Vice Principal (Academic) in London

With a mission to provide an environment where creativity is nurtured, innovation is encouraged, and sustainability is practiced, for more than two decades the British Academy of Jewellery has been providing pioneering training and inspiration to the next generation of jewellers, entrepreneurs and creatives of all abilities and backgrounds in London, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, and Leicester. During this time, we have grown from a small school set up beneath a jewellery shop to a respected, world-class institution offering accredited courses.

With a new Principal and Board of Governors, the Academy has a reinvigorated sense of purpose and is entering an exciting new stage in its development. With plans to diversify our academic offer and grow our student community, we are seeking to make several new critical leadership appointments to strengthen our Executive team and deliver on our ambitions.

As our new Vice Principal (Academic), you will play a crucial role in leadership of the Academy, working closely with the Principal and other management; and have specific responsibility for managing academic functions and fostering a positive learning environment contributing to the overall development and success of both students and staff.

You will provide leadership of the highest quality to grow both higher and further education activities at BAJ, accelerating work that enhances key elements of teaching and learning activities and designed to ensure that students receive a consistently excellent education in a rewarding and enriching environment. Responsible for delivering academic growth across both FE and HE programmes, you will develop a strategy and attractive portfolio that meets the BAJ corporate objectives and the exacting needs of its industry partners and stakeholders.

Raising the BAJ profile based from London, you will also be expected to spend significant time in other academy sites in Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham and Sheffield to deliver the academy's ambitions for growth.

To apply you will be able to demonstrate academic management experience in an institution that offers HE provision and with a proven track record of developing successful programmes centred around teaching and learning excellence. With recent teaching experience you will hold a relevant postgraduate qualification, be able to evidence continuous professional development and the possibility of achieving senior Fellowship of the HEA. Experience of developing new programmes and a detailed understanding of UK regulatory, governance or compliance in HE and FE will also be important in this developmental leadership role. With a commitment to the student experience, you will also be a supportive leader and an innovator for positive change.

This is a great time to join BAJ and a fantastic opportunity to shape our academic strategy and student experience for generations to come.

For an informal conversation please contact Alan Walter at alan@dixonwalter.co.uk. Applications should be made via email to alan@dixonwalter.co.uk and must include on separate documents:

• a letter of application setting out your interest in the role and details of how you match the person specification
• a comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV)
• details of three referees and notice period (referees will not be contacted without your permission)
• a completed Personal Details Form (available above)

Closing date for applications is 5pm, Friday 12th December 2025. Longlist interviews will be held with Dixon Walter via Microsoft Teams week commencing 12 and 19 January 2026. Final interviews will take place on campus on a date to be determined – watch this space.

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