Head of School

School of Biological Sciences
16/104596
An attractive remuneration package, based on the Professorial salary scales, commensurate with the seniority and responsibilities of the role, will be provided.

The Head of School will:

• establish and maintain an environment of excellence which enables education and research to flourish and facilitates and encourages the development of all staff; provide academic leadership for the development of the research and education portfolio of the School and related activities (e.g. impact);
• develop (in collaboration with the Faculty PVC) a strategic plan for the School in line with the University’s institutional strategy;
• manage and monitor the progress of the School against agreed key performance indicators;
• be responsible and accountable for all operations within the School ensuring the effective management of all aspects devolved to Schools, e.g. academic, finance, personnel, health and safety etc;
• be the accountable line manager of all staff within the School;
• be accountable for budgets allocated to the School through the budgetary framework;
• manage the work-load of academic staff to ensure that all staff can deliver, in the most effective way, the required contribution to the School’s research, education and other objectives;
• develop and promote interdisciplinary activities with other Schools etc in line with University strategy and objectives.

Person Profile

The Head of School will:

• be an active academic in a professorial level post;
• have a substantial record of achievement in leading and managing a significant aspect of academic work;
• have a strong academic record and a recognised research or professional profile in one of the disciplines represented within the School; sustained record of playing a leading role in successful bids for competitive, peer-reviewed national or international grants or other awards as Principal Investigator, as appropriate to the discipline;
• have an established record of successful teaching;
• be able to lead and to work as a member of a team;
• have a strong interest in the policy and management processes within the University and a thorough knowledge of current issues in higher education more generally;
• be able to demonstrate that they can think creatively;
• display self-reliance and the ability to cope with pressure and conflicting demands; demonstrate a commitment to equality of opportunity for students and staff and to the development of Queen’s as a pluralist institution;
• demonstrate the ability to undertake a representational role, both within the University and externally, and to communicate with people and organisations at all levels and, in particular, policy-makers and bodies in the public, private and community sectors and elsewhere;
• demonstrate commitment to enhancing the reputation and performance of Queen’s in local, regional, national and international terms;
• be committed to developing the role of Head of School;
• have excellent presentation, communication, analytical and problem-solving skills;
• have excellent interpersonal, social, negotiating and teambuilding skills and evidence of ability to chair committees etc effectively.

The following are desirable:

• evidence of individual contribution, or as part of team, to the management of change within a university environment;
• evidence of successful resource management;
• evidence of leadership in the successful identification, development and implementation of initiatives and policies.