Position Details
Executive Office
University of Birmingham, Edgbaston, Birmingham UK
Salary Competitive
UEB (University Executive Board)
Full time
Permanent
Closing Date: 4th April 2021
Background
The University of Birmingham’s heritage as Britain’s first civic university is combined with one of the most compelling and ambitious agendas in higher education. A comprehensive research-intensive institution comprising five academic colleges, with a turnover exceeding £750 million, Birmingham has world-class strengths across the disciplines, with excellent education and research. Bringing original thinking, a clear focus and rigour, Birmingham has a long history of civic, national, and global impact. Home to a diverse community of nearly 38,000 students from 150 countries, more than 8,000 staff and over 300,000 alumni, Birmingham is ranked in the top 100 universities globally and the top 20 in the UK. Major investments in academic staffing, early career talent and £1 billion in new facilities in its beautiful parkland campus support strong and improving student outcomes and growth in research performance; the University of Birmingham is a global university at the heart of an ambitious city.
The current Vice-Chancellor, Professor Sir David Eastwood, leaves Birmingham in an excellent position, having transformed the University into a successful, confident and ambitious institution. The trajectory of the University is remarkable and is underpinned by: strong academic, organisational, and financial foundations; a highly capable leadership team; national influence in policy; and a reputation for bold initiatives. Significant developments and future plans illustrate the relevance and impact of the University and include: a major new campus in Dubai; the creation of a new Midlands Health Innovation campus; the Exchange in Birmingham’s Centenary Square, a hub for city and community focused research, cultural engagement, and business skills; a major new building for the School of Engineering; Tyseley Energy Park, which addresses Birmingham’s challenges in air quality and carbon reduction; the only university-run secondary school and sixth form in the UK; and a University-owned FE College – the National College for Advanced Transport and Infrastructure.
Job Purpose
The University of Birmingham is seeking outstanding candidates for its next Vice-Chancellor, to build upon the success of the last decade under the Vice-Chancellorship of Professor Sir David Eastwood. The University is ambitious and confident in its aims as a top 100 global university with strong civic roots and excellent research and education across a comprehensive range of subjects. It is looking for someone to lead and work effectively with a highly capable team through a particularly challenging period for higher education in the UK: someone with the attributes to navigate a path which enables the University – with its strong academic, organisational and financial foundations and ambitious strategy – to achieve its aspirations for the next decade.
The Vice-Chancellor and Principal is the chief executive officer of the University and leads its academic community. Reporting directly to the Chair of Council, the Vice-Chancellor is responsible to Council for: the leadership and management of the University and for the delivery of an excellent education and student experience; academic research of global importance; an energising, inspiring and inclusive institutional culture; the financial sustainability and efficient and effective operation of the institution; and the development of the University in pursuit of its strategic goals.
The Vice-Chancellor of the University of Birmingham will be expected to:
- Provide strategic vision and leadership to the University community, building on the University’s strong foundations and recent successes, with a passion for the University of Birmingham and its mission, values and goals;
- Lead on developing, communicating and successfully delivering the University’s strategy, including inspiring continuous performance improvement;
- Take a dynamic and forward-looking approach to the University’s academic development with strong intellectual leadership, understanding and harnessing the University’s comprehensive subject range, in the context of a global, research-intensive university;
- Ensure across all academic areas that research is excellent and has impact on regional, national and global challenges;
- Ensure the University provides an excellent and distinctive education and student experience;
- Oversee the effective management of the University’s financial, human and physical resources, ensuring the University remains sustainable and has significant financial capacity to invest in its future;
- Lead the University Executive Board, working effectively with the University’s high-performing wider leadership team;
- Develop an effective working relationship with the Chair of Council, Registrar and Secretary, and the Council, and meet the highest standards of University governance. The Vice-Chancellor is a member of Council and chairs the Senate;
- Lead on the development of the University’s people and culture, inspiring and motivating staff at all levels to contribute to the University’s success, and ensuring the University can attract and retain global talent;
- Work effectively with the University’s student community;
- Demonstrate a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion in their widest sense, ensuring the University has an integrated approach, which leads to further improvements;
- Identify and navigate the change required for the University’s continuing success in the rapidly evolving higher education sector, positioning the University strongly and distinctively for post-pandemic recovery;
- Lead the University’s external engagement, including the pursuit of its long-standing civic role and its contribution to the development of the city of Birmingham and the West Midlands region, as well as collaborations with industrial, public sector, and other partners;
- Lead the University’s international and global strategy, with particular focus on successfully developing and delivering the University’s campus in Dubai;
- Represent and promote the University nationally and internationally further to improve the University’s profile and reputation;
- Effectively influence and advocate in the higher education sector on national policy matters, through active engagement with government, funders, policy-makers, Office for Students, other universities, and sector bodies;
- Lead and develop philanthropic relationships and fundraising campaigns, working effectively with donors, alumni and other supporters;
- Act as the University’s Accountable Officer with the Office of Students for financial, reporting and regulatory matters.
