Fran Wright

We spoke to Univ’s recently appointed Domestic Bursar, Fran Wright, to hear about what brought her to Univ and discover more about her responsibilities within the College.

What were you doing before you started your current role?
I started my Oxford working life in the Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford in an HR Manager role where I worked for 11 years, taking on more operations responsibilities. I then took on the role of Domestic Bursar at Balliol College in 2017 which also included HR for the College. To be nearer to home I moved to Pangbourne College, a school in Berkshire.

What brought you to Univ?
I decided that I wanted to return to Oxford and started keeping an eye out for the right College. I was extremely lucky to be told about the Domestic Bursar position at Univ by a good friend as Univ was a College I had always wanted to work in.

What does being the Domestic Bursar at Univ involve?
I always say being a Domestic Bursar is doing a bit of everything and trying to keep the largest amount of people happy. I think Domestic Bursars are the emollient of a college and we try to ensure that all the operations side of College life runs smoothly. The Domestic Bursary covers so many areas – accommodation, conference and events, kitchen, college bar, front of house, the lodge, grounds and boats so that it is often a wonderful and challenging balancing act – no two days are ever the same. At Univ this also includes taking on the new buildings at Univ North and making sure that when they open to students, everything is ready and working. I also love the fact that this role means you interact with the whole Univ community – JCR and MCR students, academics and non-academics and that is very special.

What do you most enjoy about working at Univ?
I’m enjoying working with new people, learning the ins and outs of a new College, its history and all the things that make Univ unique.

What’s your advice for students at Univ?
My door is always open to any and all students. If anyone wants to talk about anything that I can help with, please do. I am a solutions-orientated person so I like helping and fixing things. One of my favourite parts of the week is seeing the JCR and MCR Presidents and talking over any problems or concerns they have, or sometimes just having a good chat.

How do you relax after a busy day?
Relaxing after a busy day either involves reading a golden age of crime book or taking my dog to the river. I also love going to the theatre and will be happily diverted by a discussion of plays or musicals in the West End.

Describe your first impressions of Univ in three words.
Friendly, beautiful, welcoming.