Founding Professor and Head of Department, Architecture and the Built Environment

The University of York exists for the public good. Enquiring minds, inspirational teaching, pioneering research, global ambition, local commitment, and social purpose are the foundations which underpin that commitment at our university. 

We are a high-performing university where talented students, inspiring lecturers and world-class researchers thrive. We provide exceptional learning experiences that stay with our students for the rest of their lives, enabling them to flourish within and beyond their studies. Since our foundation in 1963, York’s focus on academic excellence has resulted in a strong reputation across the globe. A member of the Russell Group of Universities, we were ranked 18th in the Guardian’s Best University UK Universities 2022 League Table, and in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2021 we were ranked in the Top 50 in the world for Arts and Humanities and in the top 100 for Social Sciences. 

In establishing a new Department of Architecture and the Built Environment, we have the opportunity to be innovative in the way in which we educate design professionals through an interdisciplinary approach preparing them to be culturally informed, inclusive, creative and sustainable. This is the first new department at the university for over a decade and is one of several transformational initiatives supported by the Executive Board as part of our exciting new strategy. 

The new department will focus on sustainable, solutions-based design for the public good, taking a socially and environmentally responsible approach to problem solving. Taking an interdisciplinary approach, we will build on our research strengths in culture, community, computation, environment and geography, heritage and social policy.  

We seek to recruit a visionary leader to establish our new department, collaborating across the disciplines to build a thriving and supportive environment for students from all backgrounds, featuring professional engagement throughout with a range of local and regional organisations. You will serve to connect the department to relevant communities, both nationally and internationally, establishing a distinctive position for York in architectural education and research. As Head of Department - a four year term - you will be responsible for shaping the department staff and defining the initial teaching and research portfolio ahead of the launch of the department in the academic year 2025/26. 

We are looking to take advantage of recent changes to professional training expectations as set out by the Architects Registration Board, establishing new ways to develop access to the profession for a wider community, foregrounding diversity and inclusion in training the next generation of architects. It is important that our Founding Head is committed to, and drives, this commitment to access.

This exciting, new opportunity epitomises our new strategy, “A University for Public Good”, and requires candidates to demonstrate  outstanding and creative leadership experience in this space, with experience of delivering complex projects to completion and a track record of exemplary management, citizenship and distinctive personal research and/or professional practice. 

To view the recruitment brochure please visit www.andersonquigley.com using reference AQ1767. Further detail can be found on the microsite here.  

Closing date: 17 April 2023

We particularly welcome applications from female candidates, and candidates who identify as Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic or Global Majority are strongly encouraged to apply as they are currently under-represented within leadership roles at the University.