Job description

King's College London (KCL) is seeking candidates for the role of Executive Dean of the SUSTech - KCL Joint Education Institute (JEI).   The JEI is an ambitious project to establish a world-class medical school in Shenzhen, China including, initially, joint education programmes in Medicine, Biomedical Science and Biomedical Engineering.  It will also seek to engage with high-tech and med-tech industry in southern China and Hong Kong to generate pedagogical and curriculum advances.

The role-holder will be the senior KCL academic based on the SUSTech campus in Shenzhen with responsibility for the academic management of the JEI.  The role-holder will play a key role in shaping and guiding the future direction of JEI, building on the existing disciplinary and interdisciplinary strengths and developing further commercial opportunities.

This is an opportunity for an enthusiastic, medically qualified academic to play a key role in an exciting and innovative project that will impact on global medical education and the doctors of tomorrow.  Candidates must possess strong communication skills and demonstrable leadership, and have a substantial track record in teaching, research and professional achievement within medicine or the biosciences.

This post will be offered on an indefinite contract, including a five-year posting to the SUSTech campus in Shenzhen, China.

Key responsibilities

Leadership: 

The Executive Dean (JEI) will:

• Chair the Academic Committee of the Joint Education Institute, 
• Exercise the powers of office in the Joint Education Institute on behalf of KCL,
• Cooperate with the Dean of the JEI in organizing the teaching of the joint programmes offered by the Joint Education Institute, with responsibility for academic management,
• Take responsibility for the coordination and allocation of the resources necessary for carrying out the educational and teaching activities of the JEI,
• Provide strategic leadership and direction for the joint programmes,
• Be responsible for the communications and coordination on KCL faculty, input in school running, resources allocation and use which are necessary for carrying out the educational and teaching activities of the JEI,
• Take charge of other matters prescribed by the Articles of Association or required by the Joint Management Committee,
• Ensure that the academic and pastoral needs of the students are at the heart of undergraduate education,
• Ensure the joint programmes remain attractive and stimulating for prospective and current students, 
• Work with the Dean of Medical Education (KCL London) on the ongoing development of the SUSTech MBBS programme to ensure the appropriate alignment with the domestic KCL MBBS for GMC Quality Assurance purposes, and the Chinese Ministry of Education 
• Work with the MBBS Programme Lead and partner hospitals towards the operational management of the clinical component of the joint medical degree programme
• Foster and deliver an interdisciplinary culture within the JEI and wider University. 

External Partnerships:

The Executive Dean (JEI) will:

• Liaise effectively with the affiliate hospitals to ensure that the teaching provision is quality assured and effectively delivered,
• Provide JEI oversight.
• Foster innovation and entrepreneurship within the JEI and KCL more broadly.   

Research:

The Executive Dean (JEI) will:

• Develop and foster an environment which embraces education scholarship in medical and biomedical education by encouraging teaching staff to be innovative, evaluate educational interventions and engage in research that will benefit students and the curriculum,
• Build and develop strong teams of excellent educationalists to fit within KCL dual ethos of teaching and research, raising the profile of education scholarship.

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.  

Skills, knowledge, and experience Essential Criteria 

Knowledge and Experience: 

• Primary medical qualification,  
• An excellent academic track record in medical education, 
• A recognised teaching qualification, 
• Experience of working across academia and professional services and between academia and the NHS, 
• Demonstrably successful leadership and management experience at a senior level in a large complex organisation, including strategic planning and projects; and the management of change and risk, 
• An understanding of the HE environment in the UK and globally; including policy, funding, recruitment, research assessment and quality issues, 
• Extensive knowledge and management experience of learning and teaching endeavours, approaches, practices and experience in higher education, with a focus on student experience, 
• Proven ability to provide strong academic leadership and vision, to enthuse and inspire, promoting excellence in learning and teaching, and creating an environment in which these can flourish. 

Leadership: 

• Evidence of a visible, inspiring and inclusive leadership style, 
• A track record in leadership and management, including leadership and management of organisational change and driving excellent performance, 
• Leadership of a broad range of services and activities in a large, complex organisation within an academic environment with experience of working across academic and clinical boundaries, 
• A successful track record in driving performance across the whole range of learning, teaching, scholarship and leadership activities within a varied academic environment, 
• A commitment to equality, diversity and widening participation. 

Personal Attributes: 

• Willingness to live and work in China 
• Open, collaborative, inclusive and reliable with drive to deliver, 
• Inspirational and engaging communication style with an ability to engage and enthuse others, 
• The ability to develop and maintain strong networks both within and outside of the JEI with a wide range of stakeholders, including students, 
• Excellent and engaging speech writing/delivery. Ability to tailor communications to varied audiences, including staff, students and external stakeholders, 
• A proven record of proactive and creative working to influence and drive innovation. 

Desirable criteria

• License to practice medicine.  

Further information

A competitive recruitment package will be offered commensurate with the academic profile and experience of the successful applicant.    

This is an open-ended appointment as a member of the academic staff of KCL, including a five-year (in the first instance) secondment to Shenzhen. It is expected, but not a requirement, that the appointee will meet the criteria for an appointment at professorial level.