The University of Sheffield is a distinctive and ambitious institution, committed to delivering research, education and innovation that make a meaningful difference to society.

We are seeking to appoint a new Head of the School of Architecture and Landscape at an important point in its development. This is a significant leadership opportunity within a School defined by creativity, critical thinking and a strong commitment to addressing complex social and environmental challenges.

The School brings together two internationally recognised disciplines, Architecture and Landscape Architecture, each with its own identity, traditions and strengths. Together, they form a unique academic community characterised by a shared commitment to design excellence, sustainability, and socially responsible practice.

Our work is grounded in a set of values that shape both our research and education, including climate responsibility, ecological thinking, inclusivity and social justice. These principles underpin our approach to design, teaching and engagement, and are central to the experience we offer our students and partners.

We are proud of the School’s strong student experience and its reputation for innovative, research-informed teaching. At the same time, we recognise the opportunity to further strengthen our research environment, support our staff community, and continue to build a cohesive and collaborative culture across the School.

We are seeking a Head of School who can bring people together, work across disciplinary boundaries, and lead with clarity, empathy and purpose. The successful candidate will be an experienced and credible academic leader, capable of supporting the School’s continued development while respecting and enhancing its distinctive identity.

If you are motivated by the opportunity to lead a creative, values-driven academic community and to shape its future in a thoughtful and inclusive way, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To find out what makes the University of Sheffield a remarkable place to work, watch this short film

The University of Sheffield is a leading global university renowned for the excellence, impact and distinctiveness of its research-led learning and teaching across a wide range of disciplines.

Our outstanding performance for excellent teaching and research, as part of a genuinely global community, is consistently confirmed by international independent assessments.

QS rankings

• 92nd in the world and 15th in the UK QS World University Rankings 2026
• 28th in Europe, 18th in Northern Europe and 15th in the UK QS European University Rankings 2026
• 33rd in the world (out of 2,022 institutions), 19th in Europe (out of 649) and 13th in the UK (out of 108) QS Sustainability Rankings 2026

• 46th most international university in the world Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026
• 108th in the world and 12th in the UK Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026

UK university rankings

• 13th in the UK and top university in northern England Daily Mail University Guide 2026
• 13th in the UK The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
• 16th in the UK Complete University Guide 2026
• 16th in the UK and top 10 in the UK in 12 subject areas The Guardian University Guide 2026
• 20th in the UK targeted by the largest number of Top 100 Employers in 2025-2026 High Fliers 2026

A top-rated student experience

• Number one in the Russell Group (based on aggregate responses) National Student Survey (NSS) 2025
• University of the Year for Student Experience The Times and The Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026
• Number one for Students’ Union StudentCrowd University Awards 2025
• Number one Students’ Union in the UK Whatuni Student Choice Awards 2024, 2023, 2022, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017
• Number one Students’ Union among UK universities National Student Survey (NSS) 2025
• Top university in the Russell Group for student experience Daily Mail University Guide 2026
• 7th best University for Work Experience Higherin 2026-27

Learn more about our rankings here.

We are home to 29,000 of the brightest students and over 8,000 staff from more than 140 countries around the world. We want Sheffield to be an international centre of excellence for centuries to come, so we recruit ambitious, creative people from across the globe and we nurture their talent.

Sheffield has six Nobel Prize winners among former staff and students and our alumni go on to hold positions of great responsibility and influence all over the world, making significant contributions in their chosen fields.

We work with other leading universities, governments and multinational companies to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world today, from sustainable energy and food production to the global economy.

Our partnerships with companies, including Boeing, Rolls-Royce, Siemens and McLaren, set a new standard for industrial research. Our Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) has a global reputation for helping companies overcome manufacturing problems and is a model for collaborative research involving universities, academics and industry worldwide.

Our global reputation is reflected by our impressive student recruitment. We continue to attract strong numbers of high-performing, ambitious students from all over the world.

With our award-winning Students’ Union, we share a common purpose to provide our students with the best possible experience. The level of collaboration here is clearly built on a foundation of mutual appreciation and respect, and we are immensely proud of the work we do in partnership.

Our world-leading research has a real impact on our economy and society and helps enrich our teaching.

