Faculty Dean and Professor

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Faculty Dean and Professor

Full-Time, on-site working across the Egham and Central London campuses as required

Royal Holloway, University of London is seeking an outstanding academic leader to join us as Faculty Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences at an important point in the University's development.  The Faculty Dean appointment will be for a period of 5 years with possible extension as set out on on the job description.  At the end of the Faculty Dean position the successful candidate will take up a Professorial post.

This is an opportunity to provide visible, confident and purposeful leadership to a diverse academic community while playing a key role in the strategic leadership of Royal Holloway. 

The Faculty Dean will contribute to institution-wide decision-making and share responsibility for delivering the ambitions of our RH2030s strategy. They will provide academic leadership that drives excellence in education, student experience, and research and knowledge exchange and promote the development of the Faculty and its people, ensuring the effective and efficient use of resources within the framework of the University's strategic priorities and policies. 

A central aspect of the role is the leadership and development of the Faculty's Executive team. Working closely with Heads of Department, Associate Deans and the Head of Faculty Operations, the Faculty Dean will provide direction and support, helping colleagues to succeed in their roles and fostering a consistent, high-performing leadership culture across the Faculty. The successful candidate will be comfortable operating in a complex environment, building trust and collaboration while making sound judgements and addressing issues where improvement is required. 

The Faculty Dean will play a leading role in embedding the University's new academic structures and translating them into effective ways of working. Working across departments and disciplines, they will strengthen collaboration, enhance organisational effectiveness and maintain a clear focus on academic performance and delivery against the University's agreed Strategic Performance Indicators and Key Performance Indicators. 

The role will also be pivotal in supporting the Faculty's ongoing transformation and future development. This includes contributing to the Portfolio Review, supporting growth in research income and knowledge exchange activity, helping to simplify processes and systems, and shaping the future direction of the University's Central London offer. 

As the principal advocate for the Faculty, the Faculty Dean will represent its interests across the University and develop external relationships and partnerships that enhance its profile, reputation and impact. The successful candidate will help create the conditions in which departments, disciplines and colleagues can thrive, ensuring the Faculty makes a significant contribution to the University's ambitions and future success. 

We welcome applications from experienced academic leaders who can bring strategic vision, sound judgement and a commitment to enabling colleagues and students to succeed.

In return we offer a highly competitive rewards and benefits package including:

The post is based in Egham, Surrey, where the University is situated in a beautiful, leafy campus near to Windsor Great Park and within commuting distance from London. 

For an informal discussion about the post, please contact Laura Thomas on laura.thomas@rhul.ac.uk or +44 (0)1784 276171 to arrange a meeting with Prof Tracy Bhamra, Provost & Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Global).

For queries on the application process the Human Resources Department can be contacted by email at recruitment@rhul.ac.uk

Please quote the reference: 0826-287

Closing Date: 23:59, Thursday 17 September 2026

Stakeholder Panels: Monday 12 October 2026

Interview Date: Tuesday 13 October 2026

This position is not eligible for hybrid working.

Royal Holloway is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI), and encourages applications from all people regardless of age, disability, gender, marital status, parental status, race, religion or belief, sexual orientation, or trans status or history. More information on our structures and initiatives around EDI, including information on staff diversity networks, can be found on our Equality and Diversity Intranet page.