Head of Faculty in Bristol

Bristol Full-Time On-site

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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.

What You Will Do

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.

Person Specification: Knowledge & Experience

We are looking for candidates who possess:

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.

Key Behaviours & Core Competencies

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.

A Day in the Life of the Head of Faculty

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 the recruitment cycle.

Who is dBs Institute?

dBs Institute is on a relentless mission to empower creative people by providing the experience, education and opportunities needed to pursue a life in the creative industries. For 25 years we’ve been focused on providing an exceptional educational experience that equips you with the technical skills, theoretical knowledge, and entrepreneurial mindset needed to succeed in a constantly evolving industry. Our goal is to empower you to think critically, approach your work with curiosity, experiment, and take risks to push the boundaries of creative technology.
We're big believers that innovation flourishes in a community that's diverse and collaborative. That's why we're dedicated to creating an environment that celebrates and supports a wide range of voices and perspectives. We encourage creativity and the sharing of ideas; a space where everyone is valued and treated with respect, where every member of our community has the opportunity to contribute their unique talents and ideas.

dBs Institute was acquired by Access Creative College (ACC), formerly known as Access to Music, who were founded in 1992. dBs Institute, as such are part of Access Education Group which boasts 32 campuses nationwide with over 5,000 students & apprentices across ACC, Access Sport College and Access Industry. This allows for a perfect synergy in offering end-to-end post-16 education in the creative industries which allow us to continue making a real difference in the lives of our students.

What we offer?

Generous Holiday Allocation
Wellbeing Benefits: Health Cash Plan, Doctorline GP Service, Employee Assistance Programme, Access to Counselling and Cycle to Work
Staff Discounts & Benefits: access to Accolade, our benefits platform which offers discounts at over 800 retailers!
Paid Leave:Enhanced Maternity, Paternity and Sick pay.

A full job description and person specification is available for download alongside our full benefits booklet.

Diversity and open expression are fundamental to creativity. We are committed to promoting a culture of diversity and inclusivity for all our employees and potential employees.

DBS Checks: Enhanced DBS clearance will be required.

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