academic leader

Keele University; Newcastle-under-Lyme; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 112,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive rate of pay with annual iн

Generous annual leave entitlement

Excellent staff pension scheme

On site 'outstanding' nursery

Discounted health & fitness facilities

Job summary

Keele University invites applications for Head of the School of Life Sciences, a senior academic leadership role within the Faculty of Natural Sciences. The appointee will drive research excellence, shape strategic direction, and strengthen external partnerships to enhance the student experience.

The School hosts around 100 academic staff and over 1,600 students, with a ~£22 million budget; the successful candidate will lead a high‑performing community, balance priorities, and deploy resources

Qualifications

• Strong track record of high-quality research in a relevant discipline.
• Previous leadership experience in an academic environment.
• Ability to motivate and inspire colleagues and balance competing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the School of Life Sciences.
• Shape the strategic direction and research agenda of the School.
• Strengthen external partnerships and enhance the student experience.

Education

PhD in Life Sciences

Job description

Head of School of Life Sciences

Perrett Laver View all jobs

• Keele, Staffordshire
• Permanent
• Full-time

5 hours ago

Keele University is seeking to appoint an outstanding and inspirational academic leader as Head of the School of Life Sciences.

Keele University enjoys an international reputation for world-leading research, high-quality research-led education and an outstanding student experience.

The School of Life Sciences is the largest School within the Faculty of Natural Sciences, encompassing Biomedical Science, Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, Bioveterinary Science, Bioengineering, Biology, Pharmacology, Geography, Geology, and Environmental Science. The School has performed exceptionally in recent years, delivering strong and sustained growth in student recruitment, increasing research grant income, excellent staff retention and strong financial performance.

The School is home to around 100 academic staff, more than 1,600 undergraduate and postgraduate students, and operates with an annual budget of approximately £22 million. Building on this strong foundation, the next Head of School will have the opportunity to shape the future direction of a thriving and ambitious academic community, driving research excellence and impact, delivering an outstanding student experience, strengthening external partnerships, and fostering a culture in which colleagues and students can flourish.

As a member of the Faculty Senior Leadership Team, the successful candidate will contribute to the strategic leadership of the Faculty of Natural Sciences and play an important role in shaping the future success of Keele University.

The successful candidate will bring a strong personal track-record of research in a relevant discipline, as well as previous leadership experience in an academic environment. Candidates will be strong academic leaders with the ability to motivate and inspire others. They will bring the maturity, judgement and confidence required to lead a complex operation, with the ability to balance competing priorities and deploy resources effectively. This is an opportunity to build on recent successes, and to further enhance and grow a high-performing school and shape its strategic direction.

The University

Keele University is renowned for its exciting approach to higher education, innovative research, beautiful campus, strong community spirit and excellent student experience. With a turnover in excess of £170 million, over 15,000 students and a total staff of approximately 2000, the University provides high quality teaching across a wide range of academic and vocational subjects and promotes world-class research. Further information can be found at

Keele University values diversity, and is committed to ensuring equity of opportunity, and to proper and fair representation across its senior decision making groups. In support of these commitments, the University particularly welcomes expressions of interest and applications from women and from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, for this post.

Keele University is committed to the principles of the Athena Swan charter, and values equity and diversity across our workforce. We strive to ensure that our workforce is representative of broader society, and therefore, we would actively welcome applications from women/ men for this role.

Keele University values equity and diversity across our workforce and to ensuring our staff community is reflective of the diversity of our student population. In support of these commitments the University welcomes applications from individuals of Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds for all roles.

The Benefits

The University recognises that its success depends upon the contribution and dedication of its talented staff. In return, we have a competitive benefits package available, including:

• Competitive rate of pay with annual increments within the grade (Keele Spine)
• Generous annual leave entitlement with opportunities to purchase additional leave
• Excellent staff pension scheme
• Access to continued personal, professional and career development
• On site 'outstanding' nursery
• Discounted health & fitness facilities on site
• Cycle to work scheme (subject to eligibility)

Please note that the starting salary will typically be at the bottom of the pay scale shown above.

The University is committed to operating flexible working practices wherever possible.