Provost (PRO001A)

Type of Contract: Substantive

About Us

Founded in 1495, the University of Aberdeen is Scotland’s third oldest university and the fifth oldest in the UK. Today, we are recognised as one of the country’s leading institutions, ranked 18th in the UK by the Guardian University Guide 2026 and 23rd by the Times/Sunday Times Good University Guide 2026. Our education is powered by world-class research in five interdisciplinary priority areas: Energy Transition; Social Inclusion and Cultural Diversity; Environment and Biodiversity; Data and AI; and Health, Nutrition and Wellbeing.

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional academic leader to join us as Provost to champion and drive academic excellence across all areas of our work. Reporting to the Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and working as a key member of the Senior Management Team, the Provost will play a central role in delivering the ambitions of our Aberdeen 2040 strategy.

The Provost will provide strategic and operational leadership to all Schools through the line-management of Heads of School, ensuring the delivery of high-quality education, an excellent student experience, and world-leading research and innovation. They will oversee School plans and budgets, support performance against institutional KPIs, and work collaboratively with colleagues across the University to embed a strong culture of excellence and accountability.

A key aspect of the role is providing executive leadership for strategic planning, including the ongoing development and monitoring of Aberdeen 2040 and oversight of the University’s strategic planning processes. This is a pivotal time to join Aberdeen. We have launched Adapting for Continued Success, a major University-wide transformation programme that will design and implement a new operating model to support our academic mission, strengthen long-term financial sustainability, and ensure we continue to evolve in response to the changing needs of our community and the wider world.

Alongside this, we are undertaking a Governance Efficiency Review covering Court, Senate, Senior Management and General Council, with the aim of delivering streamlined, effective governance that will enable the University to realise its long-term ambitions.

About you

We are seeking a forward-thinking academic leader with a strong record of achievement in education and/or research, substantial senior experience in developing and delivering academic strategy, and a proven ability to manage resources efficiently. The successful candidate will bring a performance-driven mindset, excellent interpersonal and communication skills, and the ability to influence and negotiate effectively at senior levels. They will have a deep understanding of the challenges facing the HE sector, strong judgement, and the ability to motivate and lead multi-disciplinary teams, while confidently delegating and empowering colleagues.

How to apply

This is an exceptional opportunity to play a defining role in shaping the future of one of the UK’s oldest and most ambitious universities. To find out more and apply, please click here or contact Nick Edwards  n.edwards@abdn.ac.uk for an informal discussion.

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