The London School of Economics and Political Science

Appointment of Pro-Director (Education)

“For the betterment of society”

The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is one of the foremost social science universities in the world, ranked number one in Europe for social sciences by the 2020/2021 QS World Rankings and at the last Research Excellence Framework (REF) achieved the highest proportion of 4* research of all UK universities. With 18 Nobel Prize winners and 37 past or present heads of state, LSE is a truly influential and international university at the forefront of global policy debate.

Our LSE 2030 Strategy commits LSE to Educate for Global Impact. This means developing lifelong, research-rich learning opportunities for students from all backgrounds. By creating a strong sense of belonging, we are equipping our students with the skills, knowledge and confidence to be critical investigators, confident entrepreneurs and culturally aware agents of change. We have a rich programme of education enhancement activities underway, led by faculty members within and across departments and informed by experts in our Eden Centre for Education Enhancement. We are increasingly working in partnership with students, for example through our dynamic LSE Change Makers programme, and have a highly constructive relationship with our Students’ Union, LSESU. Alongside our mainstream education on campus, we are developing our portfolio of Extended Education provision, including executive programmes and online certificate courses.

Following the intention of the current post-holder to retire, LSE is now seeking an experienced, dynamic leader to join them as the new Pro-Director (Education). The Pro-Director will drive the education and student experience agenda for the entire institution, working with senior academic and professional colleagues and across complex stakeholder environments to set clear and consistent standards and expectations. They will be a compelling advocate for research-rich education and student partnership, able to inspire philanthropic donors. A creative, innovative thinker able to lead on Digital Education Futures, the post-holder will also have a nuanced, contemporary understanding of the challenges higher education faces today. A keen strategist, with a can-do approach, the successful candidate will continue and build on the achievements in the last few years, which have seen a rapid rise in levels of student satisfaction.

The post-holder will report to LSE’s Director, Baroness Nemat (Minouche) Shafik, formerly Deputy Director of the Bank of England. As a member of the Directorate, the post-holder will also work with the wider leadership team, world-class academics and dedicated professional services staff. The post-holder will be accountable to our student and alumni communities, engaging with them in the realization of opportunities and challenges.

Candidates should know that the School is currently recruiting for a Dean of Extended Education from its own staff to take a leadership role on its Summer School, University of London International Programmes (ULiP), Online and Executive MSc teaching at the same time and that the successful candidate will line manage the Dean. We will invite the successful candidate to join the interview panel for the Dean of Extended Education. See here for more information on the Dean of Extended Education position.

LSE will be supported in this appointment by executive search firm, Society. For further details, including the candidate pack and information on how to apply, please click here. The deadline for applications is Friday, 18 March 2022 at 12:00pm GMT.

The Pro-Director (Education) post is a five-year fixed-term appointment, potentially extendable.

LSE is committed to building a diverse, equitable and truly inclusive university.