Pro Vice-Chancellor and Dean, College of Health and Humanities
10 hours ago
Derby
Hybrid This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework. We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better. The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region. We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes. Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills. The University of Derby is an ambitious, modern university with a strong commitment to transforming lives. We are a university with deep civic roots, strong regional partnerships and a growing national reputation for delivering professionally focused education that supports individuals, communities and employers to thrive. As part of a major institutional transformation, the University has recently established a new academic structure. At the heart of this vision is the College of Health and Humanities. The College comprises three schools; Health and Social Care, Health, Sport and Rehabilitation, and Humanities, Law and Creative Arts. With approximately 600 staff, it one of the largest and most significant areas of the University. This is a rare opportunity to lead one of Derby's flagship colleges at a pivotal moment in its development. The successful candidate will play a central role in delivering the University's strategic ambitions, leading a broad and distinctive academic portfolio, while helping to shape the future direction of the institution as a member of the senior executive team. Reporting to the Provost and Deputy Vice-Chancellor, you will provide strategic, academic and operational leadership across the College. You will lead the continued enhancement of student experience and outcomes, support sustainable growth, strengthen research and knowledge exchange activity, and champion innovation across education and curriculum delivery. You will also play a key role in the University's transformation agenda as new approaches to the student journey and curriculum flexibility are implemented across the institution. You will lead on the further development of strategic external relationships, especially across the health sector. Working with NHS trusts, healthcare providers, civic partners and employers, you will build influential partnerships that enhance student opportunity, support workforce development and create new avenues for growth and collaboration. The ability to operate credibly at senior executive level, both internally and externally, will be essential. Please note: Upon appointment, this role will require a Fit and Proper Persons check. For more information, please refer to this guidance. We are seeking an experienced and inspiring academic leader with the vision, resilience and judgement to lead through a period of significant opportunity and change. You will bring a strong track record of leadership, the ability to inspire confidence and engagement across diverse academic communities, and a commitment to delivering outstanding outcomes for students. Most importantly, you will be a collaborative and forward-thinking leader capable of joining institutional priorities with external opportunity and translating ambition into impact. This role closes at 11.59pm GMT on Friday 9th October 2026. • As part of the (UEB), the PVC Dean is responsible for the achievement of the Strategic Framework, its objectives and corresponding ISMs., • Deliver academic and strategic leadership to drive forward a sustainable, transformational and industry-engaged curricula across the College which provides for excellence of opportunity in graduate outcomes and to ensure the College is positioned for maximum achievement of key performance indicators, including, national and international league tables, REF, TEF, NSS, KEF and APP., • Design and implement a comprehensive College plan that aligns with ISMs. The plan will be data-informed, inclusive, and adaptable, ensuring it meets the evolving needs of students, staff, and stakeholders., • In addition to leading the College portfolio, the postholder is accountable for contributing to and leading institution-wide initiatives and strategic objectives as defined by the Vice-Chancellor and Deputy Vice-Chancellor., • To be engaged consistently with key external stakeholders and businesses to deliver strategic opportunities for learning, research, innovation and enterprise., • Provide motivational leadership, line management and development for staff in areas of responsibility, ensuring that local strategic and operational plans are aligned to the University’s strategic framework and corporate objectives., • Lead and support institutional change through cross-university working with the other members of UEB, to implement and execute the Strategic Framework, enabling strategies and the six Academic Themes with clear oversight and demonstrable return on investment., • To be accountable for the financial performance of the College, ensuring optimum financial return through sustainable growth in all income streams with efficient use of existing resources and ensuring leadership around financial control and management., • Responsible for the growth of world class research, innovation and knowledge exchange in the College to deliver the institutional strategy, priorities and success measures., • Work collaboratively across the University with Professional Service functions, and with academic partnerships to create effective delivery and to assure on governance, compliance and risk management., • To undertake personal research of international quality in a relevant field of endeavor., • Contribute to the delivery of high-quality research led and industry informed learning & teaching within a College subject discipline, thereby creating a vibrant culture that enhances the student experience, • Be a key source of up-to-date sector knowledge and insight for the UEB with respect to activities relating to the College and cross-institutional role as appropriate., • Provide visionary leadership that cultivates and sustains a high-performance culture across all areas of responsibility, driving excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement., • Provide leadership which ensures that equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to the culture and activities in areas of responsibility and across the University., • Actively promote and role-model the values of the University citizenship and civic responsibility. Build and sustain partnerships with civic, voluntary, and public sector organisations to support mutual goals and deliver social impact., • Contribute flexibly by undertaking any other responsibilities or projects commensurate