University of the Arts London, Deputy Deans

University of the Arts London (UAL) is a global leader in creative education, ranked among the world’s top universities for art and design. We unite six renowned Colleges with a shared purpose: transforming the world through creativity.

Dear candidate,
Thank you for your interest in the roles of Deputy Dean within the Schools of Art and Performance, and Design across Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon Colleges of Arts at University of the Arts London.
These are newly created roles at an exciting point in our development – an opportunity to strengthen how we translate creative ambition into everyday academic practice, and to ensure our Schools continue to lead, challenge and evolve within a rapidly changing global context.
Across Camberwell, Chelsea and Wimbledon, we are home to a rich and diverse creative community. Each College brings its own history, character and way of thinking, and together they form a distinctive environment where disciplines intersect, ideas are tested, and creativity is both critically engaged and outward-facing.
Within this, our two Schools offer different, yet complementary, perspectives on creative education.
The School of Art and Performance is rooted in exploration, experimentation and critical practice. It spans fine art, performance, theatre, and is defined by a commitment to pushing boundaries – whether through material practice, live work, or socially engaged approaches. It is a space where students and staff interrogate what art can be and what it can do, often working at the edges of disciplines and in dialogue with urgent cultural and societal questions.
The School of Design, by contrast, brings a strong focus on systems, application and impact. It encompasses a broad spectrum of design practices – from communication and spatial design to product, service and emerging design disciplines – and is characterised by its engagement with real-world challenges. Here, creativity is often collaborative and solution-oriented, working in partnership with industry, communities and external organisations to shape how we live, work and interact.
Both Schools share a commitment to excellence in teaching and learning, to inclusive and equitable student experiences, and to the belief that creative education has the power to shape industries and societies. At the same time, each has its own identity, rhythms and priorities, and these roles are an opportunity to help those distinct qualities thrive.
The new Deputy Deans of each School will be central to this.
Working closely with ourselves as Deans, the Deputy Deans will play a key role in operationalising our strategic ambitions, ensuring that what we set out to achieve is realised in practice, across programmes, teams and student experiences. This means working closely with Programme Directors and academic colleagues to bring coherence, clarity and momentum to our academic portfolios.
The roles span a broad and influential remit: from teaching and learning strategies, curriculum development and quality assurance, to student progression, recruitment and cross-School collaboration. But more than this, they are about enabling our Schools to function at their best – connecting people, aligning priorities, and creating the conditions for both staff and students to do exceptional work.
These are also roles that require energy, judgement and presence. You will be working across three Colleges, engaging with a wide range of colleagues, and navigating the complexity that comes with scale, diversity and ambition. We are looking for individuals who are as comfortable dealing with operational detail as they are thinking strategically, and who bring a collaborative, enabling leadership style.
Just as importantly, these roles are about culture. We want to continue building environments that are inclusive, open and ambitious, where different perspectives are valued, where experimentation is encouraged, and where people feel supported to develop and succeed. The Deputy Deans will play a vital role in shaping that culture.
Both Schools are outward-looking and internationally connected, and we expect the Deputy Deans to contribute to that; representing the Schools, building partnerships and supporting the continued development of our global reputation.
Ultimately, these roles offer a rare opportunity: to help shape how two distinctive Schools operate and evolve, to work across a unique multi-College environment, and to play a meaningful part in how UAL continues to define the future of creative education.
If you are excited by the prospect of working at this intersection of strategy, creativity and operational leadership, we would be delighted to hear from you.
With best wishes,
Jayne Knowles
Dean, School of Art and Performance
Simon Maidment
Dean, School of Design
University of the Arts London
Please click here to view the Job Description and Person Specification
All applications must include:
- A full curriculum vitae/resume
- Quoting the relevant role reference number:
  - Deputy Dean for the School of Art & Performance - A041909
  - Deputy Dean for the School of Design - A041908
- A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job descriptions and the University of the Arts London that particularly attract you to the posts (Microsoft Word document)
- Contact details for two referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of two years employment)
- A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (which you will be redirected to once you have submitted your application)
Right to work checks
If you are successfully shortlisted, our partner, Yoti, will contact you to complete an online right to work check. This is a quick and secure process, ensuring that all necessary legal requirements are met before proceeding further in the recruitment process.
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and the the University of the Arts London’s objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and therefore we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. So that we can successfully achieve these aims, while it is not mandatory we would encourage every applicant to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring form” so that we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process and the information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion on these roles please contact:
Owen Francis, Director whose details can be found at the bottom of this microsite.
Candidate adjustment
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
Closing date: 20th May 2026
Interview panel: 3rd and 4th June 2026
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date(s). We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.