The University is one of the 24 universities in the UK that make up the Russell Group. Members of this group are committed to maintaining the very best research, an outstanding teaching and learning experience and unrivalled links with business and the public sector. In the most recent Research Excellence Framework (2021), 92 per cent of our research and impact was assessed as world-leading or internationally excellent.

Our new flagship interdisciplinary University of Sheffield Research Institutes will help address some of our most pressing global social, economic and health challenges. They build on some of our acknowledged areas of research excellence and will bring together people from across all our faculties to maximise our existing strengths and support new ambitions.

The University’s role in supporting growth in the Sheffield City Region is clear for all to see. We have continued to support our partners Boeing and McLaren as they build factories next to our AMRC. Our University is truly proud that our research partnerships have attracted this level of investment from high-value global companies and hope these new facilities will act as a catalyst for further investment in our region.

It is a privilege to lead an institution and work with colleagues committed to academic excellence and making a real difference to lives across the world.

Our Vision and Strategic Plan

The University of Sheffield is special. A world class institution at the heart of our city. Driven by outstanding people working as One University. We believe our work has the power to change lives. Not just for those who study, teach and do research here. But for those who benefit from the breakthroughs we make every day. Weʼre proud of our past. Yet it is the future that really excites us. We are the University of Sheffield. And this is our vision.

Find out more about our Vision and Strategic Plan.

Our Four Pillars

Through our 4 pillars of Research, Innovation, Education and One University, we will deliver life-enhancing research, innovation and education that not only transforms the lives of our graduates but shapes the world we live in.

Research
Our distinctive and innovative research will be world-leading and world- changing. We will produce the highest quality research to drive intellectual advances and address global challenges.

Innovation
Our transformative research and enterprise will address the worldʼs most pressing challenges. We will enable and promote a culture of excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship across the University.

Education
Our research-led programmes will inspire, enthuse and challenge a diverse community of outstanding students. Our graduates will be equipped to stand out as confident global citizens guided by strong values, ethics and standards, able to make meaningful contributions to society.

One University
We will build a diverse community of staff and students from a broad range of backgrounds, demographics and cultures, and create an inclusive, supportive and collaborative environment in which they can succeed and flourish.

Our Story

115 years in the making, our story continues to evolve every day, defined not just by our achievements but by the unique character of our people and this remarkable city.

Our Values

We believe the best way to achieve our Vision and Strategic Plan is by fostering an ambitious, inclusive, collaborative community through our values.

We are, and will always be, guided by our values:

We are ambitious and strive for excellence in all that we do. We believe in collaborative working. We champion an inclusive and diverse community. We are responsible – for our people and the wider world. We are open and transparent about the decisions we make.

A remarkable place to work

Our staff and their collective talent is the first and foremost priority for an organisation that wishes to change the world for the better through the power and application of ideas and knowledge. We are creating a remarkable place to work. We want our staff to be healthy, happy and engaged.

We encourage our staff to pursue the extraordinary. We reward and recognise generously the contributions, values and behaviours that align with those of the University. We want staff to be themselves and feel that they belong.

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles whose talent and contributions complement each other to the greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

Our aim is to bring together diverse teams with the relative skills, strengths and identities to make a positive impact on the University and the world.

We want to hear from people who are as committed as we are to putting diversity, inclusion and belonging into practice to make the most significant contribution we can to rising to the great challenges of the century.

A remarkable place to live

This extraordinary city is the perfect setting for ground-breaking collaborations. It’s world-famous for precision engineering. Creative and digital industries account for almost two fifths of the region’s jobs. Healthcare technology is another growth sector. Sheffield Teaching Hospitals is the UK’s largest NHS foundation trust. Our close links with the city make innovation possible.

This is a vibrant, friendly, safe city surrounded by some of the most breath-taking countryside in the UK. It offers an excellent quality of life and proudly has a high retention rate of students – many students and staff come here and never leave.

Sheffield has been called the UK’s greenest city; there are 50 public parks and 170 woodlands within the city boundary. England’s fourth-largest city, it has the wealth of facilities you’d expect to find in a major city, yet more than a third of the city lies inside the Peak District National Park. It is the UK’s only city with a National Park within its boundary, but it offers much more than beautiful countryside.

