Principal Lecturer Learning and Teaching (Creative Arts)

Location: Carlisle - Brampton Road

Closing date: 23:59 hours BST on Wednesday 2^nd September 2026

Hours: 37 hours per week - 1.0 FTE

Contract: fixed (until 31/07/2027)

Expected interview date: Thursday 10^th September

Shape the future of Art, Design and Media education

We are seeking an exceptional academic leader to join the University of Cumbria as Principal Lecturer in Learning and Teaching (Creative Arts).

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and innovative educator to provide leadership across our Art, Design and Media provision, advancing excellence in curriculum development, learning and teaching, student experience and academic quality.

As a Principal Lecturer, you will play a pivotal role in shaping the future of creative education within the Faculty of Science, Environment, Education and Arts. You will work collaboratively with colleagues, students, industry partners and professional bodies to ensure our programmes remain innovative, inclusive, professionally relevant and academically challenging.

About you:

You will be an experienced academic leader with a proven record of enhancing learning and teaching within higher education. You will have significant people management experience and a proven ability to lead teams successfully through change, fostering a culture of collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement.

You will bring:

• A Master's degree and either a completed PhD or progress towards doctoral-level study.
• Significant experience of curriculum leadership and enhancement within Art and Design.
• Experience of supporting and developing colleagues and teams to achieve shared goals.
• Expertise in contemporary pedagogies and innovative approaches to creative education.
• A commitment to inclusive education and widening participation.
• Experience of applying scholarship, research and professional practice to enhance learning and teaching.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building and partnership-development skills.
• A commitment to helping students and colleagues succeed and flourish.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can demonstrate creativity, curiosity, ambition and the ability to work with others to deliver meaningful and sustainable change in higher education.

We are the University of Cumbria, for and from Cumbria and our localities, rooted in serving our communities, with people, place and partnership at our heart. 

Now is a very exciting time to be joining us because we are delivering a new "Towards 2030" strategic plan focused on making the most of our three most valuable assets; People, Place and Partnerships, to become a catalyst for economic well-being for our region, nationally and internationally. 

We are seeking innovative, creative, high-quality researchers, and scholars to foster a culture of exploration, discovery and intellectual challenge that generates international recognition, respect and engagement.

In return, the University offers an attractive benefits package including 35 days' annual leave plus bank holidays, 25 research and scholarly activity days, support for professional development, support to achieve Higher Education Academy/Advance HE accreditation, mentor provision in the first year of employment and opportunity for career development.

For more information about the University of Cumbria, click here. 

Informal enquiries:

Dr Sarah Bonner - Head of Teaching and Learning - sarah.bonner@cumbria.ac.uk

We encourage applications from the broadest range of society, including all under-represented groups with particular emphasis on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic candidates, who are currently under-represented in our University and in comparison, to the sector.

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