Leeds Trinity University in West Yorkshire, England, is hiring a Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost. The job is permanent and full time. The postholder becomes the university’s Chief Academic Officer, sits on the University Executive Group and works closely with the Vice-Chancellor. The advert gives no salary figure; the jobs.ac.uk version calls it “competitive”. The advert text sets the closing date for expressions of interest at 5pm on Friday 27 November 2026, although the Times Higher Education (THE) Unijobs page header shows 22 November.
The search is run by the executive search firm Odgers, and you register your interest through the “Apply on website” link on the THE listing, which points to the Odgers appointment page. In this guide to the Leeds Trinity University Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost job, I cover what the role involves, who the university wants, what we know and don’t know about pay and visas, and how to write an expression of interest that gets you a first conversation with the search team.
Leeds Trinity University Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost job: key facts
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Employer | Leeds Trinity University |
| Location | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England |
| Job title | Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost |
| Position in the university | Chief Academic Officer and member of the University Executive Group |
| Works with | The Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Egbu, in close partnership |
| Contract | Permanent, full time |
| Salary | Not stated on THE; “competitive” on jobs.ac.uk. No figure or band published |
| Search firm | Odgers (appointment page: odgers.com/96966) |
| How to apply | Expression of interest through the “Apply on website” link on THE Unijobs listing 416722 |
| Advert posted | 22 October 2026 (jobs.ac.uk) |
| Closing date | 5pm, Friday 27 November 2026 (advert text). THE header shows 22 November 2026 |
| Interview dates | Not published in the advert |
| Visa sponsorship | Not mentioned in the advert |
Check the closing date
The advert text and the jobs.ac.uk listing both say expressions of interest close at 5pm on Friday 27 November 2026. The THE Unijobs header shows 22 November 2026. I would treat 22 November as your working deadline and ask Odgers to confirm the later date.
About Leeds Trinity University
Leeds Trinity began in 1966 as two Roman Catholic teacher training colleges for Yorkshire: Trinity College for women and All Saints College for men. The two merged in 1980. The institution gained taught degree awarding powers and became a university college in 2009, then received full university status in December 2012. It describes itself as an independent Catholic foundation and belongs to the Cathedrals Group of church universities. The university marks its 60th anniversary in 2026.
Its main campus is at Horsforth, about six miles north-west of Leeds city centre. In October 2024 it opened a Leeds City Campus that teaches business, law, computer science, criminology, and construction and the built environment. Horsforth keeps teacher training, health and life sciences, policing apprenticeships, psychology, sport, journalism and media.
The university’s recent league-table record gives you a sense of momentum, and the new Provost will be expected to keep it going:
- The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2027: named University of the Year for Student Experience and ranked first in the UK for teaching quality, according to the university.
- Guardian University Guide 2026: 76th in the UK, up 29 places and its highest Guardian position to date. Journalism ranked first in its subject table.
- The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026: 90th, up 22 places from 102nd.
- Graduate Outcomes (2026): the university reports that 95% of its full-time undergraduate and degree apprenticeship graduates were in work or further study 15 months after graduating.
The executive team listed on the university’s leadership page includes the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Egbu, who took office in 2020; the Chief Operating Officer, Jo Hynes; the Director of Finance and Strategic Planning, Simon Taylor; and the University Secretary and Registrar, Caroline Thomas. When I checked on 29 October 2026, the same page still listed Professor Jayne Mitchell as Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost. The university has not said publicly why the post is being filled now. If the timing matters to you, ask Odgers in your confidential call.
One more detail you should know. In March 2026 the university appointed Dr Daniel Turner as Executive Dean (Academic). He leads the university’s five Schools and works closely with the Provost on a new Academic Strategy. So the incoming Provost will inherit an academic leadership structure that was reshaped this year, with an executive dean already in place below them.
What the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost does
The advert describes the duties at a strategic level. Put plainly, the postholder will:
- Lead all academic activity: take strategic responsibility for academic excellence, quality, student success, research, innovation, knowledge exchange and external engagement.
- Act as Chief Academic Officer: be the senior academic voice on the University Executive Group.