Sheffield is geographically diverse, nestled in a natural amphitheatre created by seven hills, and fed by five rivers. This diversity has given rise to an exceptional range of activities available, from walking or climbing in the Peak District to taking a boat ride along one of Sheffield’s canals.

The city of Sheffield contains an abundance of entertainment and cultural activities including award winning theatres, museums and galleries, a variety of clubs and live music venues, and a range of spectator and participation sports. With a thriving cultural industries quarter and a range of city-wide events throughout the year, there is something on offer to suit everyone’s taste and interests.

Located in the centre of the UK, at the heart of an excellent transport network, the M1 and M62 are within easy reach, there are 6 international airports within 65 miles and a bustling railway station offers access to every corner of the UK, and beyond. The main University campus lies on the western edge of the city centre and is easy to get to by car, bus and tram.

To find out more about how we work with partners and friends in Sheffield to help shape a culturally and economically vibrant city visit: www.sheffield.ac.uk/about/city

The School of Architecture and Landscape has an ambitious outward facing ethos. Our internationally recognised research and innovative teaching exemplify our commitment to designing and creating places which address environmental challenges and social inequalities both locally and globally.

The School of Architecture and Landscape was formed in 2024 as the result of a merger between the School of Architecture and the Department of Landscape Architecture. The school sits high up in one of Sheffield’s most recognisable buildings – the Arts Tower. Offering unrivalled views across our green city and beyond, the Arts Tower’s light and airy studios promote collaborative working and a sense of community.

Through our teaching, research and partnerships we engage with social, political, economic and technical challenges. Our staff and students work with a range of partners including local community groups, charities, health organisations and regional authorities, to develop practical solutions to real world challenges.

Our global community of alumni practise in more than 70 countries worldwide. They include some of the leading names in the fields of architecture and landscape architecture, and regularly return to Sheffield to deliver guest lectures and workshops.

Courses and accreditation

We educate our students to be knowledgeable, open, enquiring and critically aware. This will enable them to lead and change the profession over the next 50 years.

Accreditation guarantees a high standard of education and ensures that our students are equipped with cutting-edge skills.

All of our undergraduate landscape architecture degrees are fully accredited by the Landscape Institute and the International Federation of Landscape Architects. We offer specialist options in Landscape Management and Planning at both Undergraduate and Postgraduate levels.

We offer a wide range of professional as well as academic degree programmes in architecture, and our professional courses are fully accredited by the Architects Registration Board (ARB) and the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA).

Vision 

The School of Architecture and Landscape is defined by the curiosity, values and expertise of its staff and student community, and aims to make a positive difference to research and practice in our professions.

Our School seeks to develop collaborative, informed and ethical architectural and landscape responses to complex social and environmental challenges. We want our students to be inspired by this, recognising their own potential to develop skills and knowledge, as well as empathy and leadership. Student achievement is supported by the breadth and global relevance of our research agenda, educational innovation, strong links with practice and practitioners, and the dedication and friendliness of our staff. Our hope is that connections tested in the Arts Tower – between rigour and creativity, practice and theory, architecture and landscape, debate and reflection – provide our students with a rich experience and prepare them well for their future careers.

Ambitions 

The School of Architecture and Landscape can be characterised by eight ambitions which  reflect our commitments to:

• excellence in design practice and theory informed by world-leading research, and
• research agendas responsive to the contemporary social, environmental and technical challenges addressed by architects and landscape architecture professionals.

The first five ambitions are positioned here as foundational and central to design, education and research in architecture and landscape at Sheffield.

• Climate – We accept the leadership needed within architecture and landscape research and professional education to generate the innovative, holistic, critical approaches to spatial design necessitated by the climate emergency.
• Culture – We seek to better understand the multiple and nuanced ways in which histories and cultures shape values in built and natural environments and professional practices, and recognise tensions of whose voices are represented or excluded in these debates.
• Ecology – We are committed to working within processes of ecology not only as an environmental concern but as a foundational principle that links landscape and architecture through systems of interdependence, regeneration and care.
• Material – We are thoughtfully engaged with what and how we build and plant, willing to challenge normative practice and material cultures,  and take vital decisions to reduce embodied carbon, do more with less, advocate for retrofitting and site responsiveness, and learn from locally held scientific and technical knowledges.
• Place – We are inspired and committed to the ‘here’ of Sheffield, our legacy and ongoing engagement with places in this city, and the global resonances and connections our practice can make between the many ‘elsewheres’ and northern England.

