Chief Finance Officer

The opportunity

This is a pivotal moment to join us as Chief Finance Officer and help shape the next chapter of a world leading creative institution. We are the UK’s largest specialist art and design university with a global reputation for creativity, innovation and impact.

As a member of the Executive Board, you will work in close partnership with the Vice-Chancellor and senior leaders across our six Colleges and professional services to drive financial sustainability, resilience and long-term value. You will provide strategic leadership for Finance and Procurement, ensuring robust stewardship while enabling investment in education, research and creative practice.

Operating in a challenging financial landscape for higher education, you will lead the development of a disciplined yet imaginative financial strategy that supports academic excellence, innovation and our Strategy 2032 ambitions. You will work closely with the Court of Governors and Executive Board to align financial planning with institutional priorities, student experience and global impact.

This is a chance to play a central role in shaping our future, strengthening our capacity to influence learning, culture, industry and society on an international scale while ensuring financial stability and strategic growth.

Your profile

You will be an experienced senior finance leader with a strong track record of operating at executive level, ideally within a complex public sector or Higher Education environment. You will bring exceptional financial acumen, strategic judgement and commercial insight, combined with a commitment to public value and social purpose.

You will be confident leading large professional services functions, managing risk and working collaboratively across academic and professional communities. Your approach will balance rigour with creativity, ensuring strong governance while enabling innovation and growth.

You will be a clear and influential communicator who builds trust with governors, senior leaders and external partners. Above all, you will be a values driven leader who champions equality, diversity and inclusion and is committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

We are UAL

University of the Arts London (UAL) generates and inspires the creativity the world needs for a better future. Since 1842, our colleges have been defining creative education. With curiosity, imagination and intent we make work which creates lasting change for people and our planet. London is core to who we are, a place where we meet and share ideas with people from different backgrounds and cultures.

Our creative network influences learning, culture, industry and society on a global scale. Our academics and practitioners deliver creative education and inspire new ways of thinking through research and innovation. We work with students at every level from pre-degree and short courses to postgraduate and online learning, enabling them to build the careers they want. Together, we are a community of makers, thinkers, pioneers and storytellers redesigning the future.

As a University, we are ranked second in the world for Art and Design. We are formed of 6 Colleges with unique histories and identities: Camberwell College of Arts, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, London College of Communication, London College of Fashion and Wimbledon College of Arts. UAL also has 4 Institutes, 5 Research Centres, 1 Pre-Degree School and 2 subsidiary companies delivering specialist activities.

We are a global University, welcoming over 22,000 students and 6,000 staff from 130 countries. We aim to be a university where people can be themselves and feel supported to reach their full potential. That’s why we are proud to hold a Bronze Award from the Race Equality Charter (REC), are members of the Business Disability Forum and Employers for Carers, and maintain our status as a Disability Confident Scheme and Living Wage employer.

Application process

We operate a fair and open anonymous selection process. Thus, you will need to create an account and submit an application through our job board. As part of this, you will need to provide a supporting statement/answer some competency questions to demonstrate your suitability. Our recruitment process involves: Application, Shortlisting, Interview and Assessment, Offer, Onboarding.

We understand the benefits of using AI in work. But, if you are thinking of using it to submit an application, we ask you to think about what value it adds. AI tools tend to lack the personal touch and authenticity we value in candidates. We encourage you to showcase your unique knowledge and skills using your own voice.

If we receive a high volume of applications, the closing day date might close early. We aim to communicate any changes to the closing date with at least 24 hours’ notice. If you have any general questions or have accessibility needs, please refer to our Contact us page.

Start your application

Candidates are advised to submit applications early.