Head of Department

City, University of London (City) seeks to appoint an exceptional individual as the Head of the Department of Professional Programmes.

City Law School has a rich history of delivering legal education dating back to the nineteenth century. With a strong focus on the profession, it has seen significant growth over the last decade. Today the School's vision is to be 'the School of the Legal Services Industry'. The School is unique in offering a broad range of courses while remaining committed to excellence in research and professional scholarship. City Law School has a clear and important role to play in City's 2030 Strategy in being the University of business, practice and the professions under the current President, Professor Sir Anthony Finkelstein.

The Head of Professional Programmes will be will be the academic and strategic lead for a significant Department, consisting of 50 academic staff delivering training to circa 700 students. The Professional Programmes Department runs the nationally-leading Bar Vocational Studies and the new Solicitors' Practice Programme which launched in 2023.

The new Head will be joining at the same time as the new Head of Academic Programmes; they will work closely together to foster strong and collaborative leadership across the School.

Candidates should have a demonstrable track record of developing and delivering an innovative and inclusive education and experience for students. They will be an effective people leader, capable of leading and embedding cultural change. The School is looking for dynamic and visionary leaders to inspire the Departments' outstanding academic and professional services staff. Most staff in the department are law practitioners on education and scholarship role profiles, focused on teaching and scholarship activities around the professional legal qualifications; the ideal appointee will have effective engagement with external networks and a high degree of credibility in the legal sector. They will be collegiate and committed to working as part of an agile and inclusive School Executive Team.

Main Responsibilities:

Leadership & Service

• Shape and lead the Department to successful outcomes in research and/or scholarship, education, enhanced student experience, and enterprise/external engagement, enhancing its reputation nationally and internationally.
• Foster and manage the performance and personal development of academic staff in the Department through regular meetings and other engagement with individuals and teams, setting direction supported by clear objectives and appropriate forms of support and guidance.
• Demonstrate academic leadership within the school by undertaking management and administrative activities successfully.
• Active and constructive engagement in the leadership of the school, including as a member of the school's leadership team, and across the University, to support the delivery of City's Strategy.
• Manage/monitor budgets as appropriate.
• In all aspects of their leadership, model appropriate behaviours which are consistent with City's values.

Education

• Offer strategic leadership in the realm of education and student experience.
• Lead the development of new undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, where appropriate, including joint degrees with other Departments, in conjunction with senior Education staff in the department.
• Lead curriculum and educational development, working with the school's senior leaders in education, to deliver excellent outcomes for students and outstanding student satisfaction.
• Promote the dissemination of innovation, successful educational practice and educational development. Ensure that the curriculum remains challenging, competitive with comparator departments, and in line with disciplinary and real work developments.
• Ensure the highest levels of student satisfaction and engagement through an environment that priorities an excellent student experience.
• Place a high priority on National Student Survey strategies as well as City's refreshed Employability agenda Research and Scholarship.
• Offer strategic leadership in the realm of research and/or scholarship.
• Oversee excellent research performance in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), including collective outputs, Impact, environment, and grant capture.
• Undertake world-leading or internationally excellent research and/or scholarship
• Ensure that the department's research or scholarship reputation is promoted nationally and internationally.
• Collaborate with colleagues on the implementation of research procedures for the academic area or School.
• Lead research and/or scholarship activity in relevant field, overseeing the search for external funds from Research Councils, commercial and philanthropic organisations and other private and public bodies
• Lead and foster research and/or scholarship activities, individually and/or collaboratively.
• Share research or scholarship experiences with colleagues across the University.
• Through the dissemination of research and/or scholarship outputs/outcomes to a wide range of audiences and via a variety of media, increase own profile nationally and internationally and enhance the reputation of the University.
• Develop research and/or scholarship objectives, projects and proposals, individually and/or collaboratively within the UK and Internationally.

Enterprise & Professional Practice

• Lead the department to develop enterprise objectives, projects and proposals, individually and/or collaboratively, that are commercially sound and generate income.
• Undertake and/or lead commercial/consultancy assignments and/or CPD /practice-related initiatives, and/or lead colleagues to do so.
• Ensure that the department develops links with relevant public and private sector organisations and professions to increase our graduates' employability.
• Contribute collaboratively to the development of wider enterprise activity, including cross-University initiatives, and/or lead colleagues to do so.
• Lead colleagues to contribute to enterprise activity in the School, including outreach and engagement with broader publics beyond academia, including potentially work towards REF impact case studies.
• Encourage colleagues in the implementation of enterprise /engagement with professional practice procedures for the academic area or School.
• Undertake other duties within the scope of the role as requested by the Head of Department.

Person Specification:

Qualities & Knowledge

• A doctoral degree, normally a PhD, or a professional qualification as a solicitor or barrister. (Essential)
• A world-leading breadth and depth of knowledge in relevant areas. (Essential)
• Sufficient breadth or depth of specialist knowledge in the discipline to develop education and research programmes and methodologies. (Essential)
• Knowledge of UK university procedures and systems. (Desirable)
• Expertise and leadership in teaching and learning, as evidenced by at least Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy or higher grades. (Essential)

Experience

• Proven experience of working with or within the relevant sectors to deliver excellent outcomes (Essential)
• For Professional Programmes post, close engagement with external professional networks and credibility within the sector. (Essential)
• For Professional Programmes post, ability to innovate in professional education including executive education and CPD. (Desirable)
• Leading researcher or scholar as evidenced through world-leading or internationally excellent publications or practice-based application. (Essential)
• Significant experience of delivering excellent education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. (Essential)
• Demonstrable effective academic and administrative leadership experience within a university. (Essential)
• Experience of supervising doctoral and/or post-doctoral research students to successful completion. (Desirable)
• Demonstrable people management including large teams. (Essential)
• Demonstrable change management experience with evidence of successfully delivering organisational change. (Essential)

Skills and Abilities

• An evident commitment to a culture of collegiality and good citizenship. (Essential)
• Advanced communication and interpersonal skills appropriate for a senior academic role. (Essential)
• Commitment to pedagogic excellence, with the ability to develop new curricula to prepare students for work in the legal professions and legal services sector. (Essential)
• Effective time and organisational management skills. (Essential)
• Commitment to continuous professional development; reflection and evaluation of performance. (Essential)
• Commitment to equality and diversity in relation to academic and employment practice, with demonstrable experience of delivering change in support of enhanced equity and inclusion for staff and students. (Essential)
• Pro-active engagement with professional practice. (Essential)
• Ability to identify opportunities for the development and promotion of the department (e.g. through external contacts and consultancy) (Essential)

City, University of London has engaged Minerva to assist with the recruitment of the two Head of Department positions in City Law School.

The closing date for all applications, which should be in the form of a CV and cover letter addressed to by 2 September 2024.

To arrange an informal conversation, please email:

City, University of London is committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion in all its activities, processes, and culture for our whole community, including staff, students and visitors.

We welcome applications regardless of age, caring responsibilities, disability, gender identity, gender reassignment, marital status, nationality, pregnancy, race and ethnic origin, religion and belief, sex, sexual orientation and socio-economic background.

City operates a guaranteed interview scheme for disabled applicants.

The University of business, practice and the professions

Competitive