The second set of ambitions reflect our disciplinary commitments and values:

• Inclusivity – We strive to be intentional in understanding how social inequalities are replicated and experienced in designed built and natural environments, and in the dismantling of ongoing barriers and inequalities to participation in our professions, research and higher education.
• Liveness – We equip our students with meaningful skills and participatory processes to design with people, not for people; embedding into our educational values varied approaches to enhance community capacity and resilience and shaping collective aspirations for future places.
• Justice – We recognise that architects and landscape architects have a responsibility to support democratic and equitable participation in place change, and that working for socio-spatial justice and decolonisation are vital core commitments within architecture and landscape practice and theory.

• Heads of School will normally hold office for 5 years in the first instance renewable for up to a further 5 years by mutual agreement.
• During their period of office, Heads of School will receive an allowance of £14,000 in addition to their substantive salary.
• Heads of School will be eligible for reward through the annual Professorial Salary Review process throughout their period of office. Reward can be based on other academic achievements and leadership achievements in the role.
• Heads of School will undertake a shadowing period prior to taking up office and be supported with a comprehensive induction programme. Other development and support can be agreed with the Vice-President and Head of Faculty.
• At the end of their 5-year period of office, Heads of Schools will be entitled to apply for up to two semesters of study leave, for approval by the Vice-President and Head of Faculty.
• Subject to completion of their 5-year period of office, and satisfactory performance in role, a Head of School will receive an increase to their substantive salary to the value of up to 3 additional increments (or equivalent bonus), based on performance, commencing at the end of their period of office.
• PA support will be provided to Heads of School, and other support for research may be agreed by the Vice-President and Head of Faculty.

Further benefits:

Working flexibly

• Hybrid working Working full-time at the University of Sheffield equates to 35 hours per week. To help you deliver your work more effectively, where possible you can split your time between working on campus and remotely. Additionally, we offer part-time and flexible working opportunities, which will be stated on the job description if available.
• Family-friendly policies To support a work-life balance, we offer parental leave, maternity/adoption and paid time off for emergency caring responsibilities which go above statutory entitlements.
• Annual leave The amount of annual leave you are entitled to is dependent on your grade (27 days pro rata for grades 2 to 6, 30 days pro rata for grades 7 to 9). In addition to 8 bank holidays, you’ll benefit from the three days between Christmas and new year when the University closes (pro rata for part-time staff).
• Additional annual leave You have the option of purchasing up to 10 additional days annual leave each year (pro rata for part time staff). The cost is spread over 12 months.

Health and wellbeing

• Staff Mental Health Adviser Service This service offers specialist and confidential advice within a work setting to support staff experiencing mental health challenges, including access to structured counselling. Each individual will receive tailored interventions appropriate to their circumstances.
• Staff Disability Adviser Service This service provides independent and specialist disability advice to any member of staff or manager across the university.
• Support for those going through the menopause We’re the first university in the UK to partner with Peppy Health to provide colleagues and their loved ones with personalised support from expert menopause practitioners.
• Paid leave for IVF treatment We recognise the emotional and physical challenges which may arise from undergoing fertility treatments. Staff with more than 26 weeks service may take up to five days paid leave (pro rata) per treatment cycle, with up to two days leave per cycle for partners (pro-rata).
• Physiotherapy All staff get free ten-minute phone calls and video consultations from Pure Physiotherapy. Staff wishing to continue treatments can take advantage of discounted rates.
• Westfield Health We’ve partnered with Westfield Health to give all staff access to health cover at a discounted rate. You can get money back, up to set limits, on optical check ups, dental appointments and private consultations.
• Support for staff with caring responsibilities We have a Time Off For Emergency Caring Responsibilities policy which provides enhanced provision of up to five additional days (pro rata) paid leave, to cover emergency caring responsibilities for all staff who combine work and caring responsibilities.

