Faculty of Arts, Design and Social Sciences

Northumbria School of Design

Northumbria School of Design is one of the world’s leading Design schools. In particular, Northumbria has a reputation for producing graduates that have an enduring impact on the Design professions and indeed wider culture. The School houses 3 distinct subject disciplines. Communication Design - including a growing community of Human Computer Interaction specialists. Industrial Design - a community that ranges from Design Makers to innovation Design specialists, and has students working on programmes from 3D Design and Design for Industry to our flagship MA in Multi-Disciplinary Innovation. Finally, Fashion – a community that continues to develop Northumbria’s reputation as a leading provider of Fashion education in the University sector, with award winning graduates. All our Design programmes are explicitly outward facing and delivered in partnership with industry, and all have outstanding graduate outcomes for our students.

At Northumbria, Design is also underpinned in all areas by fundamental research and it is our strategic priority to continue to develop that research base. Design regularly attracts research council funding including a series of KTPs with companies from across the region and beyond. Design is also at the forefront of our engagement with Global Challenges research and is the primary home for one of Northumbria’s Multi-Disciplinary Research Themes – Ideate: Critically Aware Design Led Innovation. Northumbria School of Design is also impacting Design education internationally, with our programmes franchised across the world. In Indonesia we deliver Northumbria programmes and research partnership through Binus / Northumbria School of Design in Jakarta. We have also recently formed a partnership around a joint research initiative with a leading HEI in China. Working closely with Innovate at Northern Design Centre, the Design school is also responsible for partnership with industrial clients from global corporations to regional SMEs, for example through a consortium with other North East Universities in the AHRC funded Creative Fuse project.

Head of Department (Northumbria School of Design)

The first five years of engagement will be as Professor and Head of Department. In this role, you will:

  • Provide strategic leadership and operational management of academic excellence across all areas of activity within the Department.
  • Working with the Faculty Executive, lead the development of programme content within the department and ensure quality, enhancement and research-led teaching underpins all Undergraduate and Postgraduate provision as appropriate.
  • Working with the Faculty Executive and Department’s Professors, lead the development and maintenance of high quality research, innovation and enterprise across all areas of the Department and Faculty’s provision and activities.
  • Contribute to the management of all academic income streams (Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Research, Innovation and Enterprise).
  • Identify and respond to market indicators and market trends in relation to programme development and delivery, research and innovation, internationalisation, enterprise and the student experience within the Department.
  • Support the Faculty Executive to develop, monitor and deliver the Faculty’s Annual Plan and 5 Year Plan, contributing to the achievement of the University’s Corporate Strategy objectives.
  • Identify, and ensure the achievement of, objectives and Key Performance Indicators for all aspects of provision and activity within the Department.
  • Manage expenditure and the use of other resources in the delivery of the Department’s activity.
  • Work closely with the Faculty Associate Pro Vice-Chancellors and the Faculty Business Manager to ensure the planning and management of academic workloads within the Department to ensure the effective delivery of all of the Department’s activities, taking account of staff development needs, research activity and succession planning.
  • Ensure fair and consistent application of University policies and procedures and compliance with appropriate legislation including, for example, equality and diversity, health and safety and data protection.
  • Manage and develop academic colleagues (collectively) within the department in growing a high performance culture.
  • Appraise and develop staff in the department, to include; career development and succession planning, spotting talent and providing the right incentives for academics and other staff to contribute effectively.
  • Represent the Faculty internally and University externally on committees, working groups, forums and at other events. This may include chairing committees and ensuring the effective operation of relevant sub-committees and working groups.
  • Positively promote the University within and outside the University to build networks, which will assist and inform the development of the Faculty and the University.
  • Contribute to and support Faculty and University-wide initiatives and portfolios as required by the University and the Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty.
  • Make an appropriate contribution to the Faculty’s portfolio of teaching, research, enterprise and professional activities in light of other responsibilities, as agreed with the Pro Vice-Chancellor for the Faculty.

After the first 5 years of appointment, the opportunity will arise to return to the Department as Professor to focus on research and teaching.