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Our People

Mrs Alexandra Bush

Ordinary Fellow

Head of Planning, Planning and Council Secretariat

University Administration Services

BA(Hons) – Archaeology & Anthropology, Cambridge University

MA(Cantab.)

Alex Bush is Head of Planning at the University of Oxford.  Alex read Archaeology & Anthropology at Cambridge University, with a focus on Biological Anthropology and particularly Primate Behavioural Ecology.

Following graduation, after 8 years working in youth development and sustainable adventure travel, Alex spent 12 years working for the National Trust. First, managing an archaeological site (Chedworth Roman Villa, in the Cotswolds) before moving on to managing a portfolio of historic mansion properties in Surrey. This involved leading teams of several hundred volunteers and staff, managing and developing the visitor attractions and working estate, and balancing conservation, access, and financial sustainability.

As General Manager of Clandon Park in Surrey, Alex led the property team and sat on the project team for one of the most complex and challenging salvage and conservation projects the National Trust has ever embarked upon, following a major fire at Clandon in 2015.

From 2018 to 2023 Alex worked at the National Trust’s Head Office, co-ordinating planning across the organisation, and supporting the Executive Team with strategic planning. Throughout this time, Alex led the Trust’s annual business planning process, using data and insight to improve planning, and ensuring that the National Trust had coherent plans in place, across all parts of the organisation, to deliver its strategy.

Alex moved to her role at the University of Oxford in November 2023.  As Head of Planning within the Planning & Council Secretariat, she leads the Planning and Data Team, with an overall remit of ensuring that planning activities across the University (including student number planning, services planning, resource allocation, and strategic planning) are co-ordinated effectively, and that University decision-making is informed by timely, accurate and insightful data.