Senior Lecturer & Programme Leader: Games Development, Design & Art

Launched in October 2022, the world-leading university-level institution dedicated to the global business of esports and gaming.

Our contemporary campus is set within the iconic Velodrome, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, London, surrounded by lush and relaxing gardens.

We are boutique in nature; totally focused on the student experience via our unique TRI-Curriculum resulting in higher contact time and committed to the wellness and development of staff and students. 

Reports To: Dean

Location: London Campus

Purpose of the Role

The Senior Lecturer & Programme Leader for Games Development, Design & Art provides academic and operational leadership for the College’s games focused programmes. The postholder ensures high-quality teaching, curriculum innovation, and strong student outcomes, while maintaining compliance with academic regulations and external benchmarks.

This role combines subject expertise with programme management, team leadership, and a commitment to delivering an outstanding student experience within a creative and industry aligned environment.

Key Responsibilities

• Academic Leadership
  • Lead the strategic and operational management of the Games Development, Design & Art programmes.
  • Ensure programmes remain current, industry aligned, and academically robust.
  • Act as the primary academic contact for the programme area, providing subject leadership and direction.
  • Contribute to the development of new modules, pathways, and curriculum enhancements.
• Teaching & Learning
  • Deliver high-quality teaching across modules in games development, design, art, or related creative disciplines.
  • Use innovative, inclusive, and industry relevant teaching methods.
  • Supervise student projects, portfolios, and practical work.
  • Provide academic support, guidance, and constructive feedback to students.
• Quality Assurance & Compliance
  • Ensure programmes comply with UCES academic regulations, OfS Conditions of Registration, and external benchmarks.
  • Lead programme reviews, validation processes, and continuous improvement activities.
  • Monitor assessment standards, moderation, and external examiner feedback.
  • Maintain accurate programme documentation and contribute to audit ready records.
• Student Experience & Engagement
  • Foster a positive, inclusive, and supportive learning environment.
  • Lead initiatives to enhance student engagement, retention, and progression.
  • Support student employability through industry aligned teaching, live briefs, and professional practice opportunities.
  • Respond to student queries, concerns, and feedback in a timely and professional manner.
• Industry & External Engagement
  • Lead the external presentation of the programme for student recruitment and Tri‑curriculum activity, ensuring a consistent, engaging, and professionally aligned representation of the provision across on‑site and off‑site events.
  • Build and maintain relationships with games studios, creative partners, industry professionals, and existing partners of strategic importance, exploring opportunities for collaboration, live briefs, guest speakers, and industry‑aligned projects.
  • Integrate real-world practice, guest speakers, and industry relevant content into the curriculum.
  • Promote the programme externally and contribute to recruitment, outreach, and open day activities.
• Programme Management
  • Lead programme team meetings and coordinate academic staff teaching on the programme.
  • Manage timetabling, assessment scheduling, and resource planning.
  • Contribute to workload planning and staff development within the programme area.
  • Support the Academic Board and relevant committees through reporting and documentation.
• Team Leadership, Management & Development
  • Provide day-to-day guidance for a small team of academic staff.
  • Coach and mentor team members to support their professional growth, teaching practice, and subject expertise.
  • Foster a collaborative, supportive, and high-performance team culture aligned with the UCES values.
  • Identify training needs and support staff in accessing CPD, industry engagement, and pedagogic development opportunities.
  • Model professional behaviours, inclusive practice, and a student-centred approach.
• Scholarly Activity, Research & Professional Practice
  • Engage in scholarly activity that informs teaching, curriculum development, and subject expertise.
  • Maintain an up-to‑-‑date understanding of developments in games, creative technologies, and pedagogic practice.
  • Contribute to applied research, industry focused projects, or ‑practice based‑ outputs relevant to games development, design, or digital art.
  • Participate in conferences, exhibitions, workshops, or professional networks to enhance the programme’s academic and industry profile.
  • Support a culture of continuous learning and reflective practice within the programme team.
  • Encourage and guide students in developing research informed and ‑practice led‑ approaches to their work.

Skills, Experience & Attributes

Essential

• Proven programme leadership experience within Higher Education or an equivalent professional training environment (e.g., programme management, curriculum leadership, or oversight of academic delivery).
• Strong academic or professional background in games development, games design, digital art, or related creative disciplines.
• Experience teaching in Higher Education or equivalent professional training environments.
• Understanding of curriculum design, assessment, and academic quality assurance.
• Experience leading or coordinating academic delivery or creative teams.
• Strong communication, organisation, and problem solving skills.
• Commitment to inclusive teaching and student success.
• Ability to coach, mentor, and support staff development.

Desirable

• Master’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience in OfS regulated environments or HE quality frameworks.
• Industry experience in games development, design, or digital art.
• Experience supervising student projects or portfolios.
• Familiarity with relevant software, engines, and creative tools (e.g., Unity, Unreal, Adobe Suite, Blender).

Values & Behaviours

The postholder is expected to model the University Campus of Esports values:

• Creativity and innovation
• Professionalism and accountability
• Inclusivity and respect
• Collaboration and shared purpose
• Student-centred decision making

Additional Information

• Occasional evening or weekend work may be required for events, exhibitions, or industry engagement.
• The role requires on‑site presence for teaching, student support, and programme leadership duties.

Please apply via email using the 'Apply' button above (e: careers@uces.ac.uk).