strategic insight and practical capability to ensure your Section operates efficiently and effectively.

To apply, please submit your CV together with a written statement demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role. Candidates will be assessed for all sections, however, if you have a preference please rank them 1-4 for consideration.

You can find more information about our research and teaching at our website. UCL Computer Science | Faculty of Engineering

What we offer

As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:

• 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
• Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
• Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
• Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
• Immigration loan
• On-Site nursery
• On-site gym
• Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
• Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
• Discounted medical insurance

Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We are really proud to be the first Computer Science Department in the UK that holds an Athena SWAN Gold award, in recognition of our long-term commitment and 'beacon' status in advancing gender equality. You can read more about our achievements and our commitment to EDI here: Equity, Diversity and Inclusion | Faculty of Engineering

As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.

We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce. These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.

You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here: Equality, Diversity & Inclusion: Think differently, do differently. | Office of the President and Provost (Equality, Diversity & Inclusion) - UCL – University College London