Job Description

LCCA is a forward-thinking institution offering a diverse range of programmes. Our approach places students at the centre of a modern, flexible, and practical learning experience designed to meet both academic and personal aspirations.


As an Associate Dean of Social Sciences, you will play a key leadership role in overseeing both academic and administrative functions across the Business and Hospitality departments. Your work will be central to delivering our student-focused vision, ensuring high-quality teaching, excellent student outcomes, and continuous enhancement of our programmes. With experience in managing social science programmes and leading diverse academic teams, you will support our mission to empower students from widening participation backgrounds to succeed professionally and personally.


Your responsibilities will include driving curriculum development, maintaining high standards in teaching and learning, and fostering collaboration with both internal teams and external partners. You will be expected to stay informed on the latest developments in pedagogic theory and UK higher education policy, ensuring best practice is embedded across your department.


You will have a relevant profile, professional achievements, and proven expertise in the practical aspects of the subjects along with excellent industry connections.


You will oversee the implementation of strategic initiatives in learning, teaching and play a key role in further enhancing our brand reputation and awareness. On a day-to-day level you will show leadership, direct operations, develop colleagues and grow the department. You will be target driven, familiar with the implementation and analysis of Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and demonstrate academic integrity. To this end, the post holder will be a member of the College Senior Leadership Team (SMT) and will deputise for the Academic Dean, as and when appropriate.

Position:

-------------

To provide leadership and management for higher education programmes validated by our partners and offered at LCCA campuses. To assist the relevant Deans in providing leadership and strategic direction for the academic department or college. To collaborate with faculty, staff, and administrators to enhance the overall academic experience and drive improvements and enhancements in the OFS B conditions. To ensure that our collaborative partnership thrives and furthers the objectives and aims of LCCA strategic planning, including implementation of our learning and teaching strategy across all levels and all course offerings. To ensure LCCA maintains the highest academic standards and student-centered learning environment enabling our students to meet their educational and professional goals.
To manage the team and collaborative partnerships strategically to meet key performance indicators set for student attendance, student retention, student progression and student achievement.

Requirements:

-----------------

Key Activities & Responsibilities

To foster a learning culture to ensure that students have an excellent academic experience at the College and emerge with strong academic and employment outcomes. To advise the relevant Dean and others in Senior Management on all resource requirements, ensuring that all such requirements, including staff recruitment, facilities, resources, and timetabling are planned for and realised in a timely fashion. To provide mentorship and guidance to faculty members, assisting them in enhancing their teaching, research, and professional growth. To participate in the recruitment, evaluation, and promotion of faculty. To manage, in conjunction with Deans and Course Directors, on a day-to-day basis the operation of the programmes delivered across the LCCA campuses including travel to the campuses and collaborative partner (UCA) site as necessary. To ensure that students experience the highest quality teaching and learning, pastoral support, and careers advice. To ensure that academic standards are met through the assessment process and that the marking criteria of our collaborative partners are consistently met by all teaching staff involved in the assessment of students. To attend partnership meetings where required and to ensure that reports for these meetings are produced in a timely manner and to the highest standards. To deal with student and staff issues in a timely and professional manner using the appropriate policies and procedures. Working in conjunction with other senior members of staff on progression and completion policy, ensuring academic and teaching practices that maximize student retention at the appropriate quality level, timely completion of qualifications and the attainment of relevant targets and KPIs. To manage the relevant staff, along the entire employee life cycle, including induction, probation, one to one meeting, appraisals, etc. To lead and co-ordinate the activities of college staff with responsibility for implementing specific staff development and Learning, Teaching and Enhancements. Delivery of teaching and professional development activities, bringing innovation to these areas using best practice in learning technologies and pedagogic expertise. Celebrating diversity and promoting equality, ensuring everyone has equal access to college services regardless of gender, social, cultural, linguistic, religious, and ethnic background. To stay abreast of developments in your subject discipline through scholarly activity, professional practice, and research, ensuring that these developments are reflected in the learning and teaching methods employed on the course across LCCA.

Qualifications/Education

Educated to degree level (minimum. Ideally holding a Doctorate in relevant field) Teaching qualification or demonstrable professional experience and/or commitment to obtain Advance HE fellowship Evidence of relevant continuing professional development. Higher Degree/Professional Qualification in Management or Education is desirable

Knowledge & Skills

In depth understanding of teaching and learning and how excellence may be attained. Understanding and knowledge of innovative approaches to teaching and their appropriateness to different student groups. Knowledge of teaching qualifications and staff development appropriate to academic staff at the College. Outstanding communication skills with a particular ability to deliver concise and meaningful messages, to embed learning and to prompt action within recipients. You will have expertise in facilitating groups to drive engaging behaviors and deliver results. Knowledge of the QAA Framework for Higher Education Qualifications, Codes of Practice and relevant Subject and Qualification Benchmarks. Planning and managing resources- effectively plans and manages operational activities or large projects to achieve long term objectives Teamwork- builds effective teams, networks or communities of practice and fosters constructive cross team collaboration Creativity, Innovation and Problem Solving- identifies innovative solutions to problems to bring a wider benefit to the organisation Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. The ability to respond creatively and empathetically to the specific teaching and learning needs of the College's diverse community. Desire to achieve high standards for self and others. Work flexibly to fulfil the requirements of the role

Experience

Proven commitment to excellence in working with a diverse student body. Extensive experience in strategic leadership of teaching and learning within senior management. Strong understanding of the UK Higher Education sector, particularly in access, participation, and student success. Demonstrated ability to lead change in complex environments, delivering projects on time and within budget. Track record of improving teaching quality and student outcomes, particularly in widening participation contexts. Significant leadership experience, including resources, budget management and data handling. Successful delivery of transformational and cultural change in higher education, with stakeholder engagement. Senior management experience at Head of School level or equivalent. Skilled in curriculum planning, development, and implementation of new programmes. Proficient in using learning technologies and digital platforms. Experienced in managing academic performance and staff development. Effective in fostering student engagement and embedding the learner's voice. Established relationships with university partners, regulators, and awarding bodies (e.g., QAA, Pearson). * Knowledge of and experience with online learning systems.