A new director’s post has been created to make student life better at the University of East London.

The ‘Director of Student Life’ job beginning later this summer has been given to Gareth Smith, currently Head of London 2012’s Further & Higher Education unit.

His responsibilities will include “corporate initiatives to improve the quality of student life and impact on the student experience.”

The ex-National Union of Students executive member previously worked for Labour MP Gareth Thomas and the late US Senator Edward Kennedy.