Deputy Director of Derby International Business School

About the University

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.

About Derby International Business School (DIBS)

Based in our state-of-the-art, £75 million Cavendish Building in the heart of Derby, Derby International Business School (DIBS) is not just educating future business leaders – we are shaping innovators, disruptors, and pioneers ready to thrive in a rapidly evolving world. As a globally connected, regionally grounded and impact-focused Business School, we are committed to empowering people and organisations through applied, industry-integrated business education.

Our diverse portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses spans disciplines including accounting, business management, international business, economics and finance, marketing, operations, supply chain and logistics, event management, and tourism management. Each programme is carefully designed to combine academic excellence with practical relevance.

Our curriculum is designed in partnership with leading organisations such as PwC, Rolls-Royce, and local enterprise hubs. Programmes are accredited by leading professional bodies including CIMA, ACCA, CIM and CIPD, alongside internationally recognised organisations such as EFMD and PRME.

The school is made up of the following discipline areas: Accounting, Economics and Finance; Business and Management; Executive Education and Enterprise Development; Marketing and Operations; Tourism and Hospitality.

About the Role

We are seeking an inspiring and ambitious academic leader to join Derby International Business School as Deputy Director.

Working closely with the Director and Senior Management Team, you will play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering the School's strategic ambitions. You will provide leadership across academic provision, research, enterprise, external engagement and business development, ensuring DIBS continues to deliver an outstanding experience for students and meaningful impact for employers, partners and communities.

You will lead and develop Heads of Discipline, Programme Leaders and academic teams, creating a culture of excellence, innovation and continuous improvement. You will drive the development of a future-focused portfolio, ensuring our programmes respond to employer demand, emerging market opportunities and changing student expectations.

The role will have significant responsibility for supporting student recruitment growth, enhancing academic quality and performance, strengthening research and knowledge exchange activity, developing new income streams, and expanding collaborative partnerships both within the UK and internationally.

As Deputy Director, you will also deputise for the Director as required and act as an influential ambassador for DIBS across the University and with external stakeholders.

Principal Accountabilities – Strategic Management

Actively contribute to the development and success of DIBS assuring the achievement of strategic targets including Institutional Success Measures, Performance Indicators and operational goals. Ensure DIBS is correctly positioned in the marketplace for the short and longer term with an appropriate portfolio including Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses, research and enterprise. Drive the development and delivery of sustainable growth plans for DIBS, including student recruitment, portfolio development and external engagement. Support the Director of DIBS to enhance and diversify the DIBS's revenue streams by developing and implementing innovative and sustainable third stream income targets and initiatives. Support and enable the development of new income-generating opportunities aligned to DIBS's strengths and market demand. Together with the senior leadership team, work to establish a thriving, innovative, and dynamic environment to position DIBS as the 'go-to' for business leaders and entrepreneurs.

Principal Accountabilities – Academic Leadership

Lead the Heads of Discipline and Programme Leaders to form a strong leadership team for DIBS. Lead the academic and curricula development for DIBS, identifying trends in student demand, anticipating emerging requirements and ensuring the promotion of employability, enterprise and inclusion across programmes. Use knowledge of the market to assess critically the future horizon to deliver academic curricula that inspires and challenges students. Lead the development of teaching to ensure that DIBS delivers TEF Gold standard teaching, leading to outstanding learning and assessment practice. Develop metrics to deliver the rankings set for DIBS in areas such as TEF, REF, PTES, PRES, DLHE/LEO, NSS and other key performance indicators. Drive compliance with institutional performance expectations within the HE sector e.g., the OfS, Designated Quality Body. Lead the Discipline level relationship with DIBS's collaborative partners. Create an environment where all staff are expected to share good practice. Establish and deliver necessary business development for DIBS identifying and responding to local and regional needs. Develop and sustain effective working relationships with external partners, including industry, professional bodies and academic collaborators. Embed the University's core values with specific emphasis on academic quality and social opportunity. Develop and foster academic research and scholarship within DIBS to inform the curricula as well as appropriate knowledge transfer activities. Create, deliver and continuously monitor objectives to demonstrate that the work of DIBS has measurable external impact. Take responsibility for all collaborative partnerships linked to DIBS.

Principal Accountabilities – Management

Provide a collaborative leadership approach which is inclusive of professional services and cross-discipline working. Create and deliver measures and plans to deliver effective communication with staff across DIBS. Agree and achieve DIBS targets and objectives, using management information and active performance management. Ensure effective delivery of growth targets through robust operational planning and performance monitoring.

Person Specification – Essential Criteria

Qualifications: Hold a doctorate in an academic discipline relevant to the Derby International Business School or have extensive equivalent professional experience. Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) with aim of achieving Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy within 3 years of commencement date in post (if not already SF-HEA). Relevant professional qualification/membership of a professional body.

Experience: Significant management experience in an HE institution of a similar or larger size. Successful experience of using effective leadership and management competencies to create a high performing team. Delivery of outstanding learning, teaching and assessment practice, reflected in metrics and rankings such as TEF, REF, PTES, PRES, DLHE/LEO and NSS. Successful experience of performance management, monitoring against agreed targets in a supportive environment. Demonstrable experience gained through industry employment. Experience of building capacity and capability of staff in relation to scholarship and research. Evidence of sustained personal track-record of research and scholarship.

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities: Knowledge and use of quality assurance and enhancement policies and procedures. Highly regarded academic and people leader with a proven ability to deliver through people. Self-confident and resilient with well-developed influencing and persuasion skills. Enhanced negotiation skills. Proven ability to develop and leverage strategic partnerships with employers, professional bodies and external stakeholders. Well-developed verbal and written communication skills, including report writing. Strong business skills and commercial acumen and ability to manage budgets. Good analytical and critical thinking skills. Ability to enable and gain commitment to organisational change. Flexible and adaptable, willing to challenge, innovate and change the orthodox. A commitment to live and promote the University core values.

Business Requirements: Evidence of Continuing Professional Development. Evening and weekend working including open days and applicant visit days. Overseas/overnight business travel.

Desirable Criteria: Experience of undertaking successful bids for external funding. Successful development of international collaborations, recruitment of international students and internationalisation of the curricula. Experience of successful inter-disciplinary developments.

Benefits

Generous annual leave entitlement of 42 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata). Teacher's Pension Scheme. Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme. Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers. Discounted onsite gym. Access to employer-funded Private Health Insurance. Holiday purchase. Cycle to Work scheme. A flexible working environment. A commitment to personal and professional development.