- Partner the Vice-Chancellor: work in close partnership with Professor Egbu and, as Deputy Vice-Chancellor, stand in for him when needed.
- Shape the culture: help build what the advert calls a “curious and confident culture” among staff and students.
- Drive named programmes: the advert mentions an Academic Futures Excellence programme, international growth, and a new approach to enterprise and skills.
For readers outside the UK, “Provost” in a British university usually means the most senior academic officer below the Vice-Chancellor. The title varies between institutions, but the core of the job is the same: the deans or executive deans report through the Provost, and the Provost answers for teaching quality, research performance and the academic budget. At Leeds Trinity, the Vice-Chancellor is the chief executive and the Provost is the chief academic.
Requirements: who Leeds Trinity is looking for
The advert does not split its criteria into essential and desirable lists. It asks for:
- An accomplished academic leader with the credibility, vision and strategic capability to work at executive level.
- A successful record of leadership in higher education.
- A deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing the sector.
- A commitment to an environment where people, ideas and partnerships can thrive.
Odgers’ candidate pack will hold the detailed person specification. I could not open the Odgers page from here, so I can’t tell you its exact contents. Read it before you write anything. In practice, the people who get shortlisted for a Provost role at a teaching-led university like this one usually show:
- Experience as a Pro Vice-Chancellor, Deputy Vice-Chancellor, or executive dean with responsibility across several faculties or schools.
- A record of improving student outcomes that shows up in National Student Survey and Graduate Outcomes data, since these are the university’s strongest ranking points.
- Some experience of growing research and knowledge exchange in a university where teaching is the main income.
- Experience of international recruitment or partnerships, because the advert names international growth.
- Comfort with a Catholic mission. The advert does not say candidates must be Catholic, and you should not assume either way. Ask Odgers how the mission shapes the role.
Salary: what the advert says and what context exists
The THE listing does not state a salary, and the jobs.ac.uk listing says only “competitive”. I won’t guess a figure. UK executive salaries at this level are negotiated and are not set on the national pay spine that covers lecturers and professional staff.
The best public context is the university’s own annual financial statements. English universities report how many of their staff earn over £100,000 a year, in pay bands, and they disclose the Vice-Chancellor’s pay. Reading Leeds Trinity’s latest statements will give you a realistic picture of senior pay at this institution. That is context only, not the advertised salary for this role. Raise pay with Odgers once you reach the shortlist.
Visa sponsorship
The advert says nothing about visa sponsorship. UK universities can sponsor overseas staff under the Skilled Worker route, but the advert does not confirm that Leeds Trinity will do so for this post. If you need sponsorship, raise it early and directly with Odgers. That is better than finding out after the final panel.
How to apply for the Leeds Trinity DVC and Provost role
The process is an expression of interest through Odgers. Here are the steps as far as the advert sets them out, plus what is standard for searches at this level:
- Open the listing: go to THE Unijobs listing 416722, “Deputy Vice-Chancellor & Provost”, Leeds Trinity University.
- Read the candidate pack: follow the link to odgers.com/96966 and download the pack. It should give the full person specification and the documents Odgers wants.
- Book a confidential conversation: executive search firms expect serious candidates to speak to a consultant before applying. Use that call to confirm the closing date, pay range, visa position and interview timetable.
- Prepare your documents: for searches at this level, firms usually ask for a full CV and a supporting statement or covering letter that addresses the person specification. Follow whatever the pack asks for.
- Submit your expression of interest: use the “Apply on website” button on the THE listing, which leads to the Odgers registration page.
- Submit before 22 November: that protects you against the deadline mismatch described above.
How to write the expression of interest
Treat the supporting statement as a business case for you. The panel wants to know three things: can you run academic affairs at this university, will you work well with this Vice-Chancellor, and will staff follow you. Here is a structure that works:
- Opening paragraph: why Leeds Trinity, why now, and the one or two things you would bring. Mention something specific to the university, such as the Leeds City Campus or the student experience results.
- Academic leadership record: two or three examples where you led change across several schools, with numbers. Continuation rates, NSS scores, research income or new programmes all count.
- Student success: how you improved outcomes for students from widening participation backgrounds, since that is the core of a teaching-led university.
