Head of Academic Programmes

The Head of Academic Programmes is a key role in the V&A Research Institute, National Art Library and Archives team. They provide academic leadership for teaching and learning, research, and management of the resources of the V&A/RCA History of Design Programme and staff, as well as emerging partnerships with V&A East academic partners.
They will work in close collaboration with the respective Heads of Programme at our partner universities, sharing the academic direction and management of the programmes, and to ensure that programmes are aligned with the strategic plans of the V&A and our partner universities.
The Head of Academic Programmes will have an international reputation as a leading researcher in a discipline relevant to the V&A, such as history, global histories of design and material culture and/or cognate disciplines. They will have a track record of high-quality research outputs in their field and of securing and leading externally funded research projects. They will have a commitment to and significant experience of collections-based research and teaching as well as an active interest in pedagogical experimentation and interdisciplinary teaching opportunities.
The successful candidate will be well positioned—through scholarly expertise and administrative experience—to take the flagship V&A/RCA History of Design Programme in exciting new directions in collaboration with the RCA, whilst simultaneously advancing the intellectual ambition of new courses planned with V&A East partners. The post holder will work closely with the Head of Academic Partnerships in the VARI, NAL and Archives team, with the shared ambition of developing and delivering innovative research-led and collections-based higher education programmes. The work will involve a balance of management, teaching, research, and knowledge exchange opportunities that involve colleagues throughout the Museum and a range of partners in universities and the creative industries. The post holder is encouraged to balance their teaching duties with personal research and contributions to other Museum priorities.
As Head of Academic Programmes, you will be a key member of the VARI, NAL and Archives leadership team. As such, you will also play a crucial role in maximizing opportunities for research and research-led teaching with the NAL and Archive collections and resources, and in supporting and driving research across the Museum through the wider work of VARI.
We are open to considering applications to undertake this role as a secondment.

The closing date for applications is Monday 6 March 2023 at 23:59.