Head of Research Culture and Policy

SOAS University of London is the leading Higher Education institution in Europe specialising in the study of Asia, Africa and the Near and Middle East.  SOAS University of London is positioned to play a leading role in reimagining higher education globally, with a new strategic plan in place as the basis for the renewal and revitalisation of the School which commits SOAS to both student responsiveness and research intensity. SOAS is moving towards a new model of international partnerships which is responsive to the transnational character of our global challenges.

About the Department:

The Research and Knowledge Exchange Directorate (RKED) is a growing team that manages the whole lifecycle of research and knowledge exchange activities at SOAS, from supporting researchers to applying for funding to generating research impact and commercialising new knowledge. Building on the success of our REF 2021 submission in which we were ranked 40^th for quality, we place research excellence and intensivity at the very heart of our institutional mission. The team support this goal by providing a high quality, frictionless service to academic colleagues, and supporting the delivery of outcomes and key performance indicators linked to the Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy.

About the Role

We are looking to appoint to this new role which will provide strategic leadership to grow the School’s emphasis on research excellence and a healthy, vibrant and inclusive research culture in line with the Research and Knowledge Exchange Strategy. You will be responsible for effective operational leadership and management of the following teams: research excellence; researcher skills development, research culture; research ethics and governance; open research; and research information and systems. You will set the strategic direction in these areas and work with senior colleagues across the institution.

You will be part of the Directorate’s executive team and will work closely with Heads of College to set ambition and determine priorities in relation to research excellence, culture, systems and research ethics across the School, with a particular focus on preparations for REF 2029 and adopting effective systems for managing a broad portfolio of research activities. You will lead through others to build a strategic and operational space for an inclusive and vibrant culture which develops and sustains equitable partnerships in line with SOAS’ vision, mission and strategy. 

You can find further information on the key criteria for the role in the Job Description and Person Specification, along with a full list of duties and responsibilities, which can be found on the SOAS website.

To apply, please click the 'Apply' button, above.

Closing date:  22 April 2024                

Interviews to be held: Wednesday 8 May 2024

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