Contact
Email the Chief Operating Officer’s office: COO_Office@leeds.ac.uk
About
As Chief Operating Officer (COO) at the University of Leeds, Rachel is a key member of the University Executive Group (UEG), supporting the Vice-Chancellor and President in the leadership, management and effective operation of the University. Rachel contributes significantly to the implementation of the University strategy and delivering the goals across the themes of community, culture and impact. She manages and leads strategic change, and ensures the efficient use of resources and the quality of service provision.
Rachel is primarily responsible for University-wide operations and the direct service delivery of key corporate functions, including digital and information services, marketing and student recruitment, student education and experience, advancement, campus innovation and development and facilities management, strategic transformational change programmes and faculty operations.
Rachel Brealey has over than 25 years’ experience in the higher education sector, having started her career as President of the Students’ Union at the University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology (UMIST). Prior to her appointment as Chief Operating Officer at the University of Leeds, she was Director of Faculty Operations in Biology, Medicine and Health and joint Portfolio Director of a pan-University transformational change programme for Professional Services at Manchester. She has been involved in a wide range of large-scale change programmes, including the 2004 merger of UMIST and the University of Manchester, and the development of the Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD), a £400M capital build project.