Head of Product - Student Services (Maternity Cover)

Imperial College London is seeking an exceptional Head of Product - Student Services to join us on a 13-month maternity cover contract, leading one of the University's most strategically important digital product portfolios.

This role offers a unique opportunity to share the future of services that support students throughout their Imperial journey, from enrolment through to graduation and beyond. A part of Imperial's Digital Products leadership team, you will be responsible for defining and delivering the vision, strategy and roadmap for products that enable student administration, support, wellbeing and engagement across our diverse student community.

Leading multidisciplinary teams, you will work in partnership with colleagues across Registry, Student Services, Faculties and ICT to drive service transformation, modernise technology platforms and deliver seamless, student-centred experiences.

This is an ideal opportunity for an experienced product leader looking to make a significant impact within a world-leading institution while contributing to a major programme of digital and service transformation.

What you would be doing

As Head of Product, you will:

• Define and deliver the strategic product vision and roadmap for Imperial's Student Product line
• Lead the development and continuous improvement of products supporting student administration, wellbeing, support and engagement
• Build strong partnerships with stakeholders across Registry, Student Services, Education Officer, Faculties and Departments, and ICT to align product investment with institutional priorities
• Lead multidisciplinary teams of Product Managers, Engineers and Data Specialists to deliver impactful outcomes for students.
• Simplify and modernise the technology landscape, reducing complexity and retiring legacy platforms, where appropriate.
• Champion user-centred product delivery, ensuring student needs remain at the heart of decision making.
• Use data, research and insight to measure product performance, identify opportunities and drive continuous improvement.
• Establish robust governance and operational practices that support reliability, compliance, security and service excellence.
• Oversee produce portfolio budgets and ensure resources are aligned to strategic priorities.
• Develop productive relationships with external suppliers and sector partners to maximise value and innovation.
• Foster a culture of collaboration, experimentation, accountability and continuous learning across product teams.

What we are looking for

We are looking for someone who:

• Has substantial experience in a senior product leadership role within complex organisations.
• Has a proven track record of delivering large-scale digital transformation and product innovation.
• Demonstrates strong strategic thinking and the ability to translate organisational goals into compelling product visions and roadmaps.
• Is highly skilled in Agile product delivery methodologies and modern product management practices.
• Demonstrates exceptional stakeholder management and influencing skills, including working with senior leaders and diverse business communities.
• Has experience managing budgets in the £1m to £5m range, and balancing investment decisions against strategic outcomes.
• Brings strong commercial and supplier management experience within multi-vendor environments.
• Is passionate about improving customer experience through technology and service design.
• Understands the opportunities and challenges associated with delivering excellent student administration, support and wellbeing services in a large and diverse organisation.
• Champions inclusive design and is committed to improving access, equity and outcomes through digital innovation.

Experience within Higher Education is welcome but not essential. We are interested in hearing from talented product leaders from a range of sectors who are passionate about creating exceptional user experiences to scale.

What we can offer you

• The opportunity to shape products and services that directly affect the experience of thousands of students.
• A key leadership position within one of the world's leading universities.
• A collaborative and supportive environment where innovation is encouraged and celebrated.
• The opportunity to continue your career at a world-leading institution and be part of our mission to use science for humanity.
• Benefit from a sector-leading salary and remuneration package (including 41 days' annual leave and generous pension schemes).
• Access to a range of workplace benefits including a flexible working policy from day one, generous family leave packages, on-site leisure facilities and cycle-to-work scheme.
• Interest-free season ticket loan schemes for travel.
• Be part of a diverse, inclusive and collaborative work culture with various staff networks and resources to support your personal and professional wellbeing.

Further information

This is a full-time post (35 hours per week). This role is for a fixed-term contract for 13 months (September 2026 to end October 2027).

If you require any further details about the role, please contact: Kavita Kapoor, Director of Digital Products (k.kapoor@imperial.ac.uk).