Learning and development

• Induction You’ll benefit from a structured induction programme, with resources, events and information to help you settle into your role at the University. You will also have access to a series of mandatory training to ensure you can work safely in your new role.
• Staff Review and Development Scheme (SRDS) You’ll have an annual meeting with your manager or designated reviewer to reflect on your previous 12 months, explore development opportunities and agree objectives for the coming year ahead.
• Development for all colleagues We have a range of programmes and learning modules to support your development, enhance your skills and expand your working relationships and networks. Our dedicated central learning and development hub offers a variety of learning resources tailored to your needs. Choose from a wide range of topics and learn at your own pace to advance your career at the University.
• Frameworks to support your career development Our shared skills framework outlines the transferable skills that all professional and technical staff use, and our career routes map the career paths that exist. These resources together help staff understand available roles, required skills, and development opportunities to advance their careers. Our Academic Career Pathways outlines what it means to be an academic in an ambitious, research-intensive institution like the University of Sheffield, providing greater clarity and transparency, as well as recognising and rewarding all the elements of an academic role whether that is in teaching, research or innovation.
• Supporting colleagues within their specific roles Alongside our development support for all colleagues, we have a number of teams across the University who offer tailored development and training opportunities suited to specific roles to ensure that our approach is connected with University vision and ambitions. We have opportunities, inspiration and guidance for:
  • Technicians, to help increase the visibility and recognition of technical talent and expertise; including professional registration and funding calls
  • The continuous professional development of researchers at the University, supporting individual career ambitions in and beyond academia
  • All staff who teach and support learning (including PGR students) to engage in professional development, support to develop your students’ research skills and critical thinking
  • Colleagues whose role is student-facing, involves student support or student administration
• If you’re a leader and manager Whether you’re a professional services, technical, or academic leader, we have a number of dedicated leadership and management development programmes designed to equip you with the skills and knowledge to develop and grow as a leader. Alongside this, we have a number of toolkits, signposts, development opportunities and resources to support you in your role.
• Coaching and Mentoring We have a number of informal and formal mentoring and coaching opportunities to support you with your growth and development.
• Workplace learning opportunities The University has a number of workplace learning opportunities that are available for you to engage with such as secondments and shadowing that can support an integrated approach to learning and knowledge exchange across the organisation.

Sustainability

The University is committed to tackling the global climate emergency. Our sustainability strategy forms an integral part of all we do. We strive to embed this in all areas of university life, from our students’ education, the globally impacting international research we contribute, to campus life. We aim to empower staff to work sustainably by giving them the knowledge to make ethical decisions at work and home. Staff have the opportunity to be involved in impactful sustainability projects through the nationally recognised Green Impact scheme. Staff have access to excellent green benefits including the cycle to work scheme with discounts and free secure bike storage, as well as many greener choices across campus. If you have an interest in this area, the university will strive to passionately support you in these commitments. Check out www.sheffield.ac.uk/sustainability for more information.

Inclusion

Inclusion at Sheffield is everyone’s responsibility. Our vision is to build a University community that actively attracts, engages and develops talented individuals from many different backgrounds. We are proud of our award-winning equality, diversity and inclusion action, and we continue to work to create a fully inclusive environment where everyone can flourish.

Creating a remarkable place to work

We build teams of people from different heritages and lifestyles from across the world, whose talent and contributions complement each other to greatest effect. We believe diversity in all its forms delivers greater impact through research, teaching and student experience.

We are consistently ranked in the top 100 of the world’s universities, but there’s so much more to us than that. By joining the University, you will be joining award-winning teams and departments who are all working together to make the University of Sheffield a remarkable place to work.

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 Wednesday 10th June 2026.

Applications should consist of:

• A full CV.
• A covering letter (maximum of two pages) outlining how you meet the essential 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 role in strict confidence, please contact Kiersten Avery at kiersten.avery@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7510 384 735 or Sophie Rees at sophie.rees@andersonquigley.com or +44 (0)7719 313 982.