Dean of Business and Creative Industries

University of the West of Scotland – School of Business and Creative Industries

Paisley Campus

Full time: 35 hours per week

We are looking to recruit an outstanding individual for the role of Dean of the School of Business and Creative Industries. The Dean has key responsibility for providing strategic, operational and academic leadership to the School and maintaining and developing the School’s profile and reputation in teaching, research, knowledge transfer, scholarship and financial performance.

Reporting to the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, the Dean is a senior member of staff who will provide vision and leadership to a dedicated team who strive to continuously inspire our students and wider University community. You will play a key role in driving forward our ambition to deliver transformational change, through outputs that have a tangible, early and positive impact on society across the globe. Delivering against the University’s vision and the goals of Strategy 2030, the Dean will engender a diverse, inclusive, and respectful School environment and influence and maintain positive relationships with all key stakeholders.

The School of Business & Creative Industries offers professionally focused teaching and research opportunities, targeting the modern-day challenges facing the business, finance and creative industries sectors. The School has programmes and researchers across all of UWS’s five campuses. Our students benefit from our strong links with industry, and the world-class research that underpins the courses delivered on our campuses and through partners across the globe. If you have a track record of leading and overseeing academic activities, and think you have the experience and expertise to enhance the School’s and the University’s national and international reputation, then we would like to hear from you.

The successful candidate should have the following:

• PhD (or equivalent professional qualification) in a subject relevant to the School and/or equivalent professional qualification/demonstrable experience.

• Professorial status prior to, or at the point of, appointment.

• Experience of leading staff at all levels and managing significant financial, human and physical resources, with demonstrable experience of effective people and performance management.

• Ability to demonstrate highly developed interpersonal, communication and collaborative skills, commensurate with leading a large academic centre in a complex organisation.

• Knowledge and understanding of specific, School-level sector bodies and the broader HE regulatory environment in the UK and internationally, enabling the diagnosis of key challenges for the School/ University.

About us

The University of the West of Scotland is one of Scotland’s largest and most dynamic modern universities. Our reach across the country, together with our London campus, means that UWS is a significant force in global knowledge creation, innovation, and a leading provider of undergraduate, postgraduate and research degree education. Our degrees provide students with a transformational experience; equipping them with highly sought-after graduate skills that set them up for global success in world-leading sectors, industries and businesses.

With cutting-edge courses, modern pedagogy and practical knowledge, we enable our students and staff to experience the joy of learning, teaching, research and innovation, and apply their knowledge for the benefit of others.

UWS is officially ranked by Times Higher Education in the top 200 universities worldwide under 50 years old (2024 Young University Rankings).

The School of Business and Creative Industries at UWS is a vibrant community, delivering innovative learning and teaching alongside a rapidly developing research and enterprise profile. You will lead a multicultural, multidisciplinary community of scholars and students from around the world. Students benefit from our strong links with industry, and from the world-class research that underpins the courses delivered across the UWS campuses and through many partners around the globe.

We offer our staff a caring and supportive environment, across five campuses, and a competitive benefits package which includes:

• 31 days of annual leave, plus a further 12 days for public/university holidays.
• An additional days leave on your birthday.
• Access to a defined benefit pension scheme (Scottish Teacher’s Superannuation Scheme), including death in service benefits on joining the pension scheme.
• A flexible approach to working pattern and work-life balance.
• Employee discount scheme across 3,500 retailers.
• Fitness facilities across our campuses.
• Access to a range of health and wellbeing resources, including occupational health, physiotherapy and access to our Employee Assistance Programme.
• Professional, career and research development opportunities.

Interview Date: Tuesday 27^th May 2025

The University reserves the right to shorten/extend the closing date of any position where a high/low volume of suitable applications are received. Therefore, if you are interested in this role, an early application would be encouraged.

You can find out more about how the University uses your personal data as part of the recruitment process by looking at the UWS HR Applicant Privacy Notice at www.uws.ac.uk

UWS is committed to equality and diversity and welcomes applications from underrepresented groups.

UWS is a “Disability Confident” employer.

University of the West of Scotland is a registered Scottish charity, no. SC002520.