Associate Dean of Higher Education

Leeds City College; Leeds; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

University Centre Leeds seeks a dynamic Associate Dean to lead and inspire a dedicated team while managing key projects and contributing to strategic growth. The role involves enhancing student outcomes and fostering a positive culture within the higher education environment. Ideal candidates will possess strong leadership, curriculum development, and budget management skills, along with a commitment to scholarly activity.

Benefits

Generous Annual leave entitlement

Excellent Pension schemes

Learning and development opportunities

Flexible and hybrid working opportunities

Qualifications

• Up-to-date understanding of government policies in higher education.
• Proven experience in managing staff and HE curriculum.
• Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement.

Responsibilities

• Lead and support Heads of Department in developing HE and Apprenticeship portfolios.
• Ensure curriculum planning aligns with regional/national priorities.
• Drive growth through innovative curriculum development.

Skills

Leadership

Curriculum Development

Budget Management

Scholarly Activity

Staff Management

Education

A Level 5 teaching qualification

Master's or equivalent postgraduate qualification

Job description

About The Role

At University Centre Leeds (UCL), we are dedicated to delivering high-quality education, fostering innovation, and supporting the personal and professional development of our students. As a member of the Luminate Education group, we offer a wide range of undergraduate programs, combining academic excellence with industry-relevant skills to prepare our students for success in their careers.

We are seeking a dynamic and forward-thinking Associate Dean to join our leadership team. In this role, you will have the opportunity to lead and inspire a dedicated team, manage key projects, and contribute to the strategic growth and success of the University Centre Leeds. You’ll play a key part in driving operational excellence, enhancing student outcomes, and fostering a positive, inclusive culture.

If you are passionate about education, leadership, and making a lasting impact on both students and staff, we invite you to explore this exciting opportunity to help shape the future of higher education at University Centre Leeds.

What You Will Do

• Lead and support Heads of Department in developing the HE, Apprenticeship, and Professional portfolio.
• Ensure curriculum planning is future-focused, efficient, and aligned with regional/national priorities and employer needs.
• Take lead responsibility for student performance data, securing and maintaining excellent provision.
• Establish clear accountability lines with Heads of Department
• Support the development and promotion of the HE ethos, strategy, and TEF achievement.
• Drive growth through innovative curriculum development, improved marketing, and enhanced student support.
• Promote and monitor research and scholarly activity across all HE provision.
• Inspire staff to improve outcomes, quality, and the student experience, with a focus on financial performance.
  
  

About You

• A Level 5 teaching qualification (with a commitment to the Professional Standards Framework) and a Master's or equivalent postgraduate qualification.
• Up-to-date understanding of government policies, funding, and curriculum/qualification reforms within higher education.
• Proven experience in managing staff and HE curriculum, including planning, development, and review.
• A strong commitment to engaging in scholarly activity and research.
• Demonstrated expertise in interpreting and managing budgets and financial plans effectively.
• Confident in managing performance conversations and providing constructive feedback.
• Proven ability to promote initiatives that enhance the student experience and overall service quality.
• Ability to foster a culture of continuous improvement and professional development.
  
  

Benefits

There are plenty of benefits available to our staff members, here are just a few:

• Generous Annual leave entitlement - If you work full time, you'll get at least 39 days holiday plus bank holidays. This includes closure days at Christmas (pro rata for part time staff).
• Support Staff 39 days
• Academic 44 days
• Senior Management 44 days
• Excellent Pension schemes
• Teachers’ Pension Scheme
• Local Government Pension Scheme
• Memberships and discounts - employees can sign up to various membership cards and discount schemes such as TOTUM card (formerly NUS card).
• Travel and commuting - discounted travel available through Metro card, Northern Rail, First Bus, Arriva Bus and Cycle to work schemes.
• Learning and development opportunities - including staff development days
• Employee wellbeing initiatives
• Flexible and hybrid working opportunities - this will vary depending on role requirements
  

About Us

At University Centre Leeds, we provide a supportive higher education environment designed to promote and enhance independent learning. We have access to industry standard equipment unique to many of our subject areas. These range from our makeup studios to practical science labs.

We are committed to lifelong learning and investing in our staff. You’ll have access to a broad variety of training and professional development designed to help you continually develop and grow. Choosing to work for University Centre Leeds means that you will be part of an inclusive and progressive learning environment. We hope that we will be part of the next step in your career and look forward to welcoming you to University Centre Leeds.

We are proud to be the highest rated for student satisfaction in Leeds for the third year running (National Student Survey 2022).

SAFEGUARDING

At Luminate Education Group we are committed to the safeguarding and welfare of all our students including children, young people, and vulnerable adults. We expect all our staff and volunteers to share this commitment. We follow the Safer Recruitment requirements and best practice as set out within Keeping Children Safe in Education statutory guidance. All successful applicants will be required to complete mandatory pre-employment checks which include an enhanced DBS check, online checks and must have two satisfactory references. Please be aware that it is a criminal offence to apply for this post if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity in connection to children.

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION

Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in recruitment is key to our Group’s values. We are dedicated to fostering a workplace that embraces equality, diversity and inclusion in all its forms, where every candidate is treated with fairness, respect, and equity. Our recruitment processes are designed to ensure equal opportunities, remove bias, and promote a diverse talent pool. We continually assess and improve our practices to ensure that every individual, regardless of background, has an equal chance to succeed. By championing EDI, we aim to create a workforce that reflects the richness of our communities and drives innovation through diverse perspectives. To find out more about what our commitment to EDI means to us please Click here to learn more about our EDI objectives.

RECRUITMENT AGENCIES

We kindly request that recruitment agencies do not forward any unsolicited CVs in relation to any of our advertised roles or speculatively. If we require support with any of our vacancies we will get in touch with agencies directly.

• We do not recognise submissions of unsolicited or speculative CV applications from recruitment agencies.
• We shall not be liable for any fee / commission in the event we employ a candidate that may have been submitted as an unsolicited/speculative application from an uninstructed recruitment agency.