Appointment of the Vice Chancellor

Ravensbourne University London

Welcome

Thank you for your interest in becoming the Vice Chancellor of Ravensbourne University London.

Ravensbourne is a very special place.  It has a unique blend of creativity, technology and business.  We have enthusiastic students and staff who come from diverse backgrounds.  We have an iconic building in Greenwich which inspires everyone who visits and works here.

We have seen big change over the last five years.  We have doubled the size of the university, created new partnerships, attracted students from all over the world as well as from our adjacent areas in London.  And we now have financial stability and strength.

We are looking to continue to grow by expanding our courses and our reach and aiming to create a leading university which is at the intersection of creative, technology and business.

We are dedicated to giving our learners the skills and opportunities they need for outstanding careers in digital media, design, business and technology. Our offering currently spans television, film and broadcasting, product and graphic design, architecture, fashion, business, marketing and computing.

This is a time of real change and opportunity. We are seeking a new Vice Chancellor to lead us on our ambitious journey. With a widening programme offering and new international developments and partnerships, you will lead the implementation of our new strategy, working with our board and the executive team. You will be responsible for driving the university towards its goal of further sustainable long-term growth, whilst ensuring a high-quality student experience.  As an advocate of inclusivity, you will promote a culture that encourages everyone to challenge themselves and others to be the best they can be.

We are looking for a great leader who understands creativity, business and technology and the leading role which the university can play in all these areas and who is ambitious for the future.

We look forward to hearing from you.

Andrew Summers 
Chair of the Board of Governors

About us

 

About Ravensbourne University London

With a community of over 5,000 students, Ravensbourne University London is an innovative, industry-focused university offering pre-degree, undergraduate and postgraduate level courses.

We are champions of creativity and collaboration, dedicated to giving our learners the specialist skills and opportunities they need for outstanding careers in digital, media, design and business. Our offering spans, television and broadcasting, product design, architecture, graphic design, photography, fashion, computing and technology and business. Former students include music legend David Bowie, fashion designer Stella McCartney, 2012 Olympic torch designer Jay Osgerby and Oscar-winning producers Simon Egan and Gareth Ellis-Unwin.

We are proud to be at the leading edge of technology, creativity and business and are close collaborators with the creative and technology industries — a crucial part of our commitment to giving students the specialist and broader skills they need to kick-start their careers. The results of our collaborative efforts are reflected in our strong track record in graduate employment. Almost 19 out of 20 students go into work or further study within six months of graduating.  As well as equipping our students with the practical skills they need in the workplace, we instil the resilience and confidence needed to thrive in the creative industries.

Ravensbourne is a growing University, having doubled in student numbers in the last five years. Its staff base currently stands at around 370 core academic and professional services staff and 200 ‘hourly paid ‘sessional’ academic staff.’

Our corporate strategy

Our corporate strategy 2021-26 is reaching the end of its lifespan and we are in the process of developing our Strategy 2025-30, due to be released by the end of this calendar year. The new strategy will articulate our ambitions to unleash the potential of young people in the fields of technology, creative and business for domestic, international and franchise students. Our strong financial health will enable us to build on our successes and invest in our strategic priorities.

Location

Ravensbourne is located at the heart of London’s newest permanent creative community on the Greenwich Peninsula. We’re nestled beside the O2 arena, with views stretching across the River Thames, to Canary Wharf, Maritime Greenwich and beyond.

Thanks to recent investment, this stretch of London riverside has gone from marshy bog-land to a thriving public space, filled with creative businesses, a 3km art trail, restaurants, cafes, hotels and entertainment juggernaut, the O2 arena.

There’s also plenty of open space to wander by the river, and parks to sit and watch the world go by. Flooded with bright light, the peninsula is the perfect place to get creative and inspired – as many of our students have.

Swathed in a mosaic of 28,000 gleaming tiles, our building plays a standout role on the Greenwich Peninsula. Bold, brave and built for 21st-century learning, it perfectly encapsulates all that is Ravensbourne. Thanks to its eco-friendly design and dazzling good looks, the building swiftly won the RIBA award for best Higher Education building in 2011.

Take a virtual tour of our campus here.

Sustainability at Ravensbourne University London 

In 2010, we moved to our new home in North Greenwich into a purpose-built building designed to cut carbon emissions and improve our facilities. As we have expanded, the green agenda has remained a core consideration, so much so that we are exceeding our own targets by seven years.

In 2022, we set a target date of 2030 to switch to a 100% renewable energy tariff, which, by the end of 2023, we will have already done.

By introducing a renewable tariff, we will reduce our emissions by 51%, which will mean a reduction of 428 tonnes of carbon dioxide. For context, this is equivalent to emissions produced by 90 UK households an entire year.

