Professor Suzanne Dixon
Southampton,Hampshire
Summary
Successfully combining experience as a motivational Strategic Careers Hub Lead, Faculty Dean and Director of Enterprise and Student Experience, to improve business connections to schools, colleges and universities to support the student experience.
Developing links with industry to grow student placements across all areas, building relationships with business to provide mentors, creating talent pipelines, informing curriculum and training teachers in enterprise.
A proven track record of exceeding performance expectations and impact on Government metrics, within budget and to deadline. Exceeded KPIs set by the Vice-Chancellor and Board of Governors to place Southampton Solent 9th in the HESA ranking for successful student enterprise start-ups in nine months.
Leading projects for diverse student groups. International ambassador for Southampton Solent University in China and Europe, and a British Council Consultant currently supporting projects on Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan. Successful completion of Preparing for Senior Strategic Leadership course with Leadership Foundation, and Level 7 Management and Leadership course with the Institute of Management. Offering expertise in analytical thinking, communication, and relationship-building and securing external funding to support projects.
Overview
1
1
year of post-secondary education
19
19
years of professional experience
Work history
Strategic Lead Skills and Business Growth
Winchester City Council
Winchester, Hampshire
2024.04 - Current
- Fostered an environment conducive to creativity and innovation; resulted in development of new stakeholder relationships contributing positively towards growth.
- Scoped the economic district to understand skills gaps and put training in place. Retrofit and digital.
- Developed strategic business plans for increased industry engagement and sustainability.
- Improved team morale with comprehensive training programmes designed to enhance skills and knowledge base.
- Optimised budget allocation to maximise returns on project investment agaist targets.
- Secured funding to support projects.
Strategic Lead
Enterprise M3 Careers Hub
Basingstoke, Hampshire
2023.04 - 2024.04
- Implemented training to increase teacher engagement in enterprise education. Attendance improved by 75% in nine months. Badged learning for CPD.
- Used established standards and expertise to plan learning programmes linking skills to curriculum
- Introduced strategic enterprise projects highlighting opportunities in the space sector and maritime to link businesses with schools colleges and communities.
- Secured funding and successfully delivered careers projects to improve barriers to technical education and apprenticeship take-up. Partnered with NHS 350.
- Developed frameworks to evaluate programmes, complying with Department of Education requirements.
- Analysed programme trends to identify areas of improvement and lead corrective actions.
- Identified opportunities to drive business links to education, diversification and expansion of projects.
- Developed new successful networks to establish strong partnerships.
- Led creation of new community links with schools in areas of greatest need. First parent events held in Basingstoke to improve take up to technical education and apprenticeships.
- Led Department of Education research into barriers to technical education take up.
- Finalised monthly reports to Department of Education using Power BI to drive data.
Dean and Director of Enterprise
UEL
London
2018.01 - 2023.01
- Secured funding and led transformation of Knowledge Dock to Centre for Sustainability, working with civic partners to ensure community engagement.
- Increased sponsorship for graduate businesses by £500,000 in three months through business sponsorship
- With partners secured LEAP funding of £1.1 million to co locate students in Royal Docks, London in a Maker Space, shared with schools and the community to impact HE-BCI Higher Education Business Community Interaction. The Centre for Sustainability is accessible to residents and community groups.
- Integrated approaches to modernise and streamline programme operations, maintaining financial solvency and improving student performance.
Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship
Solent University
Southampton
2016.01 - 2017.12
- Proven leadership abilities, in motivating, influencing and persuading others - internally and externally to develop business partnerships and lead successful teams.
- Leadership in civic engagement, collaborating with industry to develop successful undergraduate, postgraduate work placements.
- Successful development of projects to benefit communities and businesses.
- Well-established reputation in creative entrepreneurship, leading projects in China, and wider Europe; Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan as a British Council consultant.
- Success in delivering coordinated strategic partnerships to projects which enhanced the student experience and increased graduate outcomes and NSS - Solent Creatives.
- Successful leadership of change management as faculty Dean and Director of a professional service.
- Increased Solent University's student start-up ranking in HESA return through targeted interventions, in four months, increasing league table position by 70 places, placing Solent in the top ten for graduate start-ups
- Exceeded KPIs set by the Vice-Chancellor and the board within 12 months.
