Timetabling Manager

The Royal College of Art is seeking an experienced and forward-thinking Timetabling Manager to lead the delivery of all academic timetabling across our specialist creative arts environment. This pivotal role requires a sensitive, flexible, and solutions-focused approach to scheduling studio-based, workshop, seminar, and interdisciplinary activity—ensuring our world-leading postgraduate community receives accurate, timely, and well-coordinated timetables.

As the College’s lead timetabling professional, you will work collaboratively with academic, technical, research and professional services colleagues to enhance our timetabling and room-booking operations, supporting an excellent student and staff experience.

Key Responsibilities

You will provide proactive leadership for the central timetabling team, managing workloads, driving service improvements, and ensuring KPIs are met. Working in line with the College’s strategic objectives, you will lead change management initiatives to centralise and transform timetabling processes, chair college-wide meetings, and oversee an efficient annual cycle of timetable preparation and publication.

You will lead the creation and maintenance of all teaching timetables, ensuring alignment with curriculum structures and delivery models including studio teaching, tutorials, critiques, workshops and technical sessions. Using CELCAT, you will ensure timetabling data is accurate, responsive, and communicated effectively through digital platforms. Working closely with colleagues, you will resolve complex scheduling challenges involving specialist spaces, technician availability and visiting lecturers.

A key part of the role will involve space and resource planning across multiple sites. You will manage shared teaching spaces, support specialist studio and workshop scheduling, and liaise with Estates, Technical Services, and the Events and Exhibitions Feasibility Group to manage bookings equitably and in line with policy.

With strong data literacy, you will collect and analyse information on teaching delivery, space utilisation and workload, and work with IT Services to maintain and improve software functionality. You will act as a central point of contact for timetable queries, building strong relationships across the College and providing training and guidance to staff as required.

The role also carries a strong continuous-improvement focus. You will review and refine processes, keep abreast of sector best practice, influence software development, and ensure our systems remain efficient, inclusive, and reflective of the creative practices across Schools.

Person Specification

You will have substantial experience in academic timetabling, scheduling or operational planning in higher education, with a proven track record of service improvement. A confident leader, you will bring excellent organisational, analytical and communication skills, alongside the ability to manage complex data and competing deadlines. Experience of studio-based or practice-led delivery is essential, as is proficiency with specialist systems and Google Workspace. Experience with CELCAT, creative arts institutions, space planning, and training delivery is desirable.

This role closes for applications at 11.59pm on 2nd December 2025

RCA Benefits available here: https://www.rca.ac.uk/more/work-at-the-rca/staff-benefits/

The Royal College of Art (RCA)  aims to foster an inclusive culture which promotes equality, values diversity and maintains a working, learning and social environment in which the rights and dignity of all its staff and students and stakeholders are respected. 

We recognise the broad range of experiences that a diverse staff and student body brings and how this  strengthens our research and enhances our teaching. In order for RCA to remain a world-leading institution we are committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) principles throughout all of our processes, from application through to appointment.

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