Head of Vfx Programmes, Escape Studios

**Our Organisation**

Escape Studios has been at the?forefront of creative education?since 2002, supplying the industry with?studio-ready talent. We are?ranked 1st in the UK?by the Rookies,?and?3rd in the UK and 9th in Europe?in the Animation School Ranking. We're also a?RookiesCertified School, a?Houdini Certified School, and the?only Unreal Engine Authorized Training Center in the UK. Our courses are?designed, developed and delivered in collaboration with leading studios?to make sure that they stay?relevant. Industry engagementis at the core?of everything that we do - it’s the reason we do things differently and it’s what sets us apart.

Part of Pearson College London (FTSE 100), more than 20,000 global employees deliver our products and services in nearly 200 countries, all working towards a common purpose - to help everyone achieve their potential through learning. We are delighted tobe awarded Gold against the Investors in People standard in the UK; we are confirmed by Stonewall in the Top 100 LGBTQ+ UK employers; we are a Disability Confident committed employer, and committed to the Race Charter; we were recognised in the Best Employersfor Diversity 2019 awards; we were featured on The Forbes List of Best D&I Employers; we are a Working Mums Top Employer and Age Positive employer. Pearson is a truly global family, and listed on the London and New York Stock Exchanges. We are proud to offeran exceptional and supportive environment to develop your professional career

**Your Career Opportunity**
- Head of VFX Programmes, Escape Studios
- Based in Central London office with flexible options for work from home days
- Permanent & full-time working 37.5 hours per week
- Reporting to Director, Escape Studios

The skills and knowledge within VFX are changing, and Escape Studios intends to retain its position as one of the top schools imparting contemporary skills to give the industry the new talent it needs, both through our UG and PG programmes, but also througha variety of short courses and outreach activities. As new pipelines and markets emerge, we will need to evolve our definitions of VFX and the services we offer. The Head of VFX will be an essential part of our future success.

The Head of VFX is responsible for the leadership and development of the VFX discipline at Escape Studios, working closely with the Dean and Deputy Dean to ensure all courses and programmes are of high quality. You’ll manage the organisation of the departmentand ensure that teaching staff are enabled to perform their duties and encourage their academic and skills development. In this exciting position you’ll commit to a range of regular teaching appointments as needed, but also work on documentation, planningand the reporting expected of an academic post. It’s a great opportunity to also work closely with the academic team, Student Services and Student Experience so the College’s objectives and targets are met.

The Head of VFX will remain connected to industry in order to gain buy-in for all our programmes and any new initiatives, ensuring the students’ learning experience is of the highest quality. It is expected the role holder will be full-time, and primarilybased in our Central London office, with remote working as appropriate. The Head of VFX should have a presence at the college, inspiring students and staff to work towards continual high standards.

**Your Key Responsibilities**
- Work with the Dean/Deputy Dean and other members of staff to develop and deliver the premier UG/PG courses and other priority programmes.
- Lead and manage the strategic development of the discipline and associated programmes; preparing relevant documentation for internal and external approval, delivery and review.
- Line-manage specific discipline tutors; setting goals, directing tutors and communicating a clear vision of what is to be achieved to build a fully aligned, high performance team capable of exceeding expectations. This may include mentoring and appraisalsystems.
- Deliver courses to students face to face in the Escape Studios environment and when appropriate through Escape recognized online learning systems. This may include providing one-to-one or group feedback, coaching and support for students with a range ofbackgrounds and abilities.
- Respond in a timely manner to the Marketing, Sales and Recruitment teams to promote Escape Studios provision, and take part in recruitment and outreach activities as requested by the Dean/Deputy Dean.
- Develop/Maintain your Research and Scholarship profile including technical and/or artistic excellence within a specific area of expertise or software.
- Take responsibility for the direction of the ongoing research and development of new course content and utilization of industry tools and techniques to ensure the highest quality and industry relevance of any training.
- Encourage the course team in their own scholarship, personal development and training needs, monitoring performance, giving feedback and guidance, especially in respect to extending courseware and new products that Escape might seek to develop.
- Take a lead role in addressing issues identified by internal and external review and student feedback. Ensure that the team are focused on delivering high levels of student satisfaction at all times.
- Ensure that external relationships with industry and partners such as professional bodies are fostered and that appropriate input is sought on curriculum content and promotion.

We welcome applicants with industry experience aligned to VFX, along with experience of teaching or training. You’ll have an understanding of the elements that contribute to a high-quality learning experience and involvement with education quality controlsystems. This is an ideal opportunity to transform your leadership career, and bring your expertise in strategic planning, industry partnerships and inspiring teams.

**Your Benefits & Reward**

We’ll expect a lot and we know you’ll do great work, so we give a lot back with some of the best benefits in the business Along with learning, development and mentoring opportunities, our range of benefits can support the different needs of our diverse colleagues,and their families too. Joining our Pearson family can provide you with unlimited and truly global career progressio