Our Bursar

Emmanuel College prides itself on its friendly, open and welcoming ethos. In running our finance, investments and operational functions, our next Bursar will build upon and enhance our core values of community and inclusivity. The Bursar is at the very heart of what we do.

Emmanuel was founded in 1584 and is one of the colleges of Cambridge University. We are self-governing and independent from the university in administration and governance, although we contribute substantially to the work carried out in the university.

Emmanuel has 90 Fellows, who are actively involved in teaching and research both for the College and for the university, and some 750 students (approximately 500 undergraduates and 250 graduates). For most of our students, including all undergraduates, the College provides a home, tuition, library and computing facilities, welfare support, and resources for extra-curricular activities. We admit undergraduates to read almost all subjects, from a wide range of backgrounds, with over 70% of home students coming from the maintained sector.  We work hard to maintain the academic excellence of our students – the College has consistently achieved strong university examination results – and at the same time we are keen to develop our supportive and friendly culture.

The College is well resourced and runs well. Our style is collegial and cooperative. We are looking for a Bursar to enhance what we currently do and develop further much that is already good.

The Bursar is the senior administrative post within the College, and the College’s financial lead. On a day-to-day basis the Bursar works closely with the Master, the Senior Tutor, the Development Director, the Secretary to the Governing Body, the Director of Operations, the Director of Estates and staff. Through regular meetings, College Officers share information and reinforce collaborative working. As a College Officer and Fellow, the Bursar is responsible for the management of all staff and non-staff resources. This includes strategic oversight of the College’s investments, finances, estate and commercial activity while ensuring the smooth operation of all non-academic support functions of the College. To deliver this, the Bursar leads the bulk of the College’s staff through direct management of the Director of Operations, the Director of Estates and 5 Heads of Department (Committees and Accommodation Manager, Head of Human Resources, College Accountant, IT Manager and Head Porter).

By Statute the Fellows make up the College’s Governing Body, which meets four times a year, with the Bursar as an ex officio member. We also have an elected College Council, which meets several times each term, of which the Bursar is again an ex officio member. College business is also conducted through a series of committees, each with defined areas of responsibility (e.g. financial, buildings and services, or catering matters) and with members appointed from amongst the Governing Body. The Bursar is an ex officio member of those committees that have a finance, administrative or operational responsibility.

Emmanuel is a registered charity, with the members of the College Council as its trustees, and is subject to supervision by the Charity Commission. In addition, we have various statutory duties with respect to Cambridge University. The colleges work together extensively and help to shape decisions taken by the university and there are several inter-collegiate and university bodies on which the Bursar represents Emmanuel.

Once matriculated, students become members of the College for life and the College’s members play an important role in supporting Emmanuel, financially and in other ways. The College’s Investment, Finance and Remuneration Committees have selected alumni as members to provide expert, external advice. The Bursar, in collaboration with the Master and the Development Director, will often work with alumni on the details of how gifts may be made in line with the donors’ requirements.

The new Bursar will be arriving at a key and exciting moment as the College is currently in the silent phase of its next fundraising campaign.  This campaign, called Towards 450: the Campaign for Emmanuel, seeks to raise funds for several projects and facilities. These include underpinning our student support and career exploration/preparation activities, increasing the number of funded PhDs, building a human creativity hub and improving other facilities including those for wellbeing and fitness. At the same time, the College is embarking on a wide-ranging programme to reduce its environmental impact.