We are already well on our way to meeting and exceeding targets set for the City of London, outlined in the London Environment Strategy 2050 Net Zero Roadmap. But we are always committed to doing more.

We are working hard to improve our sustainable infrastructure; this means updating the likes of hand dryers and water fountains inside the building, assembling solar panels and working with our community to plant more trees.

Ravensbourne Executive Reporting Structure

Introduction from the President of the Ravensbourne Student Union Esther Gbogboade

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

As a university situated in the heart of London, diversity is in our DNA. We are proud of the many ethnicities, identities, cultures and religions that make up our creative community. Our students, staff, alumni and collaborators are dynamic, diverse and exceptionally talented. We’re proud of our legacy as a south-east London university that serves the local area and welcomes students from around the world.

We understand that universities have a historic position of power and privilege. It makes sense that we must play an active role in helping to dismantle structural inequality and address how we can transform the future. It’s critical that we continually ask questions about power, representation and how we include our entire community.

We are committed to doing the long-term work that is needed for genuine change. As well as celebrating and sharing experiences we continue to invest in learning, developing our understanding and skills to be better allies and friends, working together to demand a fairer society for us all.

In June 2020, we established an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion committee to help create much needed change across our institution. The committee is Chaired by our Vice-Chancellor and made up of staff from across our academic and professional services, and students’ union representatives, who give their time and expertise to driving forward our efforts to make our community more inclusive.

Please find Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) strategy here.

Our Organisational Values

Developed in consultation with our staff community, our values provide a framework for the way we work and operate together to deliver our vision and strategy; they help shape our strategic choices, our activities and our culture. 

Our Values

These are our core principles, which guide our behaviour, decision making and actions and serve as the foundation for our culture.

  • Professionalism – We are relentless in the pursuit of excellence, seeking quality in all we do. We learn together as a student, staff and alumni community, and evolve with the best practice in the industries we serve.
  • Connection – We value what happens together and collaborate to achieve common goals. We build our university community to connect with individuals, institutions, and professions and develop strong industry partnerships.
  • Dynamism – We embrace every opportunity to adapt and optimise. We have the confidence to embrace change, the agility to respond, and the courage to do things differently,
  • Inclusion – We celebrate our diversity and we embrace difference as a source of strength. We strive for an inclusive Ravensbourne community, removing barriers and challenging exclusionary and discriminatory practice.
  • Transformation – We are a catalyst for social mobility. We open doors, creating opportunities for everyone, helping an increasingly diverse range of students break into their chosen fields and rebalance cultural and economic inequality.
  • Relevance – We engage proactively with the energy and ambition of the learners we work with, the communities we serve and the industries we work alongside.

The role

Vice Chancellor (AQ2891)

Apply now

Terms of appointment

  • Salary – Competitive
  • Pension – LGPS or TPS
  • Generous annual leave – We offer 30 days of annual leave from day one.
  • Additional special leave – Our employees enjoy additional special leave at Christmas.
  • Cycle to work scheme – Save up to 49% on the purchase of a bicycle and accessories, get fit and reduce your commuting costs.
  • Employee assistance programme – Access to confidential assistance to help you deal with personal and professional problems that could be affecting your home life, work life, health and general wellbeing – 24/7, 365 days a year.
  • Enhanced sick pay – Available to employees from their first day of employment.
  • Defined benefit pensions – Employees are enrolled in our generous defined benefit pension schemes, which also include life cover. Defined benefit pensions pay out a secure income for life, which increases each year in line with inflation.
  • Family friendly policies – Enhanced maternity pay after an initial qualifying period, as well as leave allowance for emergency dependent care.
  • Professional Development – Access to a wealth of training opportunities via LinkedIn Learning, as well as options to undertake our Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching & Learning.
  • Free eye tests – Free eye tests for all employees, plus payment for basic glasses for VDU use (or contribution towards more expensive frames).
  • Employee discounts – Enjoy a variety of discounts at retailers and food outlets on the Greenwich Peninsula.

How to apply

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to the University. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to the public advertisement.

The closing date for applications is noon on 27 November 2024.

Longlisting will take place on 6 December.

Applications should consist of:

  • A full CV.
  • A covering letter outlining your motivation and details of how you meet the qualification, skills and experience criteria of the person specification.
  • Please include details of two referees in your CV, though please note that we will not approach your referees without your prior consent and only should you be shortlisted.

Should you wish to discuss the roles in strict confidence, please contact Paul Aristides at paul.aristides@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7743 927 988 or Aino Betts at aino.betts@andersonquigley.com, or +44 (0)7743 934 723 .