Associate Director, Social Purpose Transformation

THIS JOB HAS NOW CLOSED

The opportunity

University of the Arts London (UAL) is looking for an Associate Director of Social Purpose Transformation to play a vital role in the implementation and embedding of our social purpose across teaching, research, operations and external relations. This is an exciting new job in a major £400m institution which has publicly declared its intention to be led by its social purpose: a pioneering decision, not just for a university, but for any organisation of this scale.

This is a keystone role within our newly formed Social Purpose Lab. The Social Purpose Lab is at the centre of the university’s ambition to put social purpose at the heart of everything we do. You will help drive the necessary changes to ensure we fulfil our social purpose, through building relationships, influencing and partnering, and applying and translating research and analysis into sustainable action for lasting transformation.

You will champion, challenge and co-ordinate teams across the university, ensuring a commitment to social purpose that is driven by every person across the student and staff body. You will work with partners, college functions and departments to guide decision-making around our social purpose agenda, co-designing and testing new pathways that facilitates a deeper positive impact. You will also conduct, commission or co-produce research of the university’s most significant social impacts, utilising this key information to prioritise the changes needed to deliver our social purpose goals.

About you

This is a varied role which could suit people from a wide variety of backgrounds. Candidates will have experience ideally in one or more of the following areas:

• Complex project / programme management
• Senior consultancy
• Organisational development or change management
• High-level partnership working
• Leadership of analysis, research, or evaluation

You will demonstrate a strongly analytical mindset, along with the ability to think strategically and prioritise resources accordingly.

You will possess a collaborative, inclusive and egalitarian working style, with the ability to inspire your colleagues to think differently, and to coach your team towards success. You will have a proven track record of ‘soft influencing’ and will be able to lead beyond your team to tactfully steer the decisions of seniors and peers.

A demonstrable commitment to positive social and environmental impact is essential, along with long-term resilience, stamina and persistence.

We are offering an informal pre-application Q&A session to interested candidates for this role on Wednesday 27th September 2023 at 1pm. Please email socialpurposelab@arts.ac.uk for the online joining link.

Closing date for applications, Monday 2nd October 2023 9.00 am

Interviews and assessment exercise to take place on Tuesday 10th October 2023 9.30am-4.30pm

If you have any queries about this role please contact socialpurposelab@arts.ac.uk or if you require any reasonable adjustments for your application, please contact Sahil Ibrahim, Resourcing Adviser via email at socialpurposestaffrecruitment@arts.ac.uk

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) offers an extensive range of courses in art, design, fashion, communication and performing arts. We are a collegiate University spread across London with six Colleges, four Institutes and five Research Centres. UAL also has two subsidiary companies, delivering specialist activities – UAL Short Courses Ltd, and UAL Arts Temps Ltd.

We’re made up of all types of people, coming together in London, the world’s creative capital. We are designers, artists, performers, thinkers, researchers and makers. Our students, staff and graduates form a global network of creatives, entrepreneurs and leaders. Together, our ideas change the world. Because the world needs creativity.

We are ranked highly across the board. We are ranked first for specialist art and design, second in the world for Art and Design in the 2023 QS World University Rankings (for the fifth year in a row), ranked fifth in sustainability and two of our colleges were rated in the top three fashion schools in the world.

Our culture

We have become one of the world’s most international Universities, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. And, as a global university, staff and students learn from different cultures and perspectives, which leads to new conversations and innovative work. At our very core, everything we do seeks to challenge the status quo by driving social purpose and standing up for what matters.

We welcome applicants from all backgrounds including those who may feel underrepresented in the workforce due to their socioeconomic circumstances such as those from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (B.A.M.E.) backgrounds. We aim to be a university where everyone can be themselves and are supported to reach their full potential.

With our commitment to inclusion and diversity, we are proud to be a Race Equality Charter (REC) member to help us reduce barriers that negatively impacts B.A.M.E. staff, a Stonewall Diversity Champion to ensure all LGBTQ+ people are valued at work, a Disability Confident Scheme Committed employer and member of the Business Disability Forum which help us to improve the lives of disabled people in the workplace.

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