Academic Planning and Performance Manager

The Royal College of Art is the world’s leading university of art and design, renowned for its postgraduate education, research and creative innovation. We are seeking an experienced and highly analytical Academic Planning and Performance Manager to play a key role in strengthening institutional planning, performance monitoring and evidence-based decision-making across the College.

Reporting to the Academic Registrar, you will lead the development and delivery of the RCA’s academic planning and performance framework, ensuring that senior leaders have the reliable evidence, insight and analysis needed to make informed strategic and operational decisions.

Working collaboratively with colleagues across Academic Registry, Schools and professional services, including Finance, Recruitment, Data and Insight, and Technical Services, you will coordinate key planning cycles and ensure alignment between student number forecasts, admissions performance, academic portfolio development, resource requirements and institutional priorities.

You will lead the development of planning models, scenario forecasting and options analysis, translating complex quantitative and qualitative data into clear recommendations, reports, dashboards and committee papers. You will monitor student recruitment, enrolment, student outcomes and programme performance, identifying emerging risks, testing assumptions and constructively challenging senior colleagues where necessary.

A key aspect of the role will be supporting evidence-informed decisions on academic portfolio development, programme changes and resource planning, while establishing consistent planning methodologies, improving data quality and strengthening performance reporting across the College.

We are looking for someone with substantial experience of strategic planning, performance analysis or business planning, ideally within higher education or a similarly complex organisation. You will have strong analytical and modelling skills, the ability to interpret complex data and communicate findings clearly, and experience of preparing high-quality reports and recommendations for senior leaders and committees.

With excellent judgement, strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to influence and constructively challenge colleagues at all levels, you will bring a proactive, collaborative and solutions-focused approach to improving planning processes and supporting institutional performance.

This is an exciting opportunity to shape how the RCA plans for the future, strengthens its evidence base and monitors delivery of its strategic priorities.

If you are motivated by using data, insight and strategic planning to make a meaningful difference in a world-leading creative institution, we would love to hear from you.

Please see Information Pack for further details.

Closing for applications at 11.59pm on Sunday 29th November 2026

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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