University Education and Student Experience Deans

This role is for internal Cardiff University applicants only

As we commence on our ambitious journey into the University’s Strategy 2035, it is timely and appropriate to consider the leadership within the education and student experience [ESE] portfolio.

As we commence on our ambitious journey in Horizon One of the University’s Strategy 2035 “Our future, together”, it is timely and appropriate to consider the leadership within the education and student experience [ESE] portfolio to ensure that we have the appropriate leaders, skills and capabilities to deliver on the new strategy, and be able to support academic schools and professional services to meet the needs of our diverse student body.

We will therefore be reconfiguring the Education Dean structure. Vacancies in current senior roles, provide the opportunity to put in place and recruit three new Thematic Education Dean roles: Dean for Academic Quality, Dean for Student Success, and Dean for Portfolio, Curriculum and Learning Innovation. Alongside this, changes to the College Education Dean roles will allow them to align, and work in partnership with the new thematic roles, whilst maintaining their focus on their College and Schools. All Deans will contribute to discussions on academic leadership to the College, School review, ensuring clear alignment of the main education roles across the University.

Initially, we are recruiting for the Thematic Education Dean roles, which are accountable to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience.  The successful applicants will work with colleagues across all parts of the University to ensure the delivery of key University Measures of Success for metrics such as student satisfaction, progression and degree awards, as well as employability. The roles will be essential in leading many of the ESE projects detailed in the Transformation Roadmap.

The Thematic and Education Dean role holders will work in partnership with our students, and with key professional service teams at School, College and University level and will need to be adept at working across discipline and team boundaries to build a shared vision of how to deliver the University Strategy for Education and Student Experience, meeting the needs of our student body. They will contribute to enhancing clarity around structures for activity and accountability whilst navigating the current challenging financial environment, with a focus on outcomes.

We are looking for role holders who are individuals committed to enhancing the learning and teaching experiences across the University, who are outcome-focused for all our students and experienced in partnership working.  As part of the Senior Leadership Team for ESE, the role holders will be expected to be dynamic, solution-orientated, reflective of self and others, working as a high-profile champion, and facilitating widespread visibility of the Education and Student Experience excellence agenda.

The post carries a funding commitment sufficient to buy out the time required for the role from the post-holder’s home School. The Dean for Student Success and Dean for Portfolio, Curriculum and Learning Innovation roles will be 0.8FTE and the Dean for Academic Quality role will be 0.6FTE. Each role is fixed term for three years, with the possibility of normally one further term of 3 years. The role holders for the Dean for Student Success and Dean for Portfolio, Curriculum and Learning Innovation roles will receive an annual one-off, non-pensionable allowance of £6,000, the role holder for the Dean for Academic Quality role will receive an annual one-off, non-pensionable allowance of £4,500

The posts report to the Pro Vice-Chancellor, Education and Student Experience. The start date will be as soon as practicable.

How to apply

To apply, please enclose a short CV (no longer than five sides of A4) and cover letter (no more than two sides), specifically aligned to the person specification and outlining the following:

• Your vision for the role in the next three years, including a clear sense of priorities/objectives and plans for achieving them
• How you would build effective working relationships across the University, in support of the role’s objectives
• How do your skills, expertise, experience and personal characteristics equip you to make a positive contribution to the role

Written applications should be submitted by 5pm on Monday 10 March to Rhian Perridge, HR Manager, by emailing Rhian Perridge at PerridgeR@cardiff.ac.uk.

If you wish to apply for more than one role then you will need to put in separate applications given the separate criteria and duties for each role.

Informal queries may be made to PVCEducation-PA@cardiff.ac.uk.

Interviews are likely to place during week commencing 17 March 2025 and 24 March 2025.