Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty

Victoria College of Arts and Design; London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading arts and design institution in London is seeking a Dean for the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty. The successful candidate will lead the strategic and operational implementation of business management and digital marketing degrees. Responsibilities include overseeing academic delivery, ensuring regulatory compliance, and enhancing student experiences. This role requires a Master's degree and significant experience in higher education, along with strong leadership and communication skills.

Benefits

Annual leave (7.2 weeks)

Workplace pension scheme

Career development opportunities

Gym membership discounts

Retail discount schemes

Qualifications

• Significant experience in teaching and managing programs in Higher Education.
• Experience in leading teams within higher education.
• Ability to communicate complex information clearly.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage academic and operational implementation for the faculty.
• Ensure compliance with regulatory requirements and educational standards.
• Develop a high-quality student experience.

Skills

Teaching management

Leadership skills

Communication skills

Understanding of Widening Participation

Regulatory compliance knowledge

Online program utilization

Education

Master's degree

Tools

Moodle

Microsoft Office/365

Job description

Overview

Job Title - Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty

Reports to - Director (Academic) of VCAD

Location - London, Canary Wharf and /or Borough campuses

Salary Range - £60,000 - £70,000

Hours - Full Time (On-site) - Monday to Friday

Position Overview: The Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty at the Victoria College of Arts and Design will lead and manage the strategic academic and operational implementation of VCAD's Business Management and Digital Marketing degrees across all VCAD Campuses. This role will also involve overseeing the development and delivery of new higher education courses designed and delivered in partnership with Ravensbourne University. The Dean will be expected to be dynamic, enterprising and confident in using their professional initiative to manage and grow the faculty and the success of its students.

Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership

   The Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty will be responsible for leading, designing, developing, and promoting a culture of collaboration and collegiality in teaching and learning within the faculty and collaboratively across VCAD. This role will emphasise fostering pedagogical innovation and openness, as well as engaging with industry and the community. The Dean will support the professional growth and personal confidence of both teaching and administrative staff. Additionally, the Dean will ensure that the student voice is empowered and engaged while also ensuring compliance with the relevant regulations, processes and policies of VCAD's partners and stakeholders. The Dean will have experience and understanding of higher education regulatory requirements and guidance, in particular, the essential need for the faculty to evidence compliance with the Office for Students B Conditions.

2. Faculty Leadership

   Academic Delivery: By ensuring that the teaching and learning practice within the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty is continuously updated, improved, and aligned with the latest developments in business, society, and technology, the Dean will play a crucial role in the growth and success of VCAD as a private higher education institution primarily focused on the Widening Participation sector. Typically, the Dean is expected to deliver a manageable amount of teaching, marking and moderation within the faculty as part of their responsibilities. The specifics of these duties will be negotiated in good faith with the Director (Academic) of VCAD.

3. Quality Assurance and Regulatory Compliance

   The Dean will ensure that the design, timetabling, management and delivery of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty's teaching and learning practice aligns and complies with all relevant higher education quality assurance standards, regulations and policies, both internal and external.

4. Team Development

   The Dean will lead, manage and support the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty's teaching and academic administration team. The Dean's informed, empathetic and enabling leadership will permit the faculty's teachers, both individually and collectively, to be effective and collaborative teachers, mentors and student experience-focused professionals. The Dean will also encourage and support the faculty's teachers to be active practitioners and/or researchers within their particular fields of interest. Additionally, the Dean will take an active role in mentoring, supporting, and advocating for the professional development of all Faculty staff by engaging in ongoing professional development activities, the Higher Education Academy, peer shadowing, and professional accreditation.

   The Dean will work collaboratively with the Directors of VCAD and other VCAD staff to foster an active, ambitious, and creatively inclusive approach to staff recruitment and retention, ensuring alignment with VCAD's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) policies. This commitment underscores VCAD's dedication to creating a diverse workforce that reflects a variety of perspectives and experiences, enriching our community and enhancing our teaching and learning endeavours.

5. Student Experience

   The Dean will develop, champion and manage a pedagogical practice that delivers high-quality student experience, fosters student engagement, enhances student well-being, and provides students with a range of successes across their personal, professional and academic outcomes. The Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty will ensure that the faculty's student retention, progression and continuation outcomes meet or exceed VCAD's overall goals, strategic development aims and regulatory and partnership requirements. The Dean will work closely with VCAD colleagues, particularly those in Student Services, to implement and deliver internal and external projects that enhance the student experience and contribute to a positive reputation for VCAD.

6. Resource Management

   The Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty will be responsible for managing and reporting on the Faculty's physical, digital, human, and financial resources. This responsibility will be carried out in collaboration with the Directors of VCAD and other members of the VCAD management team.

7. Administrative Responsibilities

   The Dean will perform administrative duties related to teaching, timetable management, module coordination, course management, marking, grading, and other tasks essential for the smooth operation of the Faculty and all Academic Boards. Additionally, the Dean will complete any other relevant duties as reasonably requested by the Directors of VCAD, including attending and participating in various VCAD meetings. The Dean will actively contribute to achieving faculty and institutional goals and participate in activities such as open days, student recruitment and induction events, knowledge transfer, and other outreach efforts. Moreover, the Dean will engage in and often lead projects focused on forward-looking initiatives, including enhancing diversity and inclusion, promoting digital learning, and fostering community collaboration.

Qualifications & Experience Required

• A Master's degree (E)
• Significant experience of teaching and managing programmes and courses within the mainstream Higher Education sector (E)
• Experience of leading people and teams within the higher education sector (E)
• An understanding of, and empathy with, the concept of Widening Participation within higher education (E)
• An understanding of external regulatory requirements aligned with the OfS conditions and PSRBs, as well as an understanding of the OFS registration process a thorough knowledge of OfS registration processes (E)
• An enthusiasm for, and understanding of, the distinct contribution made by reputable private sector institutions to higher education in England (E)
• A knowledge of the partnership model within higher education in England (E)
• Confidence and ability to communicate complex, innovative and contentious information and ideas clearly, coherently and persuasively (E)
• Management experience in a commercial business sector (E)
• Ability to utilise a range of online programmes, in particular, Moodle and similar VLE platforms, Student Information Systems (SIS) and Microsoft Office/365 (E)
• Right To Work in the UK (E)

All applicants are required to submit both a CV and a Support Statement. The Support Statement should outline the reasons for applying for the position and demonstrate how your experience aligns with VCAD's expectations for the next Dean of the VCAD-Ravensbourne Faculty.

Benefits

• Annual leave (7.2 weeks)
• Workplace pension scheme.
• Company Sick Policy.
• Statutory maternity/paternity pays.
• Career development opportunities
• Training and self-development opportunities.
• Gym membership discounts
• Retail discount schemes
• Cinema discounts
• Grocery discounts
• Cycle to work
• Investing and savings opportunities
• Financial wellbeing - personal debt advise.
• Financial wellbeing education
• My Mind Pal (mental fitness)