The university’s Vice-Chancellor, Professor Donna Whitehead, leads a large and complex organisation with 1,813 staff and some 15,500* students (*internal projection) across three campuses that generates an estimated £700 million for the regional economy.
Professor Whitehead’s annual salary is £235,000. Her pay is in line with base pay for vice-chancellors and she does not receive additional benefits, for example car allowances or university provided accommodation. She is a member of the TPS pension scheme and receives the standard employer contribution. A relocation payment of £8,000 was paid to Professor Whitehead in 2024–25.
Prior to Professor Whitehead’s arrival in February 2025, the Vice-Chancellor role was occupied by Professor Andrew Lloyd on an interim basis following the retirement of Professor Debra Humphris in September 2024. No bonus was awarded to the Vice-Chancellors in 2024–25, nor any accommodation provided to the Vice-Chancellors.
The university’s Remuneration Committee, made up of members of the Board of Governors, sets the Vice-Chancellor’s salary in line with the ACEVO Good Pay Guide, ensuring that remuneration levels are linked to a regular and objective system of performance appraisal and benchmarked against comparable roles.