We are looking for a talented leader with an impressive track record to lead our multi-disciplinary School of Childhood and Social Care. The School hosts the departments of Psychology and Human Development, Education, and a cross-disciplinary department of Social Work, Counselling and Social Care, all of which have a long standing and impressive track record in teaching and research.

The Executive Dean is supported by a leadership team including a Vice-Dean, three Heads of Department, a Head of Quality Assurance and Enhancement and three Directors leading on the portfolios of Careers and Enterprise, Education and Experience and Impact and Innovation.

The Executive Dean will build on a strong track record of research, particularly in Early Years and Positive Psychology, and on over 50 years’ expertise in Psychology, combined with an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Teacher Education provision, providing strategic leadership and management for the School across education, research and innovation, and external engagement.

The Dean will also play a lead role in the development of innovative and effective partnership working arrangements both in the UK and internationally as well as in the development and achievement of University strategy as a member of the University Executive Team.

The Executive Dean will also work with the Vice Dean to build a high-performance team, holding strategic responsibility for institutional strategic objectives at a School level.

The University of East London is a vibrant and diverse university located in Stratford and Docklands. Our goal is to become the leading careers-focused, enterprising university in the UK, one which both prepares our students for the jobs of the future and provides the innovation to drive that future sustainably and inclusively.

Born in 1898 to serve the skills needs of the 2nd industrial revolution, the University of East London has commenced Year 5 of its transformational 10-year Vision 2028 strategic plan led by our Vice-Chancellor & President, Professor Amanda Broderick, to advance Industry 5.0 careers-1st education. We have a clear route-map to provide a springboard for the jobs and opportunities of the future; drive diversity in the 5.0 talent pipeline – working in partnership to promote talent wherever it is found; and to create an inclusive and sustainable, green future.

The University of East London is one of the most diverse and vibrant universities in the global capital. Our pioneering and forward-thinking vision is making a positive and significant impact to the communities we serve, inspiring both our staff and students to reach their full potential.

As one of the most socially inclusive and international Universities and comprising one of the most diverse staff populations in the UK (50% of our professoriate identify from black or minority ethnic backgrounds), we are hugely proud of our track record in reducing inequalities (ranked 1st in the UK & 2nd globally, Times Higher Education Global Impact Rankings, 2020) and our commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion is at the heart of Vision 2028.

VISION 2028

At the University of East London, we’re constantly adapting. Today’s world is changing constantly. Tomorrow’s problems are unknown. Society depends on experts for answers. Everything we do is geared towards preparing for an unpredictable future.

Vision 2028 is our ambitious 10-year strategy. We’re working with industry to reshape education for the benefit of all, giving students from any background the skills and opportunities to thrive in a changing world.

Our priorities remain resolute to our mission: driving career-ready student inclusion, increasing our reputation for the benefit of our alumni and social impact of the University.

Progress

Over the past five years, the University has undergone significant transformation. Vision 2028, our 10-year strategy, has provided a roadmap for our continuous progress, evolution, adaptation, and growth.

In 2023, the cumulative impact of our transformational achievements may be best summed up by our shortlisting for one of the most prestigious recognitions in UK higher education: The University of the Year by the Times Higher Education 2023 Awards.

We were also shortlisted by THE Awards for Technological or Digital Innovation of the Year, a testament to our commitment to innovating educational technologies.

This year, we achieved groundbreaking results in the 2024 National Student Survey (NSS), achieving historic milestones and solidifying its position as the student-ready, careers-first university of the future.

• Overall Positivity: UEL has soared from 13th to 3rd place nationally out of 139 HEIs, and is the top ranked university in London and top ranked in England for this measure, boasting a remarkable surge in overall graduating students’ positivity.
• Teaching on my Course: Satisfaction has increased with teaching quality rising 20 places to 9th place nationally and contributing to UEL’s top spot in London.
• Learning Opportunities: Satisfaction with offering learning opportunities has risen ten places to 4th nationally, and ranking first in London, reflecting UEL’s investment in state-of-the-art facilities and resources that are pivotal in supporting student success.
• Assessment and Feedback: UEL has climbed to 7th place nationally, and second against London universities, highlighting our focus on providing constructive feedback to students.
• Academic Support: UEL’s academic support services have also received positive ratings, rising five percentage points from last year and propelling the University 40 places higher nationally.

