Head of Research Centres (Maternity cover)

Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art is the world’s largest community of postgraduate art and design students. It is also the oldest art and design university in continuous operation and has been ranked as the world‘s number one art and design university for a remarkable ten consecutive years, according to the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024 – the worldwide survey of academic and industry opinion.

This is an exciting time to join the RCA: RCA Research & Innovation has expanded enormously over the last 10 years with new research centres and our new Rausing Research & Innovation building. We are recruiting a maternity cover for the Head of Research Centres post, who works closely with the PVC Research and Innovation and the Centre leads on the strategic development of the Research Centres, and supports the PVC R&I in the development of related College-wide strategic initiatives. The role oversees an operations team who work across Centres and a dedicated externally-funded award team.

During 2025, we expect the role to focus on managing Academic Reviews of the RCA Research Centres (two will be conducted in Autumn 2024 with actions expected in 2025, with two further reviews to begin in 2025), the final reporting of a major UKRI grant (TCC, £5m with multiple partners), supporting Centre developments, supporting preparation for REF2029, and continuing to develop major research funding and partnership opportunities, building on previous success.

Working across our four research centres, the Research and Innovation directorate and College-wide professional services teams, the successful candidate will bring a proactive, solutions-focussed approach to building relationships and enhancing processes and procedures.

The successful candidate will have significant experience working in Higher Education Research, Innovation and/or Knowledge Exchange, with excellent research development and delivery skills and experience. They will bring strong organisational and project management skills, ideally gained in a university research context, as well as excellent communication and influencing abilities.

If this sounds like the role for you, we welcome your application.  This is a full time and maternity cover role, ideally starting 1 December 2024 for up to a year, (please note the post could end sooner if the substantive post holder returns earlier than expected), based across our award-winning Battersea Campus.   This role attracts a hybrid way of working; minimum of 3 days in the office depending on events and business needs.

Please refer to the Information pack for more details of the post.

The role closes for applications at 11.59pm on 14th October 2024

Interviews are scheduled to take place on Thursday 24th October 2024.

Closing Date: 14 Oct 2024

Programme/Department: Administrative & Professional

Salary: £63,300 to £70,518 per annum Maternity cover for up to 1 year