Person Specification
Candidates will be expected to demonstrate:
- Substantial leadership and management experience
- The personal characteristics to lead a major global university with substantial experience and a successful record of senior leadership at institutional level either in a research-intensive university with a broad range of academic subjects, or in a large and complex organisation with similarities to higher education;
- Evidence of developing, communicating and executing a vision and strategy in a complex organisation, and of personal leadership of performance improvement and change at an organisational level;
- Experience of effective management in a large and complex organisation with sizeable professional staff numbers, a large and complex estate or infrastructure, and the experience of attracting and motivating global talent;
A strong commitment to, and successful delivery of initiatives which drive improvements in equality, diversity and inclusion in their widest sense; - Financial acumen and experience, and commercial awareness, which demonstrate the ability to strategically manage, optimise and be accountable for the management of resources in an organisation with a turnover of over £750 million with multiple and diverse income sources;
- A proven track record of developing leaders and leadership teams, and the ability to work effectively with those teams;
- A commitment to the highest standards of governance, experience of working effectively with governing bodies or boards and with the Chair and external members, and the ability to operate confidently and effectively in an externally regulated environment;
Intellectual credibility
- A high level of intellectual credibility, with a strong academic or other intellectual profile, in order to lead, engage with, and gain the respect of academic staff, demonstrating curiosity and interest in the broad range of academic disciplines within the University;
Research
- The ability to lead a comprehensive global research institution, demonstrating an understanding of the research policy and funding landscape, and the strategies for enhancing research performance;
- An appreciation of how the University can harness the power of its comprehensive subject range to produce impactful research and support external partnerships;
Education and student experience
- A strong focus on excellence in education and an outstanding and distinctive student experience, with a clear sense of how to deliver these goals;
- The style and approach to engage successfully with the student community;
External relations, international engagement and institutional advancement
- The ability to advocate at the highest levels regionally, nationally and globally on behalf of the University and to influence decision-makers in government;
- Experience of operating internationally, the capability to lead a global university by demonstrating an international outlook and knowing how to deliver successful international activities such as an overseas campus;
- An understanding of, and empathy for the civic purpose of the University of Birmingham, and the ability to lead the University so that it continues to contribute to the economic and social development of the city and the region;
- The ability to lead a major philanthropic fundraising campaign and work directly with significant donors, and to contribute to institutional collaborations with industrial and other major partners;
Understanding of the sector and policy
- An excellent understanding of the particular challenges facing the UK higher education sector and how to lead the University in response to these in a post-pandemic environment;
- The ability to influence at a national level outside their organisation, showing an understanding of both the policy environment in which their organisation and sector operates, and the mechanisms needed to influence in a positive manner;
- An appreciation of how innovation and digital technologies could support developments at institutions like the University;
- A commitment to sustainability and an understanding of the policy and implementation issues;
Personal attributes and style
- A strong commitment to the University of Birmingham and its vision, ambitions, and values;
- The ability and confidence to lead and work effectively with an experienced and capable senior leadership team, empowering leaders at all levels to deliver the University’s ambitions;
- The ability to relate to and communicate effectively with staff at all levels in the University, engaging them with the University’s vision and plans;
- A personal commitment to and record in effective and respectful partnership working across all staff groups;
Sound judgement and the ability and courage to make difficult but informed decisions, including on challenging issues; - Exceptional personal and public communication and relationship-building skills;
- An open, clear and approachable style, valuing transparency and collaboration;
- Flexibility and the ability to adapt their leadership style to different situations;
- Enterprise, energy, resilience and the ability to manage a wide range of activities and challenges simultaneously;
- The highest ethical standards and acceptance of the public scrutiny that comes with the role.
The University has appointed global executive search firm Perrett Laver to support the appointment of the Vice-Chancellor.
For further details and information on how to apply, please visit https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies quoting reference 5015, or contact Sukhpal Uppal on Sukhpal.Uppal@perrettlaver.com or +44 (0)20 7340 7352.
Valuing excellence, sustaining investment
We value diversity at The University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community’