Head of School - STEM

Employment Details

• Salary: £83,000 – £88,000 per annum
• Employment type:
  
  Permanent
• Hours per week: 37
• Reporting into:
  Dean of Faculty of Social Sciences and Technology (FoSST)
• Department: STEM
• Remote working arrangement with little to no travel

Reporting to the Dean, you will provide strategic and academic leadership across a diverse portfolio encompassing computing, engineering, AI and advanced digital technologies.

• Drive outstanding student experience, outcomes and academic quality.
• Lead and inspire Heads of Department and academic teams.
• Shape innovative, AI‑enabled curricula and authentic assessment.
• Champion research, scholarship and knowledge exchange.
• Build strong relationships with employers, professional bodies and external stakeholders.
• Deliver sustainable growth and manage School performance and resources.
• Position the School as a recognised leader in flexible, work‑compatible engineering and technology education.

The role combines academic leadership with entrepreneurial thinking and offers the opportunity to influence the future of engineering and AI education in response to significant national skills priorities and the introduction of the Lifelong Learning Entitlement.

We are seeking an exceptional and visionary academic leader to become Head of School – STEM. This pivotal appointment will shape the next phase of the School’s development, establishing a distinctive, future‑focused model of engineering and advanced technology education that is digitally mediated, AI‑integrated, modular and employer‑aligned.

• A PhD or equivalent doctoral qualification in engineering, AI, digital technology or a closely related discipline.
• A recognised higher education teaching qualification and/or Fellowship.
• A strong track record of leading high‑performing academic teams.
• Experience of delivering successful academic portfolios and driving student outcomes.
• Expertise across engineering, computing, AI, robotics or advanced technologies.
• Strong commercial awareness, including experience of budget and resource management.
• The ability to build effective relationships with employers, industry and external stakeholders.
• A passion for innovation and AI‑integrated education.

• Chartered Engineer (CEng) status.
• Active engagement with professional bodies such as IET, IMechE, BCS or RAEng.
• Experience of cross‑disciplinary academic leadership spanning engineering and AI.
• Experience gained within industry, SMEs or entrepreneurial environments.

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays on‑top, and even a Christmas closure.
• A generous Aviva pension plan, company contributions starting from 7%.
• BUPA Cash Plan.
• Private Medical Insurance coverage (applies to certain job roles).
• Access to Perkbox benefits.
• Study any Arden course for free, with a discount for all family and friends.
• Other excellent benefits.
• Our “Golden Ticket” allowing you to gift anyone a free Arden education.

Arden University is a Disability Confident Employer. If you have a disability as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010 and meet the essential criteria, you may be guaranteed an interview. You can indicate your eligibility via the application form; by doing so you consent for this information to be shared with the hiring team.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. We ensure that our recruitment and selection processes never discriminate based on age, disability, gender, race, ethnicity, religion, belief, sexual orientation or other personal circumstances, and we actively welcome applications from all groups.

Some roles may not meet the points requirement for a sponsored Skilled Worker visa or the criteria we have for providing sponsorship. We welcome applications from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK but may be eligible for a visa through an alternative route.

Sunday 5th July 2026