We have won awards for our strategies and programmes, created ground-breaking integrated professional services and implemented a pioneering Mental Wealth and Professional Fitness curriculum which has helped us engage students more than ever and prepare them for the jobs and opportunities of a fast-change future.

Our Connected Campus investment continued to enhance our physical and digital infrastructure and we marched forward in our quest to be net zero carbon by 2030. We worked to reduce health inequalities, improve the lives of children and keep people safe online. We expanded our global partnerships while strengthening our position as an anchor institution in east London.

We collaborated with partners to create the Royal Docks Centre for Sustainability, a regional hatchery for green innovation and enterprise launched in December 2023.

We also took over as the cultural operator for the flagship Stratford Youth Zone, part of a partnership with Newham Council. The venue, located in the former Stratford Circus building, will deliver a programme of creative and performing arts based activities for young people as well as the larger community.

There is still much to be done, but we take pride in what we have accomplished. In Year 5 of Vision 2028, we continue to support a community of students, staff and stakeholders seeking to build a fairer and more sustainable world.

Strategic objectives

Future professional
Employer-led careers zones: We are proud to announce ground-breaking collaborations with world-leading companies to drive graduate-level careers and fulfil rewarding life goals.

Sustainability
Education 4.0: Implementing cloud technologies to improve performance, generate cost savings, and provide an outstanding learning experience for students.

Future Graduate
Maximising mental wealth: The world of work is changing and so are our degrees. We are developing professional fitness to accelerate employment readiness for a 4.0 and 5.0 economy.

Future Life
Innovation Pioneers: Our academics are pioneers of new thinking that impact people and the planet. Their knowledge advances practice, policy, and well-being in every community we serve.

Careers led

We’re changing the face of education to match the ongoing fundamental shift in working cultures. We have collaborated with industry to re-develop, re-design and validate our course portfolio, so the knowledge our students gain reflects the changing needs of industry and prepares our learners for sustainable careers of the future.

Our ambition as a careers-first University, focuses on increasing the diversity of the talent pipeline, moving away from old-fashioned proxies for talent, and bringing together education, industry and talent in a new education and skills social value partnership – breaking down traditional barriers to education and work and developing students from all backgrounds to become pioneers in the evolving economy.

The East of the capital is full of opportunities with businesses, developments and innovative careers at every turn. The Olympic Boroughs have the youngest, fastest growing, and most multicultural neighbourhoods in the UK. There has never been a better time to live and learn in East London.

With campuses in Stratford and the Royal Albert Dock, we’re at the heart of it all. Global businesses are making the area their base and the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf create a brilliant backdrop. Because industry in the area is connected to the rest of the world, so are we.

Stratford Campus
Our historic Stratford campus is located in one of the best-connected areas of London: close to Stratford’s thriving town centre, as well as the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park which hosted the 2012 London Olympic Games. The Stratford campus is home to The School of Education and Communities, and the School of Health, Sports and Bioscience,  which houses the Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub including Nursing, Physiotherapy, Podiatry and Occupational Therapy.

Colleagues at the Stratford Health Campus also work closely with local Education Authorities, Newham Learning and the North East London Teaching Partnership (Social Work). Learn more about our health campus here.

University Square Stratford (USS) Campus
University Square Stratford is one of London’s most modern and well-equipped campuses. It is home to our Institute of Performing Arts, and we teach business, law and criminology here, too. Our Legal Advice Centre gives students the opportunity to give back to the community by offering free advice to those unable to pay for it.

Docklands Campus
Our waterfront campus in the historic Royal Docks provides a modern, well-equipped learning environment, with modern lecture theatres and seminar rooms, a 24/7 library and learning centre, and a multimedia production centre – complete with audio and visual labs and studios.

Sustainability

These works aim to create fun and dynamic spaces for the UEL community to thrive today, tomorrow and for years to come. While we make these improvements, we clearly have UEL’s vision in mind to be the most sustainable university in London. In line with this, the Connected Campus team works with local suppliers to create sustainable outcomes, carefully considering where resources come from and maximising equipment by efficiently keeping these in circulation for as long as possible. The programme also supports innovative solutions to recover and regenerate materials that are no longer needed so they can be used for other purposes.

The School of Childhood and Social Care aims to lead in the provision of inclusive, professionally accredited, career-focused courses, supporting professionals of and for the future engaged in world-changing impact through research and impactful practice. 

