Academic Data and Systems Manager

1. Role Purpose

The Registry is a central academic services office dedicated to advancing excellence in academic administration and enhancing the student experience. Within this structure, the Academic Data & Systems Team (upgraded from e-Bridge Team) serves as a key function for integrating academic data, strengthening data quality, supporting strategic analysis, and translating academic business needs into effective digital and system-enabled solutions. It also acts as the critical bridge between academic business needs and technical implementation, working in close collaboration with the MITS (Management Information Technology Services) department.

The Manager of Academic Data & Systems provides leadership for this team, ensuring the effective development, maintenance, and digitalisation of academic systems and services that underpin the student and staff academic experience. The role combines operational oversight with strategic development, driving innovation in academic process digitalisation, data-informed decision-making, and system project management, while positioning the team as a key contributor to institutional priorities and student development centred services.

2. Key Responsibilities

Leadership and Management

• Lead and develop the Academic Data & Systems Team, ensuring clear objectives, professional growth, and a high-performance culture.
• Nurture both holistic and specialist development of team members, enabling breadth and depth of expertise in systems, data, and academic operations.
• Promote reflection, innovation, and continuous improvement in workflows, system functionalities, and service orientation.
• Ensure robust data security and risk management, safeguarding the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of academic data and related processes.

Academic Data, Systems & Digitalisation Operations

• Lead the integration, validation, and continuous enhancement of academic data across key student lifecycle processes, ensuring data accuracy, consistency, usability, reliability.
• Drive data-informed decision-making by identifying and exploring data dimensions and depth, enabling robust data visualisation, empowering business processes through actionable insights, and upholding strict data security standards.
• Translate academic business needs into clear data, process, and system requirements, ensuring that digital and system-enabled solutions are aligned with academic governance, operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, and student-centred service design.
• Provide a technology-informed business optimisation perspective to the Registry Office and Education Quality Assurance Office by identifying opportunities to simplify workflows, reduce manual processes, improve data flows, strengthen automation, and enhance the user experience for students and staff.
• Apply advanced technologies, including AI-enabled tools, automation, data visualisation, and digital workflow solutions, to improve Registry operations, strengthen service quality, and support staff in developing a more technology-informed approach to academic administration.
• Oversee the development and ongoing maintenance of e-Bridge functionalities, ensuring requirements are clearly defined, progress is effectively tracked, and delivery aligns with institutional needs.
• Lead and coordinate academic system projects across the full lifecycle—from planning and system construction to upgrade implementation, user acceptance testing, and final sign-off—ensuring seamless integration and operational readiness.
• Ensure the stability and security of the SITS platform through diligent permission management, version upgrades, and routine system upkeep, guaranteeing reliable performance for all academic operations.

Service and Collaboration

• Serve as a key client-facing contact for academic system and data matters, offering advice and consultation to students, staff, and stakeholders.
• Ensure effective communication of system updates, policies, procedures, and deadlines to enhance awareness and compliance.
• Collaborate with the University of Liverpool on system alignment, supporting joint optimisation.
• Work closely with MITS and other units to deliver integrated, user-centred academic systems and services.
• Enhance the student experience by efficiently handling and resolving academic-related inquiries, providing timely and accurate support.

• Work closely with other units to deliver integrated student lifecycle services.

Compliance and Innovation

• Ensure all systems and processes comply with University policies, Chinese MoE requirements, and partner university frameworks.
• Monitor and analyse risks, policy developments, and sector trends in academic technology and data governance, adapting practices proactively.
• Apply digital tools and advanced technologies (including AI) to strengthen data integrity, system workflows, automation, and staff digital mindsets.

3. Person Specification

Experience

• Substantial experience in higher education administration, particularly in academic systems management, student records systems, or digitalisation projects.
• Proven ability to lead teams and deliver improvements across complex institutional settings, preferably involving cross-departmental collaboration with IT services.
• Track record of driving change, innovation, and cross-unit collaboration in systems and process enhancement.

Knowledge & Skills

• Strong understanding of academic data management, student records, academic lifecycle processes, progression frameworks, and higher education governance.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, able to generate actionable insights from data and translate business needs into system requirements.
• Good understanding of academic systems such as SITS and e-Bridge, with the ability to translate business requirements into system, data, and process improvement solutions.
• Strong technology-informed business thinking, with the ability to identify how emerging technologies can support Registry operations, enhance staff efficiency, improve student experience, and strengthen data-informed management.
• Demonstrated project management capabilities, with experience in system implementation, upgrade, and user acceptance testing.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, engaging effectively with diverse stakeholders including technical and non-technical audiences.
• High proficiency in English.

Attributes

• Strong student development centred mindset with commitment to service excellence.
• Strategic and forward-looking, with the ability to align system and data functions to institutional priorities.
• Technologically curious and innovation-oriented, with the ability to bring fresh digital perspectives to business process improvement.
• Innovative, reflective, and adaptable, with resilience in a fast-changing digital environment.
• Culturally agile and collaborative, thriving in an international joint-venture context.