Subject Lead for Built Environment

Head of School of Engineering and Built Environment

£59,688 to £74,610 per annum (For exceptional performers, there is scope for further progression up to £85,802 per annum)

Onsite
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.

We have one simple promise - to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 - making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

Here at the University of Derby, the College of Science and Engineering is the home of STEM: the skills that are essential to the UK's Industrial Strategy. From digitisation to decarbonisation, we have an important role to play in shaping the future. And by researching or collaborating with us, you can too.

The College brings together a powerful combination of scientific expertise, technological innovation, and creative practice. With disciplines spanning computing, AI, data science, engineering, environmental sciences, built environments and psychology - we are uniquely positioned to solve real-world challenges through interdisciplinary collaboration.

Our courses are designed with employability and future industry needs in mind, supported by cutting edge facilities, strong employer partnerships, and a commitment to sustainability. Through applied research and hands on learning, we equip students and staff to drive progress in areas that matter most; from smart technology to clean energy, advanced manufacturing to immersive design.

School of Engineering and Built Environment

The School of Engineering and Built Environment at the University of Derby is a dynamic and future focused academic community that blends technical excellence with creative innovation. It offers a wide range of programmes across engineering, architecture, construction, and design, preparing students to tackle global challenges in sustainability, infrastructure, and the built environment.

The School is home to research active academics with backgrounds in engineering, architecture, interior design, and construction. Our staff bring real world experience and academic rigour to the classroom, supporting students in developing both creative portfolios and technical competencies.

The discipline area is located in the University's STEM annex in Markeaton Street, where staff offices and lab facilities are co located. Key investments in the last few years include dedicated intelligent instrumentation and smart sensor technologies, robotics, renewable energy, power engineering and advanced materials and manufacturing. The discipline area is actively engaged in knowledge exchange projects and has an active applied research agenda.

The University is seeking an exceptional academic leader to take on the role of Subject Lead for Built Environment within our vibrant new School Senior Management Team. This is a pivotal leadership position, responsible for the overall success of the Subject, contributing to the wider leadership of the College and University, and ensuring that corporate and strategic aims are met.

The successful candidate will bring subject expertise and a strong focus on research, teaching, and industry engagement in the Built Environment. They will work proactively with the Head of School, other Subject Leads, and central University units to support and develop staff, students, and partners in alignment with the University's values and behaviours.

Derby has a rich heritage in construction, infrastructure, and rail, reflected in many of the School's areas of expertise. The city's investment in zero carbon research and its partnerships with internationally leading industries highlight the University's role in driving innovation and shaping future talent.

As Subject Lead, you will have devolved responsibility from the Head of School for the line management of staff, providing strong, supportive, and challenging leadership to maximise people potential and engagement across academic activities. You will maintain high standards in teaching, learning, and assessment, lead by example through active engagement in teaching, research, and scholarship, and ensure excellence in student experience and success. You will also initiate and encourage professional and industrial engagement to enhance academic enterprise, undertake sector horizon scanning, benchmark performance, and identify new opportunities for collaboration and growth.

This is a unique opportunity to make a critical contribution to a College that delivers STEM solutions to pressing national and global challenges through education, research, and knowledge exchange.

Interviews will take place on: Thursday 8 th January 2026

Conferment of an Associate Professor/Professorial title can be considered along with this role.

We are seeking a strategically astute and engaging academic leader with a proven track record in industry collaboration, effective management, and driving excellence across education and research. The ideal candidate will bring a deep understanding of how Built Environment disciplines align with societal needs and market dynamics, and will translate strategic aims into impactful academic delivery.

You will foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement, recognising opportunities for external partnerships and knowledge exchange to deliver real world impact and solutions to some of society's most pressing challenges. With significant experience in higher education teaching and academic leadership, you will also demonstrate strong commercial acumen, including budget management and financial oversight.

Committed to maintaining personal research and scholarship, ideally contributing to REF, you will share our values of inclusivity and social mobility, ensuring all learners thrive within a vibrant academic community. A collaborative and inspiring leadership style will be key to building high staff engagement and a positive team spirit.

• Provide strong, inspiring and collaborative leadership, create a positive team spirit, maximise people potential and engagement across the Subject area and wider University, so as to foster a vibrant and innovative academic community.
• Enhance the full range of academic activities in the Subject area, including teaching and learning, impactful research, professional development, industry engagement academic enterprise and scholarly activity.
• Undertake sector horizon scanning and benchmarking performance against competitors to enhance the strength and performance of the Subject area.
• Lead the Subject area(s) in achieving the highest standards within TEF, NSS, PTES and PRES by addressing all aspects of academic quality and the development of learning and teaching practices that address relevant issues.
• Cultivate the academic development, review and teaching of programme provision within the Subject area(s).
• Actively foster collaborative relationships with the Registry and other Professional Support Service Departments to ensure the needs of the Subject areas within the College/School are being supported.
• To lead teams and activities to ensure a challenging and supported student experience which inspires them to achieve academically to their highest potential.
• Take the lead in ensuring the professional accreditation of programmes is achieved in the Subject area(s) where appropriate.
• Ensure the commitment to, and development of, academic enterprise, collaborative partnerships, and consultancy and commercial activities and manage these within staff workloads.
• Promote and embed the University's core values with specific emphasis on quality, employability, and social mobility.
• Represent the Subject area or College/School externally as necessary.
• Actively contribute to the School Leadership Team to provide effective academic leadership.

Management

• Lead by example in ensuring staff work collegially in the College/School and engage with University-wide Departments and activities to achieve College/School and University objectives.
• Manage and support staff within the Subject with respect to academic workload planning, undertaking development and performance reviews, coaching and mentoring as required.
• Utilise management information to monitor achievement of objectives, setting clear performance targets and addressing issues of underperformance in an objective and supportive manner when necessary.
• Work proactively with the Head of School to ensure the effective planning and management of resources within an agreed budget and engage with College planning and budgeting.
• Engage in UK and International student recruitment activities by working effectively with recruitment and marketing colleagues to develop the profile of the Subject including its promotion through marketing and the media.
. click apply for full job details