At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the Built Environment subject, shaping academic direction and fostering industry partnerships.
- Company: The University of Derby, a modern university with a commitment to excellence.
- Benefits: 42 days annual leave, inclusive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a dynamic team dedicated to transforming lives through education and research.
- Why this job: Make a significant impact in education and research while driving sustainability and innovation.
- Qualifications: Proven academic leadership experience and deep understanding of the Built Environment.
The predicted salary is between 47000 - 131056 £ per year.
The University is seeking an outstanding and visionary academic leader to serve as Subject Lead for Built Environment within our dynamic new School Senior Management Team. This is a pivotal and highly influential leadership position that shapes the academic direction, culture, and performance of the subject while contributing to the strategic leadership of the wider College and University.
As Subject Lead, you will play a critical role in delivering our corporate ambitions through strong academic stewardship, people-centred leadership, and a clear focus on excellence across teaching, research, and industry engagement. You will work collaboratively and strategically with the Head of School, fellow Subject Leads, and central University functions to inspire staff, support students, and cultivate impactful external partnerships all underpinned by the University’s values and behaviours.
Derby’s proud heritage in construction, infrastructure, and rail provides an exceptional foundation for innovation in the Built Environment. The city’s forward-looking investment in zero-carbon research and partnerships with globally recognised industry leaders reflect the University’s position at the forefront of regional and national transformation.
In this role, you will exercise delegated leadership responsibility from the Head of School, including line management of academic staff and leadership of the subject’s performance and culture. You will provide clear, supportive, and constructive leadership that enables individuals and teams to thrive. Through active engagement in teaching, research, and scholarly activity, you will model excellence and maintain the highest standards of academic practice, ensuring outstanding student experience and graduate outcomes.
Beyond the core academic remit, you will drive strategic growth by identifying opportunities for industry collaboration, external income generation, curriculum innovation, and research development. You will lead horizon scanning, performance benchmarking, and external engagement initiatives that reinforce the subject’s relevance, agility, and long-term impact.
This is a rare opportunity for an ambitious and strategically minded leader to make a significant contribution to a College that delivers STEM solutions to some of the world’s most pressing challenges through education, research, and knowledge exchange.
About You
We are seeking a strategically astute, forward-thinking, and inspiring academic leader with a proven record of shaping high-performing teams and driving excellence across teaching, research, and applied industry engagement. You will bring a deep understanding of the Built Environment and its evolving alignment with societal needs, sustainability priorities, and industry demand.
You will demonstrate the ability to translate institutional ambitions into meaningful academic direction, creating clarity, championing innovation, and ensuring delivery through effective leadership and collaboration. Skilled at building trusted relationships internally and externally, you will recognise opportunities for industry partnership, applied research, and knowledge exchange that deliver impactful solutions and enhance the University’s regional and national contribution.
With significant experience in higher education teaching and academic leadership, you will also bring strong commercial acumen, including sound judgment in budget management, resource planning, and performance oversight. Committed to advancing personal research and scholarship, ideally with contributions aligned to REF, you will embody our values of inclusivity, ambition, and social mobility, championing a supportive environment where every learner can succeed.
Your leadership style will be collaborative, motivating, and people-focused, capable of cultivating high engagement, a strong sense of identity, and a positive, high-performing team culture.
About Us
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, achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research, and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023, making us one of the top universities in the country, recognised for our outstanding student experience and 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.
Benefits
In return, we offer generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days, inclusive of...
Subject Lead for Built Environment in London employer: University of Derby
The University of Derby is an excellent employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation in IT service delivery. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will have access to professional growth opportunities and a generous benefits package, all while contributing to a vibrant academic community dedicated to enhancing user systems and maintaining high security standards.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Subject Lead for Built Environment in London
✨Get Your Portfolio Game On Point
As an aspiring architect, your portfolio is your golden ticket. Make sure it's not just a collection of your best work, but tells a story about your design process and creative thought. Showcase a range of projects, from conceptual sketches to final renderings—think of it as a visual CV!
✨Slide into Networking Events
Architecture thrives on community connections, so keep an eye out for local architecture meetups, exhibitions, and lectures. These events are gold for meeting industry professionals, and who knows? You might just bump into someone from University of Derby who can give you the insider scoop on their hiring process!
✨Learn the Software Inside Out
Make sure you're up to speed with design software like AutoCAD, Revit, and SketchUp. Being able to discuss your proficiency during interviews can really set you apart. Plus, if you can mention particular projects where you’ve used them, you’ll demonstrate both skill and practical experience.
✨Refine Your Interview Skills
Interviews for architecture roles can get quite technical, so practice answering questions about your design process and decision-making strategies. Prepare for potential design challenges they might put forward in interviews—show them you can think on your feet and come up with innovative solutions!
We think you need these skills to ace Subject Lead for Built Environment in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Design Skills:Architecture is all about creativity and technical skills, so make sure your portfolio is front and centre! Include a range of your best projects, showcasing different styles and techniques. Don't forget to explain your design process and the challenges you overcame for each project – it gives hiring managers a glimpse into your thought process!
Tailor Your CV to Architecture:When putting together your CV, highlight relevant experience in architectural design software, like AutoCAD or Revit. Plus, if you have any internships or coursework that involved real-world projects, be sure to mention them. We want to see not just what you've done, but how it relates directly to this role at University of Derby!
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Your cover letter is your chance to express your passion for architecture and what drew you to University of Derby. Talk about specific projects or values of theirs you admire, and how you see yourself contributing to their team. We want to feel your enthusiasm – let it shine through your words!
Use Professional Terminology:Don't shy away from using industry-specific jargon that demonstrates your expertise! Terms like 'sustainability', 'scale', and 'aesthetics' can not only show your knowledge but also help you connect with the hiring team. Just ensure it's done in a way that's relatable and not overly technical, so we can see your passion clearly!
How to prepare for a job interview at University of Derby
✨Master the Technical Questions
In an architecture interview, be ready to tackle some technical questions about building codes, design principles, and software like AutoCAD or Revit. Brush up on your knowledge of materials and components, as you might even face scenarios to solve during the interview that showcase your problem-solving skills in real-time.
✨Bring Your Portfolio to Life
Your portfolio is your golden ticket! Make sure it not only showcases your best work but also highlights your design thinking process, from sketches to final outputs. During the interview, be prepared to discuss the projects in detail—what challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and what you learnt.
✨Demonstrate Your Passion for Sustainability
In today's architecture landscape, sustainability is key. Be sure to highlight any projects that involved eco-friendly designs or your understanding of sustainable practices. This will show that you’re not just familiar with the trends but are genuinely passionate about creating a better future through your designs.
✨Engage with Your Interviewers
Architecture is a collaborative field, so showing that you're a team player is essential. When conversing with the interviewers, actively listen and respond to their ideas. This isn’t just about you showing off your skills, but also about connecting and demonstrating how well you’d fit into their team at University of Derby.
