Head of Faculty

Shape the Future of Academic Excellence at dBs Institute

Role: Head of Faculty

Location: Bristol Campus (with cross-campus faculty leadership across Bristol, Manchester, and Plymouth)

Reports To: Executive Head of Learning, Teaching & Academic Quality

Are you a visionary academic leader with deep expertise in UK Higher Education quality standards, creative technology, and student success? dBs Institute is seeking a Head of Faculty to drive academic standards, quality enhancement, and outstanding student outcomes across our Bristol, Manchester, and Plymouth campuses.

Based at our vibrant Bristol campus, this dual-impact leadership role combines strategic oversight of our tri-campus faculty with direct operational responsibility as the Quality Lead for Bristol. You will empower academic teams, champion innovative pedagogy, and uphold the academic integrity of our courses.

• Direct and mentor Quality Leads in Manchester and Plymouth while line managing Bristol Course Leaders, building a unified, high-performing academic culture across all three sites.
• Oversee compliance with UK HE regulatory frameworks (OfS B conditions, UK Quality Code, FHEQ), manage external examiner processes, and ensure cross-campus consistency.
• Chair Assessment Boards, oversee academic integrity and misconduct cases, and ensure robust awarding processes within franchise arrangements.
• Set standards for Universal Design for Learning (UDL), drive curriculum enhancement, embedded employability, and adapt assessment design to meet the challenges of generative AI.
• Use data analytics to monitor continuation, attainment, and engagement, identifying academic risk early and collaborating with support teams to intervene effectively.

• Strong working knowledge of OfS B conditions, the UK Quality Code, FHEQ, and QAA subject benchmarks.
• Proven experience chairing Assessment Boards, managing external examining, and navigating franchise partner arrangements.
• Expertise in managing academic misconduct, extenuating circumstances, and reasonable adjustment procedures fairly and accurately.
• Ability to analyse continuation, attainment, and engagement data (including demographic breakdowns) to target risk.
• Track record in course action planning, external examiner responses, and leading academic audits to strict deadlines.
• Experience writing and revising modules aligned with FHEQ levels and validation requirements.
• Academic credibility within our core disciplines (Music Production, Sound Engineering, Composition, Sound Design, Music Business, or Games).
• Practical application of Universal Design for Learning and inclusive assessment strategies.
• Proficiency with VLEs, student records, and reporting tools used for board prep and engagement tracking.
• Understanding the implications of AI on assessment design and academic integrity.

• Ability to unite and lead teams spread across Bristol, Manchester, and Plymouth.
• Skilled at building strong relationships with Module Leaders, executive peers, university partners, and industry bodies.
• Ability to balance strategic faculty oversight with hands-on campus management against fixed quality cycle deadlines.
• Impartiality and consistency when handling complex casework and assessment decisions.
• Passion for developing staff through structured CPD, induction, and ongoing supervision.

No two days are identical, the shape of the role naturally follows the academic calendar. A typical day balances strategic tri-campus governance with hands-on campus engagement:

• Start by reviewing student engagement data at Bristol to spot risk early, agreeing intervention steps with Course Leaders and Student Support. Follow this with a virtual 1-to-1 with a Quality Lead in Manchester or Plymouth to review course action plans and development priorities.
• Chair a Bristol course management meeting, checking progress on marking turnarounds, moderation, and Assessment Board prep.
• Shift to strategic faculty initiatives, drafting responses to external examiner reports, designing upcoming faculty CPD on UDL or AI in assessment.
• End the day leading a stage-two attendance tutorial with a student at risk of withdrawal, working alongside Student Services to put support in place.

At key points in the year, your focus will adapt:
September centers on enrolment and induction, summer focuses on Assessment Boards and progression decisions, and open days/interviews run throughout…