Executive Dean of the Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences

University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A prestigious academic institution in the UK is seeking an Executive Dean for its Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences. In this major leadership position, you will set the direction for the faculty, driving strategic positioning and championing excellence across research and education. The ideal candidate will have an outstanding academic reputation, a proven track record in strategic leadership, and a commitment to fostering a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community. Join us to lead our world-class faculty and contribute to transformative change.

Benefits

Commitment to diversity and inclusion

Opportunities for professional development

Access to world-class research facilities

Qualifications

• Outstanding academic with an international reputation in a relevant faculty discipline.
• Strong track record in strategic leadership within a large organization.
• Experience in enhancing research quality and driving educational innovation.

Responsibilities

• Set direction for faculty development and champion excellence.
• Strengthen external profile and drive strategic positioning.
• Foster a strong sense of identity and community within the faculty.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Political acumen

Financial insight

Community building

Research quality enhancement

Education

Relevant faculty discipline

Job description

As Executive Dean, you will set the direction for the next chapter of the faculty's development, shaping a bold, coherent academic vision and championing excellence across research, education and innovation. You will strengthen the faculty's external profile, drive strategic positioning nationally and internationally, and ensure that estates and infrastructure decisions enable sustained growth. An inspiring and visible leader, you will foster a strong sense of identity and community, champion inclusion, and support colleagues to thrive. Responsible to UCL's Council via the Vice Provost (Faculties) and the Provost, you will ensure the faculty's continued success and contribute to the leadership of the university as a member of the University Management Committee. This is a major leadership role requiring an outstanding academic with an international reputation in a relevant faculty discipline. You will bring a strong track record of strategic leadership in a large, complex organisation, with success in enhancing research quality, driving educational innovation, and building impactful partnerships. With strong political acumen and financial insight, you will have proven ability to navigate sector challenges with confidence, make well‑judged decisions, and represent the faculty effectively across UCL and beyond. Above all, you will share UCL's commitment to transforming lives and societies through knowledge, and to securing the faculty's place at the forefront of mathematical and physical sciences globally. As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong. We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL's workforce, including those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and - for Grade 9 and 10 roles - women.
UCL is a world‑leading, global university with a community of more than 51,000 students from 150 countries and over 18,000 staff which pursues academic excellence, breaks boundaries, and makes a positive impact on real world problems. We are consistently ranked among the top ten universities in the world and are one of only a handful of institutions rated as having the strongest academic reputation. We are ambitious for change and committed to taking ever bolder and more impactful interventions towards becoming a more diverse, equitable and inclusive university. UCL has recently outlined its approach to transformational change to ensure a sustainable future against a background of financial, sector and geopolitical challenges currently facing higher education today, the full detail of which can be found in UCL's Strategic Plan 2022-2027. We are seeking an exceptional Executive Dean to lead UCL's Faculty of Mathematical & Physical Sciences - a world‑class hub for the logical, experimental and mathematical study of our universe. Home to eight diverse, high‑performing departments and numerous institutes and centres including the London Centre for Nanotechnology, Institute for Materials Discovery, and the Thomas Young Centre, the faculty brings together outstanding disciplinary strength with distinctive interdisciplinary reach. Contributing to global endeavours from Euclid and JUICE to quantum technologies and climate modelling, the faculty has over 1,400 staff, 6,500 students and an annual turnover of £205m, playing a central role in UCL's research power, education, and global reputation. Firmly established among the UK's leading mathematical and physical sciences faculties, UCL ranks in the top 5 in the UK for Natural Sciences, Chemistry, Earth & Marine Sciences, Geology, Geophysics, Materials Science, Physics & Astronomy and Statistics & Operational Research (QS 2025), with Chemistry placed 3rd in the UK for 4

• outputs, and Mathematics and Statistical Science achieving 97.9% world‑leading or internationally excellent outputs in the Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021).