Pro Vice-Chancellor/Head of College – London College of Fashion

Salary: Competitive
Location: London

University of the Arts London (UAL) is a world-leading university for teaching and research in the fields of arts, design, fashion and communication. We have recently been ranked number 2 in the world for Art and Design in the QS Rankings. It offers a learning environment in which originality is recognised, difference is respected, and excellence is pursued, and a unique range of courses which nurture creative potential from across the world.  

The London College of Fashion is one of UAL’s six constituent Colleges and is one of the foremost centres of fashion education in the world.  It is consistently ranked amongst the world’s top five fashion schools and has developed an international reputation for distinctive education and high-quality research that explores fashion’s economic significance, environmental impact and socially transformative potential.  The College is embarking on an unprecedented programme of change, as it prepares for a move to the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London in 2022.

Locating the College for the first time on a single site, in the heart of Stratford’s Cultural and Education District, the move will open up a plethora of new opportunities to strengthen partnerships with leading cultural organisations, and to foster even greater community – between staff and students, and between the College and its locale in the East End.  

UAL is seeking a new Pro Vice-Chancellor/Head of College for the London College of Fashion, to lead this next phase of the College’s life.  They will be an experienced leader of people who can provide both the inspirational vision and operational know-how to realise the potential of the 2022 move.  Beyond the move, the next Pro Vice-Chancellor/Head of College will employ their personal experience as a leading authority in any of the subject disciplines offered by the College to drive excellence in student experience and attainment, build on a record of success in world-class research that continues to break boundaries between fashion and global issues, and foster a suite of internationally significant partnerships that further the global impact of the College’s work.  As a Pro Vice-Chancellor/Head of College of UAL and member of the Vice Chancellor’s executive team, the appointee will share responsibility with colleagues for the strategic and operational development of the University. 

The ideal candidate will offer a wealth of knowledge in fashion, art & design or related disciplines with demonstrable interest in the potential of fashion to shape better lives. A proven strategic and operational leader accustomed to working in complex environments, the appointee will be ambitious on behalf of the College and UAL, externally engaged, and inclusive in approach.

They will ideally also bring a current appreciation of Higher Education policy and the components of world-class research as well as passion for delivering excellence in student outcomes.

(Upon being redirected to Perret Laver’s jobs page, candidates should please download the application pack which contains the full job description/person specification for the role and read the list of requirements and selection criteria before applying as this will be the criteria on which your application will be assessed).

Successful candidates for this role will demonstrate evidence of the following skills, experience and abilities.

Knowledge and experience

• Proven excellence in strategic leadership and organisational management, ideally gained in a complex and creative environment.
• Evidence of income-generating capability, ideally combined with international networks in both the creative industries and the academic sector.
• A proven track record in managing budgets, leading successful change and performance improvement.
• Understanding of higher and further education policy and development.
• Ideally a leading authority in one of the subject disciplines offered by the College.
• Applies innovative approaches in leading academic programmes, teaching, learning or professional practice to support excellent teaching, pedagogy and inclusivity.
• Contributes to advancing professional practice/research or scholarly activity in own area of specialism.
• Conducts long term strategic planning and operational delivery to positively impact the whole organisation.

Skills and attributes

• A team player who will work closely with other members of the University’s Executive Board.
• Strong interpersonal, presentation and communications skills – able to act as an ambassador for the College and wider university.
• Strong leadership qualities, able to engage people at all levels in a vision for the College and to lead and manage cultural and organisational change.
• Contributes effectively to a senior leadership team, setting the strategic direction for one or more function and fosters constructive relationships across the organisation.
• Provides effective strategic leadership for enhancing the students or customer experience to promote an inclusive environment for students, colleagues or customers.
• Able to involve industry leaders and academics in the life of the College and attract practitioners to research, teaching and consulting.
• Entrepreneurial, innovative and creative: able to inspire confidence and have credibility with a wide range of stakeholders – staff, students, business people and potential donors.
• Able to take a creative and long-term view on succession planning.
• Tactful, diplomatic and resilient.
• Motivates and leads effectively, setting the direction of one or more functions, promoting collaboration across formal boundaries.
• Communicates in a compelling and influential way. Adapts the style and message to a diverse internal or external audience in an inclusive and accessible way.
• Initiates innovative solutions to problems which have a strategic impact.

Please note that the recruitment for this role is being managed by Perret Laver. 

Posting Date – Thursday, 23 May 2019. 
Closing Date – Wednesday, 3^rd July 2019 at 17:00GMT.

For further details, including a candidate pack, job description, person specification and information on how to apply, please click the apply button. 

At UAL, everyone's identity matters. We are committed to creating a supportive and inclusive environment for all our diverse students, staff, and the creative and cultural sector partners with whom we engage. We aim to take every opportunity to progress equality and diversity, and celebrate the enrichment this brings to our community.