Vice Principal - Education Skills & Learner Success

Aspen People; Easter Howgate; On-site; GBP 103,000 - 131,000; Full time

Job summary

SRUC, based in Edinburgh, seeks a Vice Principal for Education, Skills & Learner Success to shape and deliver its education and learner experience strategy. You will lead a transformative, future-focused portfolio, drive quality, innovation and inclusive excellence, and work with partners across academia, industry and government to raise SRUC’s profile and impact.

The role requires a PhD-level qualification, senior academic leadership experience, and a proven ability to turn strategy into

Qualifications

• Educated to PhD level in a related field.
• Experience operating at senior professorial level.
• Track record in educational quality, learner success and portfolio development.
• Ability to translate strategy into measurable outcomes and drive improvement.

Responsibilities

• Shape and deliver SRUC's education, skills and learner success agenda.
• Lead a future-focused tertiary portfolio and drive organisational, cultural and technological transformation.
• Champion educational quality, innovation and continuous improvement, prioritising inclusion and wellbeing.
• Build influential partnerships across academic, industry and public-sector communities.

Skills

Leadership

Educational strategy

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Education

PhD in related field

Job description

Vice Principal - Education, Skills & Learner Success

Edinburgh

Permanent: 35 hours per week

Salary: £102,844 - £130,542

About Us

SRUC is a specialist higher education institution delivering tertiary education, research and consultancy. With five main campuses across Scotland and a wider network of farms, consulting offices, research centres and veterinary surveillance centres, we connect education, science, skills and industry to support rural and land-based sectors. Our purpose is to advance education, research and environmental protection and improvement, in Scotland and internationally. We are working towards becoming Scotland’s Enterprise University — bringing research, skills and business together to create new opportunities and support a fair, sustainable economy.

About the Role

As SRUC’s senior education leader and a member of the Executive Leadership Team, you will shape and deliver our education, skills and student experience agenda. You will lead a future-focused tertiary portfolio, drive organisational, cultural and technological transformation, and champion educational quality, innovation and continuous improvement. Putting students at the centre, you will strengthen engagement, belonging and wellbeing, and improve retention, progression and outcomes while ensuring equitable opportunities for every learner. Working across SRUC and with employers, universities, government, funding bodies and sector partners, you will connect education with research and innovation, influence policy and workforce priorities, and raise SRUC’s profile and impact nationally and internationally.

About You

You are an inclusive, inspirational senior academic leader with a strong record of leading education and academic strategy in a large, complex tertiary, higher or further education environment. Educated to PhD level in a related field, with experience operating at senior professorial level and a recognised record of academic achievement, you bring significant experience of educational quality, learner success, portfolio development and organisational change. You can turn strategy into measurable outcomes, use evidence to drive improvement, and build influential partnerships across academic, industry and public-sector communities. You will bring the credibility to represent an institution at senior level, experience of influencing policy, funding or sector developments, and knowledge of further and higher education funding systems. Collaborative, resilient and strategic, you are committed to inclusion, academic excellence and helping learners thrive.

Closing date

for applications: Monday 16th November 2026

First stage virtual interviews

Thursday 3rd December (full day) and Friday 4th December (afternoon only).

Final in person interviews

Wednesday 9th and Thursday 10th December 2026.