- Established team and project goals, tracking performance, and evaluating necessary changes.
- Implemented operational business plans, establishing priorities, and recommending improvements.
- Led staff operations, training, and performance to accomplish objectives.
Dean Faculty of the Creative Industries
Southampton Solent University
Southampton
2008.01 - 2015.12
- Improved key metrics against NSS, GOS, recruitment and retention, balancing budget, and schedules against university requirements
- Developed programme structures and courses to comply with QAA requirements
- Optimised educational strategies with clear advice on course choices, progression, and career options for students in planning stages
- Coordinated administrative operations to maintain compliance and accuracy across recordkeeping and financial areas
- Analysed programme and recruitment trends to identify new markets, and horizon scanning for changes in industry
- Integrated approaches to modernise and streamline programme operations, maintaining financial solvency and improving business performance..
Education
Diploma - Preparing for Senior Strategic Leadership
Institute of Leadership and Management
2014.06 - 2014.12
Diploma - Level 7 Leadership Qualification
Institute of Leadership And Management
2012.01 - 2012.06
Diploma - Prince 2 Project Management
Institute of Marketing and Communication
2016.01 - 2016.03
Diploma - Prince 2 Project Management - Agile
Institute of Marketing
2024.01 - 2024.04
Certificate - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training
University of East London
2018.02 - 2018.02
Master of Arts - Media
Nottingham Trent University
Diploma - NCTJ Journalism
Portsmouth University
Skills
- Success in business engagement projects which grew university reputation and improved the student experience
- Strong leadership abilities, including the motivation, influencing and persuasion of others - internally and externally in developing partnerships and leading teams
- The promotion of equality, diversity and inclusion programmes and embedding measures to develop an inclusive culture within teams
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, able to influence and negotiate to develop and maintain strong relationships with staff and key stakeholders
- Ability to inspire and empower colleagues and stakeholders
Accomplishments
- Secured £300,000 from Creative Skillset to lead a group of universities in the creation of accelerated two-year degrees across the country
- Introduced digital platforms to enhance the student experience and increase student satisfaction and graduate outcomes
- Developed Solent Creatives, an award winning commercially run creative agency for students by partnering with high profile businesses such as The Arts Council, Carnival UK, Associated British Ports, Porsche, and the NHS
- This is a draw in recruiting new students and interest from universities in recruitment, teaching and learning, summer schools and research
- The strategic creation of Solent Press, a publishing house that offers students art, illustration, design, photographic and journalistic and editorial opportunities
- Students work on commercial magazines and develop and launch their own titles and books
- Over 1,000 students have published through this entity
- Project managed the creation of both centres and ensured they were both financially self-sustaining
- RESEARCH
- 2022, Development of learning analytics from digital platforms and ESE (Employability Self Evaluation Test.
- 2021, Research project for Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan students in creative entrepreneurship, growing regional economies through creative education
- Creating a new approach in enterprise pedagogy for UK and Chinese students in Chongqing and Shanghai.
Timeline
Strategic Lead Skills and Business Growth
Winchester City Council
2024.04 - Current
Diploma - Prince 2 Project Management - Agile
Institute of Marketing
2024.01 - 2024.04
Strategic Lead
Enterprise M3 Careers Hub
2023.04 - 2024.04
Certificate - Equality, Diversity and Inclusion training
University of East London
2018.02 - 2018.02
Dean and Director of Enterprise
UEL
2018.01 - 2023.01
Diploma - Prince 2 Project Management
Institute of Marketing and Communication
2016.01 - 2016.03
Professor and Director of Entrepreneurship
Solent University
2016.01 - 2017.12
Diploma - Preparing for Senior Strategic Leadership
Institute of Leadership and Management
2014.06 - 2014.12
Diploma - Level 7 Leadership Qualification
Institute of Leadership And Management
2012.01 - 2012.06
Dean Faculty of the Creative Industries
Southampton Solent University
2008.01 - 2015.12
Master of Arts - Media
Nottingham Trent University
Diploma - NCTJ Journalism
Portsmouth University