Name: Tricia King
Age: At my age and stage, I think I need to be discreet about this and my salary.
Job: Director of external relations, Birkbeck, University of London.
Background: First degree in English from York University (first in my family), postgraduate professional marketing qualifications. My early career was in arts marketing. I've worked in higher education for nearly ten years.
Working hours and conditions: Long but flexible enough to fit in life with three teenagers. My eldest daughter is going to university this year.
Number of staff you manage: External relations has 21 staff. That number is set to grow as we've won funding to increase our development (fundraising) team. We're about to launch a unique model of research-intensive, high-quality, part-time evening education in east London.
Biggest challenge this year: Raising the profile of part-time students. I have a particular bugbear about funding for part-time students. From 2006, full-time students have access to deferred fees, loans and bursaries.
Part-timers still have to pay upfront. The full-time sector has had years to prepare for the new funding regime of 2006. The new part-time package was announced in outline form in October 2005 and details emerged only in May 2006.
How did you solve it? Keeping in touch with prospective students and encouraging them to have the courage to apply and not let money be a barrier. We've also been working closely with the Department for Education and Skills on how to communicate the new funding package to part-timers.
Worst moment in university life: Being the press spokesperson for the closure of a higher education college campus in a small Dales community when I lived in that community and walked my children to school past the college every day.
What is your working space like? Small, dingy, noisy and hot but in the heart of Bloomsbury.
Do you socialise with people at the university? External relations is a sociable team and there are lots of outings. I'm working on persuading them to try karaoke - my secret passion!
Who are the most difficult people you deal with professionally and how do you cope with them? In my job, a positive attitude is essential and I try not to think of people as difficult, just people I've failed to persuade. If all else fails, I stay calm and try to imagine them sitting at the meeting in their underwear. Works for me.