Interim Director of Strategy

The opportunity

University of Arts London is one of the leading Art and Design universities with a global community of over 20,000 students. As we embark on a pioneering and exciting new strategic journey (‘Why the World needs Creativity’) and with social purpose as a core value embedded in everything we do, we are seeking an Interim Director of Strategy (shorthand for Director of Strategy, Risk and Planning) to play a critical role in steering UAL through its next phase of growth and development. 

Joining us on an 8-month maternity cover, your leadership will be instrumental to achieving our strategic goals. You’ll hold overall responsibility for ensuring UAL is well-placed to deliver its ambitions through informed decision making underpinned by a robust business planning cycle and strong data infrastructure.

The priorities for the period of the maternity cover will be to:  

• Continue the integration of the Strategy, Data and Change teams to foster inclusivity, and high performance  
• Improve approaches to performance and change management  
• Set up the 24/25 strategic planning process and design an appropriate process for 25/26
• Support UAL with key strategic priorities, such as growth, org design and responding to external trends such as AI.

You will have oversight over three teams (Strategy & Risk, Data & Planning and Strategic Change) to deliver on your departments objectives. 

About you

We’re looking for a skilled leader, with a background in strategy consulting/inhouse strategy, with the expertise to develop and implement strategy. You’ll need experience of data analysis and data analytics, as well as an understanding of best practice in change management and experience of overseeing a portfolio of change programmes. 

A proven track record of delivering organisation-wide business-planning and experience of organisational risk management, forecasting and planning is essential. 

You’ll demonstrate excellent communication and leadership skills, with previous experience of building and leading diverse teams. You’ll also exhibit excellent stakeholder management skills and the ability to rapidly build professional relationships.

If you have any queries about this role or need any reasonable adjustments for your application, please contact Twinkle Brahmbhatt, Senior Resourcing Adviser via email at USGstaffrecruitment@arts.ac.uk.

What we offer

To recognise the hard work of our staff and their contributions, we provide a wide range of benefits – please check our careers site/Canvas for further information as conditions and exclusions apply:

▪ at least 34 days of annual leave in addition to bank holidays.

▪ equal parental leave offering up to 6 months full pay for maternity and paternity.

▪ 2 days of paid volunteering leave for a UK registered charity.

▪ generous defined benefit pension schemes (LGPS).

▪ discounts including gyms, nursery and private healthcare insurance.

▪ learning and development opportunities including free Short Courses.

▪ season ticket loan, cycle to work scheme, free counselling and more!

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) offers an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. We are a collegiate University spread across London with six Colleges, four Institutes and five Research Centres. UAL also has two subsidiary companies, delivering specialist activities – UAL Short Courses Ltd, and UAL Arts Temps Ltd.

We’re made up of all types of people, coming together in London, the world’s creative capital. We are designers, artists, performers, thinkers, researchers and makers. Our students, staff and graduates form a global network of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. Together, our ideas change the world. Because the world needs creativity.

We are ranked highly across the board. We are ranked first for specialist art and design, second in the world for Art and Design in the 2023 QS World University Rankings (for the fifth year in a row), ranked fifth in sustainability and two of our colleges were rated in the top three fashion schools in the world. 

Our culture

We have become one of the world’s most international Universities, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. And, as a global university, staff and students learn from different cultures and perspectives, which leads to new conversations and innovative work. At our very core, everything we do seeks to challenge the status quo by driving social purpose and standing up for what matters.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds including those who may feel underrepresented in the workforce due to their socioeconomic circumstances such as those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) backgrounds. We aim to be a university where everyone can be themselves and are supported to reach their full potential.

With our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are proud to be a Race Equality Charter (REC) member to help us reduce barriers that negatively impacts B.A.M.E. staff, a Stonewall Diversity Champion to ensure all LGBTQ+ people are valued at work, a Disability Confident Scheme Committed employer and member of the Business Disability Forum which help us to improve the lives of disabled people in the workplace.