Head of School and Professor - School of Social Sciences

Lancaster University’s Faculty of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences is shaping an ambitious future. We invite professorial applications for four Head of School positions in Arts, Law, Global Affairs, and Social Sciences.

This is a career-defining opportunity to influence the future of a dynamic and inclusive academic community. You will play a key role in developing strategy, shape new interdisciplinary spaces, and co-create the values and tone within a Faculty that champions equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Launching in 2026 our state-of-the-art curriculum will draw on liberal arts and place-based approaches. With clear and collaborative leadership, you will drive research excellence and public engagement on regional, national, and international stages and develop a sustainable and vibrant future for the humanities, arts and social sciences.

About you

Candidates will have strong academic leadership experience, an international research profile and outlook, routine engagement with external audiences, and a broad knowledge of the higher education landscape. We are looking for imagination, studied confidence and a collaborative leadership approach that will help define the Faculty. 

As a proactive member of the Faculty Leadership Group, you will advise and support the Executive Dean to embed a sustainable and robust organisational shape, enabling new ways of working, improving management and governance and ultimately, create an inspiring and creative working environment for staff and the best learning experience for our students.

Why Work With Us

Lancaster University has an excellent reputation in the Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences. The global influence of our scholarship is confirmed by the latest QS World University Rankings, with Linguistics at 3^rd in the world and English Language and Literature, Art and Design, Modern Languages and Sociology in the top 100. Lancaster is currently ranked in the top 13 universities in the three major national (UK) league tables with many of the Faculty’s disciplines within the top 10 and Social Work at 1 (CUG and Guardian), Media Studies and Film at 2 (CUG). 

Lancaster is a small, affordable and well-connected city with a full calendar of arts and cultural activities. We are on the edge of the Lake District, a UNESCO World Heritage site, and many other significant national landscapes.

You are invited to submit your CV along with a 2-page covering letter addressing your expression of interest and approach to developing the School and answer some supporting statements to demonstrate your skills, knowledge and competencies for this role.

To find out more about this exciting opportunity, visit the full candidate pack with application links at www.lancaster.ac.uk/jobs/landing/fhass-opportunities

Please note: unless specified otherwise in the advert, all advertised roles are UK based.

Find out what it's like to work at Lancaster University, including information on our wide range of employee benefits, support networks and our policies and facilities for a family-friendly workplace.

The University recognises and celebrates good employment practice undertaken to address all inequality in higher education whilst promoting the importance and wellbeing for all our colleagues. 

We warmly welcome applicants from all sections of the community regardless of their age, religion, gender identity or expression, race, disability or sexual orientation, and are committed to promoting diversity, and equality of opportunity. 

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