President and Vice-Chancellor

The opportunity

Our current Vice-Chancellor, Sir Nigel Carrington, leaves UAL in an outstanding position progressing confidently against our 2015-2022 strategy that articulated a focus on excellence in creative education; generating new knowledge; increasing our influence and impact; and developing the best physical and digital context for creative education.

About you

As we emerge from the Covid-19 crisis, we will all face a changed world. In our newly titled President and Vice-Chancellor we seek an outstanding individual to lead our diverse and global community in a different and perhaps unimagined future. You will be deeply committed to enhancing what makes UAL special and will have the vision and skills required to shape our aspirational future, harnessing the talents of all our staff and students.

You will share our values and will possess exceptional communication and relationship-building skills, representing the University with a wide range of stakeholders. Like us, you believe that equality, diversity and inclusion are integral to thriving organisations and you will share our commitment to creating a University where we can all be ourselves and reach our full potential.

You will demonstrate exemplary judgement and commercial insight, bringing a strong sense of integrity as well as energy and innovation.

(Upon being redirected to Perret Laver’s jobs page, candidates should please download the application pack which contains the full job description/person specification for the role and read the list of requirements and selection criteria before applying).

Successful candidates for this role will demonstrate evidence of the following skills, experience and abilities.

Knowledge and experience

• Developing and successfully implementing a vision and strategy for a large, complex and globally-facing organisation in an external context of significant change;
• A proven track record of outstanding leadership at a senior level, managing staff, finances and other resources of comparable size, scope and profile;
• Strong evidence of success at leading and delivering organisational change;
• Experience of external advocacy, developing strong relationships at a senior level with diverse stakeholders including government and industry;
• A track record of nurturing relationships to generate significant financial support;
• Ability to evidence leadership of positive change in the outcomes relating to equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Experience of major estates development projects;
• A clear sense of current and future developments in higher education, and a view as to the response likely to be required of UAL in these contexts;
• A keen appreciation of the value offered by creative education to the individual, and wider economy;
• An understanding of operating within a regulated environment.

Skills and Attributes

• Natural qualities of leadership, encouraging bold, innovative and flexible solutions to complex problems and responding bravely to new opportunities and challenges;
• Ability to conceive, communicate and deliver an inclusive vision and strategy across a high-performing organisation;
• Business and commercial acumen, including highly-developed financial, negotiating and fundraising skills;
• The capability to gain the confidence of UAL staff and students, and to represent and champion the University, its disciplines and the creative education sector to external stakeholders;
• A commitment to prioritising and taking a leading role in enhancing equality, diversity and inclusion;
• Determination to promote a high-quality student experience in all aspects of their engagement with the University;
• A shrewd sense of the ways to develop an organisation through digital channels and platforms;
• A calm, resilient and collegial management style, combining emotional intelligence and the ability to empower and motivate with the managerial acuity to ensure that key targets and objectives are met and exceeded;
• Excellent influencing and interpersonal communication skills;
• Aptitude for strategic decision-making, excellent judgement and political sensitivity;
• The ability to blend corporate strategic priorities with academic probity;
• Strong belief in the power of higher education and the creative arts to transform individuals, communities, society and the economy.

Posting date: Friday, 15 May 2020.

Closing date: Monday, 22 June 2020 at 12:00 noon GMT.

Please note that the recruitment for this role is being managed by Perrett Laver.

For further details, including a candidate pack, job description, person specification and information on how to apply, please click here to visit Perrett Laver's job page quoting reference 6158.

For informal inquiries please contact Rachel Hogan at Rachel.Hogan@perrettlaver.com or +44 (0)20 7340 6210.