Dean, School of Human and Health Sciences

The University of Huddersfield is a thriving university with a modern campus, a diverse student body and a genuine commitment to providing students with an inspirational learning experience, underpinned by pioneering research and delivered by innovative and creative experts in their fields. We have invested over £150m over the last ten years on our estate, enabling us to deliver top-class facilities and learning environments. We have won numerous awards including University of the Year, Entrepreneurial University of the Year, Best University workplace, the Queen’s Award for Enterprise and three national honours in the form of Queen’s Anniversary Prizes. We also achieved TEF Gold in 2023 – and are the only University in Yorkshire & Humber and the North West to receive the best possible rating not only for the overall rating but also for both Student Experience and Student Outcomes. This reflects the energy, enthusiasm and expertise our staff bring to their work, the practical emphasis of our teaching, with which we aim to provide the foundations for exciting and successful future careers.

This is an exciting time for Huddersfield; we are transforming the University academically, financially and physically, having set our ambitions on becoming a global university. We are now looking to appoint a new Dean of the School of Human and Health Sciences, who will share these ambitions and play a key role in their delivery. The School has a long tradition of providing high quality education and research, and prides itself on the quality of its teaching, facilities, research and its partnerships with a wide range of regional, national and international stakeholders. The Daphne Steele Building, which opened in September 2024, is the first building of seven planned for the National Health Innovation Campus, bringing together cutting-edge clinical teaching facilities, leading research amenities, public clinics, and collaborative spaces for public and private sector entities, marking a new era of healthcare innovation. 

The Dean will be the driving force behind the School’s strategic direction, providing visionary leadership with the intention of further enhancing the standing of the School both in the UK and internationally. Building on the existing reputation for excellence in teaching and research, your first-class leadership skills and capacity for fresh ideas will fuel new developments. The Dean will play an important role in leading a diverse staffing base (250 across three departments) empowering and enabling them to give their best in a challenging environment, and ensuring the long-term financial stability of the School. You will also be part of a wider University leadership group and as such play a role in contributing to the long-term development of the University which is undergoing a significant transformation.

In this appointment we are looking for an experienced and driven academic leader with a track record of transformational leadership at a relevant scale. The Dean will need to bring an established research and scholarship profile alongside a track record of effective and innovative teaching, experience of successful people management, and evidence of budgetary responsibility. They will also need to show experience of managing relationships with the NHS and other relevant partners and external stakeholders. Communication and ambassadorial skills will also be key, enabling them to develop new relationships on behalf of the School and raise its profile.

Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to the University of Huddersfield.

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