Located on the Health Campus, in Stratford, East London, the School of Childhood and Social Care, though its departments of Education, Psychology, and Social Work, Counselling and Social Care, supports the increase in interdisciplinary collaboration across teaching and research groups; unlocks potential opportunities; builds critical mass and supports areas of strength; enriched the student experience, and provides extended services for the local and wider community

The School structure has three Departments 

• Education  
• Psychology and Human Development  
• Social Work, Counselling and Social Care  

Benefiting from numerous professional and academic partnerships, the School of Childhood and Social Care is a beacon of excellence for human flourishing. With research-informed professional practice centres in Early Childhood, Young People, and Families; Social Care; Counselling and Wellbeing; and Education, the School will complement UEL’s existing Hospital & Primary Care Training Hub and planned Primary & Social Care Practice Centre.

The opportunity exists to build upon existing strengths and exploit the potential for new courses, alternative provision, and the development of professional practice centres, initially in childhood and social care. A course portfolio review and staff skills audit will support the School leadership team to deliver existing courses in a more efficient way, improving operating models and delivery efficiencies over the time – through, ultimately, building on and consolidating existing strengths. 

The School provides the University with the opportunity to identify new provision for investment, building on and consolidating existing strengths and optimising efficiencies. Synergies between the academic disciplines create the conditions for purposeful interdisciplinary collaboration, to identify and develop new demand-led, and career-focused courses. The school can create the environment for research to thrive, achieve critical mass and strengthen links between research and future careers. There are natural synergies between research strengths/groups, such as developmental psychology (including the Baby Lab) and early childhood.

About the Department of Psychology and Human Development

Since 1965, the Psychology provision at UEL has built a strong reputation for innovation and rigour in the teaching of psychology, professional training and research. Within the school, the Department of Psychology and Human Development will continue to focus on: empirical psychology; the application of psychological research to contemporary issues; psychology within the wider community and professional readiness. Each of the UG and PG courses is accredited by the British Psychological Society (BPS) as conferring the Graduate Basis for Chartered Membership (GBC). This professional body recognition imbues our degrees with both academic and professional credibility and provides a solid foundation for further study or employment in the plethora of vocations suited to our graduates. 

Professional Psychology is also a part of the School. We offer courses from Foundation to Doctoral level and hold the distinction of running one of the longest accredited programmes in the UK, that being the Postgraduate Diploma in Counselling and Psychotherapy, by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP).  This department holds PSRB accreditations from the BACP, HPCP, ABP, BPS and EMCC. The department is committed to providing high-quality, research-informed teaching and learning, as well as strong, industry-linked opportunities to our students. This commitment not only shapes the development of their degree courses, but also adds value by equipping them to be active participants in 21st century society as professionals in the fields of counselling, coaching, psychology, and beyond.   

About the Department of Education 

Provision delivered by the Department of Education has been rated as an Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ provider of teacher training for Primary and Further Education and Training, and an Ofsted ‘Good’ provider for secondary education.  The school also provides courses in early childhood, international development, political studies, and professional qualifying courses in youth and social work. 

As a centre for Continuing Education and Professional Practice we support students to gain skills to change the lives of those of the communities they work with. Our goal is to create transformers and leaders who will be able to play a vital role: driving better social and economic outcomes for all our ever-changing world. This includes training inspirational teachers to tackle the teacher shortage and social workers who are aware of the lived experience of service users, as well as giving students the chance to have a role in different communities, including refugee groups. This fits in with the University’s Vision 2028 objective, Future Life/Innovative Thinkers, and we are proud of the work we are doing and the impact we have in our community well beyond the 300 UEL trained teachers and 100 UEL trained Social Workers who enter the work force each year. 

In doing this we will be recognised as leaders in inclusive pedagogic practice and teacher development at all Levels (Early years through to HE) and be a HUB for Education in Newham though our 40 school educational partnership with Newham Learning.    

Our Stratford Health Campus is home to our state-of-the-art Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub. Recently visited by His Majesty King Charles III as part of our anniversary celebrations, the multi-million-pound facility is a European first in end-to-end healthcare education, demonstrating cutting-edge, innovative inter-professional practice and simulation technologies to enhance careers-1st learning, to tackle health inequalities, and to supply the healthcare sector with practice-ready professionals.

Aside from our cutting-edge facilities, students can gain valuable experience working across a range of specialisms with industry leading organisations such as West Ham United Foundation as well as pioneering NHS trusts and partners such as Bart’s Health, Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals, North East London Foundation Trust, Great Ormond Street Hospital and HCA Healthcare, and many more across London and beyond.

