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Staff spotlight: Leigh Ward

Name: Leigh Ward
Job title: PGT Curriculum and Assessment Manager
Dept: Medical Education
Year started at BSMS: 2024

Tell us a bit about your background

I worked in several universities for nearly 20 years (including here at Falmer in the old School of Education, which is now underneath the Amex Stadium!) in a range of Professional Services support and management roles. I then moved into Bursar/Business Manager roles in schools for nearly a decade before moving back into HE here at BSMS in June 2024.

What’s your role like day-to-day?

Really varied and busy, I love it that way! I look after a brilliant team who support our PGT academic colleagues and students within DME.

What aspect of your role do you enjoy the most?

The variety and being part of a great team (that’s two things I know!).

How do you contribute to creating an inclusive and welcoming environment at work?

It is important that everyone feels part of a team and working environment. I’d like to think my sense of humour has helped to create an inclusive working environment, alongside an understanding and empathy with others. It may be a bit of a cliché but everyone, regardless of role, has a contribution to make and this should be valued and encouraged in an open and constructive way. I have also recently joined the BSMS EDI Committee as another way of developing an inclusive working practice and learning from other colleagues.

BACKGROUND IMAGE FOR PANEL

Tell us something about you that most people don’t know about you.

I am the Chair of a successful longstanding local theatre group – Brighton Little Theatre – which runs as a limited company and a charity. It is a busy role which takes up most of my time away from work, managing the day-to-day operations of the theatre and planning future seasons. The theatre group was founded in 1940 so we’re just about to celebrate our 85th birthday in 2025! We stage between 10 and 12 high standard productions a year.

What are your other interests / hobbies?

As you can probably tell from my previous answer, theatre is a large part of my life (both on and off stage). However, I also love reading any non-fiction history book with a particular eclectic fascination in the medieval, early modern and twentieth century interwar years.