with the role and as assigned by the Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor from time to time., • Deputise or cover for the Vice-Chancellor or Deputy Vice-Chancellor, if and when required., • Professorial or equivalent standing, with an academic profile and teaching / research / pedagogic track record commensurate with a senior academic leadership post., • PhD / Professional Doctorate or equivalent experience in professional practice., • Evidence of relevant continuous professional development and active memberships or affiliations with relevant external associations or networks., • Demonstrable success in delivering measurable advancement of excellence in learning, teaching and student experience, • Demonstrable experience of delivering impact through building / engaging successful external stakeholder networks., • Demonstrable success in delivering measurable advancement of excellence in research, innovation and enterprise, including contribution to the REF., • Demonstrable experience of successfully operating at a College/Faculty Dean leadership level., • Demonstrable experience of successfully managing large-scale financial budgets in an efficient manner., • Significant experience of senior leadership and delivering through others., • Experience of leading policy and regulatory procedures, operationalising them into tangible actions., • Experience of developing and sustaining successful relationships / partnerships internally and externally, nationally and internationally., • Experience of initiating and successfully leading cross-institutional change, projects and initiatives., • Excellent track record in strategic business planning and of positioning a division or institution for future success., • Proven track record of winning and delivering third-stream research, innovation and commercial income generation., • Demonstrable success in leading large, cross-functional teams in complex organisational environments., • Relevant depth of knowledge in a discipline relevant to the College and a breadth of appreciation for the interrelated disciplines within the College., • External evidence of research and innovation as demonstrated by a track record of outputs, knowledge exchange and enterprise., • Comprehensive understanding of the current issues and future developments facing the sector., • Comprehensive understanding of how this role can help to enhance the University’s Social Mobility, equal opportunities and social inclusion agendas., • Proven people leadership and management skills with the ability to build, inspire, motivate and develop diverse teams to achieve high performance., • Strong collaboration and team working skills that support the successful delivery of a cross-University role, with the ability to make decisions that are in the best interests of the University as a whole in a complex environment and often with competing objectives and priorities., • Proven ability of developing data driven, evidence-based recommendations., • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the proven ability to develop high quality, audience appropriate written papers and oral presentations., • Excellent networking and influencing skills, with the credibility to engage with, and influence, senior academic staff and other diverse range of internal and external stakeholders., • Understanding of the drivers of financial performance and sustainability., • Agility and resilience necessary to deal with demanding workloads and deadlines., • Highly flexible and able to travel on a national and international basis when required., • Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata), • Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, • Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers, • Discounted onsite gym, • Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance, • Holiday purchase, • Cycle to Work scheme, • A flexible working environment, • A commitment to personal and professional development For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk . This role is eligible for sponsorship by the University, however, your individual circumstances must meet the criteria set out by UKVI ; this includes meeting the English Language requirement and earning a salary that meets the highest of either the going rate for the SOC code or the minimum salary threshold for the Skilled Worker route (£41,700 per annum, as of 22nd July 2025). If the role is eligible, but the offered salary is less that the going rate for the role, you may still be able to apply for a Skilled Worker visa if: Your job is on the Immigration Salary List You’re under 26, studying or a recent graduate, or in professional training You have a PhD level qualification that’s relevant to your job You have a postdoctoral position in science or higher education Please note that the University cannot confirm your eligibility for sponsorship until an offer is made and your individual circumstances have been considered. If you are successful, you will be required to undertake a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check. Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post. To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage. The University of Derby is committed to fostering an open, inclusive and diverse community where everyone is treated with dignity, fairness and respect. We are committed to advancing equity, diversity and inclusion regardless of age, disability, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex or sexual orientation. As a Disability Confident employer, we are committed to inclusive recruitment and welcome requests for adjustments throughout the recruitment process. Applicants may choose their preferred title, including 'Mx', and may share preferred pronouns if they wish. We also use anonymised shortlisting to help reduce the potential impact of unconscious bias. For more information on equity,diversityand inclusion at the University of Derby, pleasevisitour website . We are also committed to promoting academic freedom and freedom of speech and expression within the law, in line with our Code of Practice , and value diversity of thought alongside diversity of backgrounds and experiences. However you identify, we welcome applications from people whose experiences, perspectives and talents will contribute to our inclusive, supportive and intellectually vibrant community. At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050. The University of Derby is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of all our staff, students and children. At the University of Derby, safeguarding is everybody's concern. #J-18808-Ljbffr