Head of School, Psychology

Join Northumbria to lead the School of Psychology at a pivotal moment in our institutional development. This exciting role gives you the opportunity to shape the future of a thriving academic community, with a strong national and international profile, as part of our newly established Faculty of Health and Wellbeing.

Northumbria is a research-intensive, modern university with a clear social mission: to unlock potential for all, changing lives regionally, nationally, and internationally. Our vision is that through world-leading research and transformative education, we enable people from all backgrounds to succeed, and support businesses and communities across the North-East, London, and beyond to thrive.

From August 2025, Northumbria will move to a new academic structure designed to promote interdisciplinarity, collaboration and real-world impact. The School of Psychology will continue to sit alongside the newly named Schools of Healthcare and Nursing Sciences, Communities & Education, and Sport, exercise and Rehabilitation—creating a dynamic and purposeful environment for education, research and enterprise across health and society.

The School of Psychology boasts outstanding research, a strong and diverse student community, and highly engaged academic and professional staff. As Head of School, you will provide strategic and operational leadership, championing excellence across teaching, research and knowledge exchange, and ensuring a positive, inclusive and empowering culture for staff and students alike.

We are looking for a values-led academic leader with a strong personal track record in research and innovation, a deep understanding of the higher education landscape, and a demonstrable commitment to delivering an exceptional student experience. You will bring strategic acumen, emotional intelligence and the ability to build strong relationships across disciplines, institutions and external partners. You will be confident leading change, fostering collaboration and managing performance, and committed to the continuous development of others.

This is an opportunity to join a financially robust and forward-thinking university at a time of real momentum. If you share our ambition to do things differently, to lead with purpose and impact, and to help shape the future of psychology within a connected, inclusive and research-intensive university, we would be delighted to hear from you.

For an informal conversation about the role, please contact our recruitment partners at GatenbySanderson: Jacqueline Lau (Jacqueline.Lau@GatenbySanderson.com) or Maliha Ahmed (Maliha.Ahmed@GatenbySanderson.com).

Further information regarding the candidate brief can be found here.

Further information on how to apply can be found here.

Please do not apply through this careers site as your application will not be progressed.

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