Head of School of Arts

About the role

With a strategic commitment to the creative arts, the University of Derby is seeking a new Head of the School of Arts to join the College of Arts, Humanities and Education and work collaboratively with the College’s Senior Management Team to lead, enhance and grow the academic provision, and strengthen business development and ultimately the success of the School of Arts. The Head of School will ensure that programmes and academic delivery across its undergraduate and taught postgraduate courses inspire and support the College and University to achieve its wider aims, at the heart of which is the delivery of an excellent experience that meets the needs and expectations of all students and supports their future career opportunities.

The post holder will contribute to the development and success of the College, through effective strategic and operational planning of the programme portfolio, delivery and resources across the School of Arts and to position the School correctly within the wider HE marketplace.

The Head of School will provide highly effective leadership to build a community of motivated staff, inspire innovative methods of delivery, and meet the high standards expressed through the Office for Students B conditions. You will align the work and outputs of the School to University strategies in support of Learning and Teaching, Innovation and Research and be responsible for driving and monitoring good practice and excellent outcomes across all performance measures, including graduate outcomes. With a strong enquiry-led approach, you will develop and foster academic research within the School, ensure research informed teaching is evident in the curriculum and knowledge transfer opportunities are fully explored in line with wider strategic aims.

You will build partnerships across the institution and externally to raise the profile of the School, develop engagement strategies across business and the wider community, and will be expected to represent the University of Derby and the School of Arts to a wider audience of peers, professionals, stakeholders and partners in the UK and internationally through your leadership and research.

The post holder will be encouraged to undertake relevant personal research and will be expected to contribute to an aspect of the wider teaching programme.

Candidates currently holding a Professorial title or aspirant Professors will have the opportunity to be considered for a title in line with the University’s Professorial appointment policy, either during or following the formal appointment process. Professorial-level salary bands will apply. Please advise us of your interest and we can provide you with further details.

Principal accountabilities

Strategic Management

1. As part of the College’s Senior Management Team, contribute to the development and success of the College. Achievement of strategic and operational goals in particular in ensuring the School and College are correctly positioned in the marketplace for the short and longer term with an appropriate portfolio of successful courses.

Academic Leadership

1. Be a highly effective leader that builds a community of motivated staff who share common goals and aspirations in support of the School, College and University
2. Ensure the HE provision inspires our students, is fit for the future through innovative methods of delivery and meets the highest quality standards as expressed through the OfS B conditions.
3. Lead academic and curriculum development for the School ensuring close alignment to the University’s strategies in support of Learning and Teaching and Innovation and Research.
4. Ensure that good practice is shared across all colleges and to respond positively to good practice where ever it is found.
5. Ensure that the School delivers outstanding learning, teaching and assessment practice that supports the development of successful graduates.
6. Ensure that the School delivers consistently and to a high level within the area of student performance and achievement.
7. Ensure that the necessary business and enterprise development takes place for the School and enterprise is fore fronted in our curriculum and in our offer.
8. Embed the University’s core values with specific emphasis on quality and opportunity.
9. Develop and foster academic research within the School to ensure an enquiry led approach and research informed teaching is evident in the curriculum and knowledge transfer opportunities are explored.
10. Ensure that the work of the School has appropriate impact outside of the University and its profile is enhanced amongst its peers.
11. Play a cross-College role in leading activities required to support the achievement of strategic goals of the University.

Management

1. Agree and achieve School objectives, using management information, data sets and active performance management.
2. Provide strong inclusive leadership to create a positive team spirit and maximise colleagues’ potential.
3. Ensure that appropriate structures, resources and processes are in place to manage effectively and motivate all staff in the School.
4. Manage the School in a manner consistent with the University’s core values.
5. Manage and deploy resources effectively and within budget in support of a high quality learning experience.
6. Meet a range of academic quality targets ensuring the reporting metrics demonstrate high performance and effective student engagement.
7. Ensure that there is effective communication with colleagues across the School and there are appropriate mechanisms to enable this.
8. Ensure the allocation of appropriate workloads within the School through equitable workforce planning and Academic Workload Planning decisions.
9. Ensure the School sets and achieves realistic student recruitment targets.

General

1. Deputise for the Deputy Dean and/or PVC Dean as required.
2. Contribute fully to the College management structure.
3. Represent the College on cross-University business activity.
4. Develop and foster strong and appropriate links externally.
5. Attend the College Management Team and Leadership meetings.
6. Contribute in a flexible and constructive manner to other responsibilities that may be assigned from time to time.
7. Undertake as appropriate some personal scholarship and research in a relevant field of endeavor.

Person specification

Candidates must be a suitably qualified, experienced, and highly regarded academic in a discipline covered by the School of Arts. Preferably holding a doctorate, or working towards a PhD, or with the equivalent standing in professional practice, candidates should demonstrate their strong teaching, learning and research practice through a Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy and evidence of their track record in a relevant area of research, scholarly activity, or impactful professional practice. We welcome candidates who have gained Professorial status at their current institution, or those aspiring to be considered for a title as a result of their outstanding body of academic work.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate a strong track record of successful management experience within a higher education institution, with the capability to create a high performing and successful team operating across several disciplines. Candidates should demonstrate extensive experience of teaching, learning and assessment, as well as portfolio development, underpinned by the application of knowledge on quality assurance and enhancement policies and procedures. We are particularly interested to hear from those who have had an impact through their leadership on the development or transformation of a programme or faculty in order to enhance student experience and outcomes. As an anchor institution with a civic purpose to support the continued growth and success of the city of Derby, we are keen to hear from candidates who bring experience of community engagement and collaboration with social purpose and impact.

Ideally, candidates will have a strong track record in an area of research relevant to the School, experience of undertaking successful bids for external funding, experience of developing successful international collaborations, and demonstrate a commitment to continued professional development. You should demonstrate your engagement through membership of relevant professional bodies, including Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, and other external activities that will be supported by the University to raise your reputation as a scholar and leader within this field and sector, and raise the profile of the School of Arts at the University of Derby.

As a leader, you will demonstrate a strong and collaborative style of communication, have a robust organisational approach towards balancing the demands of the post, role model resilience, creativity and innovation, and promote the values and ethos of the University across the School, institution and externally.

The University of Derby is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings to our community. We have provided further information about our EDI practices on the accessibility section of this site.

As well as competitive pay scales, we offer generous holiday entitlement. We also offer opportunities for further salary progression based on performance, and the opportunity to join a contributory pension scheme.

Find out more about pay and benefits

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and vulnerable adults and expect everyone who works for us to also share this commitment and to treat people with courtesy and respect.