Head of School - Foundation Degrees (FdA and FdSC)

Salary: £78,000

Employment type: Permanent

Hours per week: 37

Reporting into: Director of Academic Persistence

Department: Academic Persistence

Read the full job description and view our excellent benefits here.

This role operates on a hybrid working arrangement that will require regular travel into our UK locations listed below when required. Travel each week will fluctuate in line with business requirements. Our working model arrangements are a non-contractual benefit so please note that an Arden work location is added to our employment contracts.

Travel will be required into the following locations:

• Coventry head office
• Birmingham campus
• Leeds campus
• Nottingham campus
• Manchester campus
• London area (Stratford, Holborn & Ealing)
• Newcastle campus

About Arden University:

We are an aspirational and multi-award-winning university, delivering rapid growth with ambitious plans to disrupt the HE sector through our passion for innovation and digital education. Our vision is to become the first-choice university for career-focused lifelong learners worldwide, ensuring that everyone, everywhere can access higher education.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Arden University, as we expand into new disciplines, forge worldwide partnerships, and expand our locations.

About our School:

Arden University launched its new Foundation Degrees (three programmes in Business, Health and Care Management and Computing) in September 2025. These programmes are designed to provide a vocational and work-based learning experience, tailored to meet the needs of widening participation (WP) and disadvantaged student groups. The Foundation Degrees aim to bridge the gap between education and employment, equipping students with practical skills and real-world experience. With a strong emphasis on inclusivity and employability, Arden's approach supports learners from diverse backgrounds, offering flexible pathways into higher education and future careers.

The new School of Foundation Degrees is located in the Centre for Academic Persistence, a newly formed centre in 2024 which plays a pivotal role in guiding students through their journey. The Centre delivers a suite of strategic initiatives including Foundation Year programmes, CertHE support, 'On Track' progression and resit support, and leads the university-wide orientation events for all new Blended Learning and Distance Learning student. Arden is passionate about helping students realise their potential, and this new offering reflects its commitment to inclusive education, student success, and social mobility.

About the Opportunity:

The Head of the School of Foundation Degrees is responsible for the three Foundation Degrees we have in the university. The Head of School will be required to help drive student outcomes across the multiple versions of the Foundation Degree (in FdA Business & Innovation, FdSc Health and Care Management and FdSc Computing & Digital Futures) and deliver impact in key areas that support the strategic development of the Centre.

The Head of School will provide academic leadership within the school and line manage the relevant Head of Departments(s) and potentially other members of the academic team. They will be accountable for recruitment of outstanding academic staff to the various departments.

They will drive outstanding quality features within Student Experience including teaching, feedback, and assessment practices, course content and delivery. They will also look to achieve fantastic student outcomes, measured across rates continuation and completion for learners as well as setting tailored departmental targets for Head of Departments to achieve outstanding student progression.

About You

Key skills / experience:

• Masters' level and/or Professional qualification relevant to the School.
• Recognised HE teaching qualification and/or Fellowship (e.g.: PG Cert HE, SFHEA, PFHEA QTLS/QTS Secondary).
• A clear vision of academic excellence within the ethos of the school.
• Up-to-date knowledge of current trends and policy within field of academic skills in higher education
• A successful track record of leading academic portfolios at different levels/modes of study, ensuring relevant portfolios deliver high levels of Student Experience and Student Outcomes (TEF metrics), as well as Student Satisfaction (internal and external surveys)
• Proven track record in leadership and people management skills, encompassing managing high-performance professionals, team building, direction setting and change management.
• Experience of successful budget and resource management including P&L responsibilities.
• In-depth understanding of the professional development market within the overarching school portfolio.
• Established professional and external networks and experience of effective collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Proven experience of building strong relationships and engaging productively with a diverse range of stakeholders in the public, private, corporate, and voluntary sectors.
• Credibility in a relevant academic discipline. A track record of scholarly work, consultancy and/or relevant professional experience at an appropriate level
• Experience of working outside the HE sector in a corporate, SME or entrepreneurial environment, in an area relevant to the School.
• A demonstrable understanding of the way big data and digital technologies are impacting upon the sectors and industries relevant to the School.
• In-depth understanding of the current challenges to the HE sector and how these can be addressed in the context of the School.

Desirable Skills / Experience:

• A PhD or other Level 7 qualifications
• Management training/qualification demonstrating the ability to lead others.

Why Arden:

At Arden, you will become a part of a passionate and dedicated team who are committed to removing unnecessary barriers to learning and making education more accessible. Our people work hard to ensure our students journeys are the best they can possibly be, as such we want to reward our people with fantastic benefits. Employees benefit from:

• 30 days holiday + bank holidays on-top, and even a Christmas closure!
• A generous Aviva pension plan, company contributions starting from 7%
• SimplyHealth plan option
• Private Medical Insurance coverage (applies to certain job roles)
• Access to Perkbox benefits
• Study any Arden course for free, with a discount for all family and friends
• Plus, other excellent benefits
• Our Golden Ticket which allows you to gift anyone in your life a free Arden education

Our Values:

Stand out, Progressive, Accessible, Resourceful, Kindness, reflect who we are as an institution, a team and as individuals. If they also reflect you and you are excited by the chance to be the driving, creative force within a growing business, we want to hear from you.

There has never been a more exciting time to join Arden University, as we expand into new disciplines and locations.

Closing Date: Friday 20th February

Interviews expected in early March and will include a 2-stage process.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy before the specified closing date should we receive sufficient applications or in order to respond to business needs. In order to avoid missing an opportunity to apply please submit your application as early as possible.

If you are a current Arden student or have an upcoming course with us, you are not eligible to apply for Student Experience roles due to a conflict of interest related to system access.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion:

Arden University is proud to be a Disability Confident Employer. This means that if you have a disability, as defined by the Disability Equality Act 2010, you may be guaranteed an interview if you meet the essential criteria for the role.

If you wish to be considered under this scheme, you can indicate via the application form below. By doing so, you are also consenting for this information to be shared with the hiring team. For more details on what qualifies as a disability under the Disability Equality Act 2010, please refer to the guidance here.

As an Equal Opportunity Employer we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace. Therefore, we make sure that our recruitment and selection processes never discriminate based upon people's age, disability, gender, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or other personal circumstances, and actively welcome applications from all groups.

Sponsorship statement: Please be aware that some roles may not meet the points requirement for a sponsored Skilled Worker visa under the points-based immigration system. However, we welcome applications from candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK but may be eligible for a visa through an alternative route.