Vice-Provost - College of Engineering and Physical Sciences

Job description / Role

The University of Birmingham Dubai is seeking to appoint a Vice-Provost, reporting both to the Dubai Provost and to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Head of College of Engineering and Physical Sciences of the University of Birmingham. The role of the Dubai Vice-Provost is to provide support to the leadership of the campus in specific subject areas and thematic priorities and to enhance cross-campus collaboration.

We are seeking an outstanding candidate who will provide significant strategic leadership which will positively enhance the profile of the institution in Dubai.

Main Duties

Providing intellectual and academic leadership to the University of Birmingham Dubai across the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences.
Providing academic leadership to one of two policy areas for the University of Birmingham Dubai – Learning and Teaching, or Research.
Supporting the delivery of the University’s vision for the Dubai campus, including the development of strategic relationships and partnerships, and of new income-generating opportunities.
Supporting the development of leadership skills and capacity at the University of Birmingham Dubai.
Representing the University as required and appropriate, particularly but not only within the UAE and the GCC region.
Fostering an inclusive culture so that all communities within the Dubai campus feel fully engaged.

Relationships
Dubai Provost and Dubai Chief Operating Officer – on a day-to-day basis, the post holder will report primarily to the Dubai Provost and work closely with the Dubai Chief Operating Officer. The Vice-Provost will be a member of the Dubai campus Senior Management Team.
College Pro-Vice-Chancellor – the post holder will also report to the Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Engineering and Physical Sciences.
Thematic Pro-Vice-Chancellors for Education, Research and Knowledge Transfer, and International – with regards to the policy areas above, the post holder will work closely with the University’s thematic PVCs.
The Vice-Provost will act as line manager for the relevant Dubai Heads of Subject Group (Computer Science and Engineering), and they will work with Heads of Schools in their respective Colleges.

Requirements

The successful candidate will demonstrate significant leadership experience within a higher education institution, have a successful track record of building effective, long-term relationships and networks alongside a commitment to world-class pedagogy and/or research, and an internationally recognized contribution to scholarship. The post holder will be expected to have an excellent reputation for delivery in enterprise, engagement and impact which has had a major influence in the disciplinary area.

You will embody the values and culture of the University of Birmingham, possess a global outlook and the cultural competency to thrive in a diverse community, with the desire to positively and proactively engage with the local agenda.

Specific experience and achievements should include:

A significant academic track record with distinction in research and teaching in Computer Science
Significant experience of working in a large and complex organisation at a senior leadership level.
A track record of managing change in a complex and culturally sensitive environment.
Familiarity with the international higher education agenda.
Commitment to the promotion of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion opportunities
The post holder should also be able to demonstrate:

The ability to think strategically and develop a clear plan for the development of their College portfolio of activity within the Dubai campus, maximising the benefits of cross-campus collaboration and regional networks.
Outstanding interpersonal and wider communication skills.
A truly global outlook and the ability to represent the University externally.

Further details
The substantive post is based full-time in Dubai and is on standard University of Birmingham Dubai ten-year contractual terms and conditions, at Professorial level. The expectation is that the leadership component of the Vice-Provost role will account for the majority of workload, with the remainder to be allocated to research and teaching over this period. The Vice-Provost role is for four years in the first instance, with the option of either renewal or reversion to a Professorial position without Vice-Provost responsibilities.

About the Company

The University of Birmingham Dubai offers a unique opportunity for innovative and creative Academics and Professional Service Staff to be involved in building a sector leading teaching and research environment that is synonymous with a truly global and forward thinking University.

Already recognised as one of the world's top 100 universities across the globe, this latest phase in the University of Birmingham’s global expansion builds on the University’s international teaching activities in Singapore and China, and its extensive international research collaborations.

Over the next twelve months, then expanding thereafter, we will be looking for new staff to join our already talented and committed Academic and Professional Services staff in ensuring that our campus in Dubai is open and ready for a new intake of students by September 2018. A number of new opportunities will become available in the areas detailed below.

Our ambition is to grow the University of Birmingham Dubai to around 4,500 students studying on a full range of programmes; and to establish an active programme of research.