- Research and knowledge exchange: how you grew research in a teaching-focused setting without draining the budget.
- International growth and enterprise: partnerships, transnational education or skills provision you have built, linked to the advert’s priorities.
- Culture and people: how you lead, how you handle difficult decisions, and how you built trust with staff and unions.
- Close: a short summary of fit and your availability for interview.
Keep it to the length the pack sets. If it sets none, two to three pages is a sensible length for a supporting statement at this level.
A sample opening line, for illustration only: “Leeds Trinity has done what many universities say they want to do: it has put students first and the league tables have followed. As Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education at a similar university, I raised continuation by six points across four schools, and I would like to bring that work to the next stage of your Academic Strategy.”
What the selection process usually looks like
The advert does not publish a timetable. Executive searches in UK universities usually follow this pattern:
| Stage | What usually happens |
|---|---|
| Longlist | Odgers reviews expressions of interest and holds preliminary interviews with promising candidates |
| Shortlist | The appointment panel, chaired by the Vice-Chancellor or a governor, chooses a shortlist |
| Stakeholder sessions | Shortlisted candidates meet staff, students and senior colleagues, sometimes with a presentation |
| Final panel | Formal interview, often with members of the Board of Governors |
| Offer and checks | References, pay negotiation and start date |
Ask Odgers for the interview dates during your first call so you can protect your diary.
Common mistakes in senior university applications
- Sending a generic letter: a statement that could go to any university tells the panel you have not done your homework.
- Describing duties instead of results: “I oversaw five schools” says less than “continuation rose from 84% to 90% in two years”.
- Ignoring the teaching mission: this is a teaching-led university with strong student satisfaction. A research-only pitch will miss.
- Skipping the consultant call: candidates who don’t speak to the search firm often miss context that the panel cares about.
- Trusting one deadline: with two dates in circulation, the safe move is to apply by the earlier one.
Who should apply and who shouldn’t
You should apply if you are a PVC, DVC, executive dean or equivalent in a UK or comparable system, with a record across teaching, student outcomes and some research growth. You will also do well if you have led change in a smaller, mission-driven institution and enjoy close work with a Vice-Chancellor.
You probably shouldn’t apply if you have not yet led above a single school or department. The same goes if you only want a research-intensive environment, or if you need visa sponsorship and are not willing to raise it early. Mid-career academics looking for a first leadership role would do better to look at head of school or associate dean posts.
Similar senior university leadership jobs
| Role | Institution | Salary in advert | Closing date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Education) | SOAS University of London | Not stated | 9 November 2026 |
| Pro Vice-Chancellor (Education and Student Success) | University of Bradford | Competitive | 13 November 2026 |
| President | City St George’s, University of London | Not stated | 9 November 2026 |
| Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost | Bournemouth University | Competitive | Closed 1 November 2026 |
The Bradford role is the closest match if your background is in education and student success. If you are earlier in your career and want to study in the UK first, read our Chevening Scholarship guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is the salary for the Leeds Trinity University Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost?
The advert does not give a figure. The jobs.ac.uk listing describes it as competitive, and pay is negotiated with shortlisted candidates.
When is the closing date for the Leeds Trinity Provost job?
The advert text says 5pm on Friday 27 November 2026, while the THE Unijobs header shows 22 November 2026. Apply by 22 November to be safe and confirm the date with Odgers.
Does Leeds Trinity University sponsor visas for this role?
The advert does not mention sponsorship either way. Ask Odgers before you apply if you will need a UK work visa.
Who does the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Provost report to?
The postholder works in close partnership with the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Charles Egbu, and sits on the University Executive Group as Chief Academic Officer.
Sources and updates
I checked this post on 29 October 2026 against the THE Unijobs listing 416722 and the jobs.ac.uk version of the same advert, which carry the role description, the Odgers link and the closing date. University facts come from Leeds Trinity University’s leadership and governance page, its achievements page, its news releases on the Guardian University Guide 2026, the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026 and the March 2026 Executive Dean appointment, and its Wikipedia entry for history and status dates. The Odgers candidate pack could not be opened from here, so check it for documents and interview dates. I will update this page if the closing date or details change.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
