Head of School of Law

Northumbria University; Newcastle upon Tyne; On-site; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

A UK research-intensive university is seeking a Head of School for its School of Law. This role involves providing strategic and operational leadership, enhancing educational excellence, and fostering a positive culture for staff and students. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in research, a deep understanding of the legal profession, and a commitment to student employability. This is a unique opportunity to shape the future of legal education in an inclusive environment.

Qualifications

• Strong personal track record in research and knowledge exchange.
• Demonstrable commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience.
• Deep understanding of higher education and legal professions.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic and operational leadership for the School of Law.
• Champion excellence in education, research, and knowledge exchange.
• Foster collaboration and manage performance across disciplines.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Emotional intelligence

Collaboration

Change management

Education

PhD in Law or related field

Job description

Overview

Join Northumbria to lead the School of Law at a pivotal moment in our institutional development as part of our newly established Faculty of Society and Culture. This role provides the new post holder with the opportunity to shape the future of a thriving academic community, with a strong national and international profile, engaged in dynamic research and collaborative projects in law reform.

Northumbria is a research-intensive university with a clear social mission: to unlock potential for all, changing lives regionally, nationally, and internationally. Our vision is through world-leading research and transformative education, we enable people from all backgrounds to excel, and support businesses, public and private organisations and communities across the North-East, London, nationally and internationally to thrive.

Faculty and School structure

From August 2025, Northumbria will move to a new academic structure designed to further promote interdisciplinarity, collaboration, and real-world impact. The School of Law will sit alongside the newly named Schools of Design, Arts and Creative Industries, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Business, creating a dynamic and purposeful environment for education, research and knowledge exchange across the new Faculty of Society and Culture.

About the School of Law

Northumbria\'s School of Law is one of the largest law schools in the UK with more than 100 staff and almost 2000 students. It has a proud reputation for academic excellence, impactful research, a vibrant and diverse student community, innovative educational offerings fueled by research power and experiential learning based in professional skills expertise, and strong engagement with the legal profession and wider industries. Our research strengths are coordinated via our three research groupings; Law and Society, Centre for Evidence and Criminal Justice, and Law in Emerging Contexts.

Our educational offering is enhanced by clinical legal education via our world leading Student Law Office. Our MLaw integrated masters programs for aspiring solicitors and barristers and solicitors\' higher apprenticeship programmes widen participation to the legal professions for a student cohort 40% of which is drawn from the lower two Polar Quintiles.

Role and Leadership

As Head of School, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, championing excellence across education, research and knowledge exchange, ensuring a positive, inclusive and empowering culture for staff and students alike.

Candidate profile

We are looking for an ambitious and values-led academic leader with a strong personal track record in research and knowledge exchange, a deep understanding of the higher education landscape and the legal professions, and a demonstrable commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience, including a strong commitment to graduate employability. You will bring strategic acumen, emotional intelligence, and the ability to build strong relationships across disciplines, and with external partners. You will be confident leading change, fostering collaboration and managing performance, and committed to the continuous development of others.

Why join

This is an opportunity to join a financially robust and forward-thinking university at a time of real momentum. If you share our ambition to do things differently, to lead with purpose and impact, and to help shape the future of legal education and research within a connected, inclusive and research-intensive university, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Application information

Further information about the requirements of the role is available in the person specification.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact Lisanne Gibson, [e-mail]

For further information, including details of how to apply, please visit www.odgers.com/94671

Please do not apply through this careers site as your application will not be progressed.