Colleagues at the Stratford Health Campus also work closely with local Education Authorities, Newham Learning and the North East London Teaching Partnership (Social Work). Learn more about our health campus here.

Inclusivity is at the heart of our institution. We are continuously pushing boundaries and finding solutions to complex social, environmental, and economic challenges.

• Ranked number 1 in the UK for addressing inequalities (2nd in the world) by the Times Higher Education Global Impact Ranking, 2020.
• We hold the Athena Swan Bronze award for gender equality, are a disability-confident employer, and we are working closely with Stonewall to ensure inclusivity for our LGBTQ+ staff and students.
• The University of East London achieved a Bronze Race Equality Charter (REC) award in May 2019.

We help students develop big ideas for a kinder world, inspiring the workforce of the future through a careers-based education and giving back to the local community. We foster an academic environment that motivates diverse thinkers to turn inspiration into reality, encouraging innovation and creativity.

Office for Institutional Equity

What we do
Realising our ambitions relating to equality, diversity, and inclusion add up to what we call institutional equity. Our Institutional Equity Strategy is founded upon the core principles of fostering inclusivity, promoting staff and student success, enhancing belonging, and promoting equitable culture and practice.

We are developing a dynamic approach to equality, diversity, and inclusion based around our Institutional Equity Strategy.

Our community

There’s plenty of choice in London. But you won’t find anywhere like the University of East London. Nowhere else quite matches us for a unique sense of community.

Our community is made up of 25,195 total students from 140 different countries studying at the University of East London and collaborative partners.

• Ethnicity breakdown*: Asian 34%, White 26%, Black 24%, Mixed 5%, Other 4%, Not known 6%
• Gender breakdown*: Female 57% , Male 43%

We embrace diversity. As our campuses are home to people from all walks of life, who join us from all corners of the globe, it ensures our students develop new ideas, discover new opportunities and make new connections.  (*From available data for 2020/21. Figures rounded to nearest whole number)

At UEL, we pride ourselves on our growing global footprint and impact, along with our place at the beating heart of a vibrant and richly diverse local community. With civic engagement and widening participation informing how we reach out within east London, we take our responsibility for changing lives seriously, with drive, innovation and a clear sense of partnership.

Determined to address the challenges of an evolving higher education landscape, UEL is creating more focus, more direction and more professionalism around its offering to students and employees alike. We are increasingly investing in world class research and a modern campus that seeks to inspire and enable.

You can look forward to a warm, sincere welcome, genuine camaraderie, career choice and mobility. Your time at UEL will be characterised by support, empathy and an enthusiasm to be flexible around your personal and professional journey. You will find an institution led with passion, visibility and purpose, where your impact, resilience and sense of collegiality will directly contribute to UEL’s future and those of the students whose lives you will touch and change forever.

Induction
Induction is of crucial importance to UEL. It helps our new colleagues settle in and ‘feel at home’ – and means they are more likely to become effective and committed members of our team. All new staff joining us benefit from guidance, support and information, particularly in their first few weeks.

We ensure all line managers are aware of the importance of induction and are supported with a checklist of activities and events that should happen in the first six weeks of employment.  All new staff should be assigned an experienced colleague on their first day, who can help them with the settling in process.  In addition we run corporate induction sessions which are a great opportunity to learn more about our culture, vision and values and to network with other new colleagues from across UEL.

Facts and Figures
We employ over 1700 staff from 67 countries. As Bronze Investors In People medallists, we are in the top 20% of 15,314 organisations that take part.

Here at UEL we understand it is about more than just a salary. It is about the entire package on offer along with our outstanding work environment and inclusive culture. We know the market rates for this vacancy and will offer a genuinely competitive salary DOE.

We care deeply about your wellbeing and our benefits includes:

• 31.08% to 35.38% pension (7.4% to 11.7% from you, 23.68% from us)
• 30 days holiday (3 additional days over Christmas) plus bank holidays and we are always open to consider flexible working arrangements.
• A subsidised gym membership.
• Three times base salary life assurance.
• A cashback healthcare scheme.
• A wide variety of other generous benefits including discounts on: Apple and Samsung products, holidays, clothing, fitness, lifestyle, dining out and weekly shopping.

For more information on our rewards please visit Benefits at UEL – Jobs at UEL