APPOINTMENT OF PROFESSOR AND HEAD OF THE SCHOOL OF DIGITAL ARTS

APPOINTMENT BRIEF June 2018

01 Manchester Metropolitan University – An Introduction Manchester Metropolitan University has been a pioneer in modern education since its origins in 1824. Manchester Metropolitan sits in the top 200 young universities in the world, with 85% of its research rated as ‘world-leading’. The institution’s international outlook is key to the University’s approach. With a global network of 270,000 alumni living in 130 countries the University has created a close knit community of staff, students and trail-blazing alumni. In 2014, 94% of graduates went straight into work or further study within six months of graduation. The University is proud to have recently gained a TEF Silver award and has ambitious plans for the future.

Building off the institution’s overarching ambition, the Manchester School of Art continues to push the boundaries of developments across the arts and creative industries. Based in the heart of Manchester, the School celebrates its 180th Anniversary this year. As the second oldest design school in the UK, home to 3500 students, the School was originally established to provide design training for the manufacturing industry. These close links with industry remain just as tangible today. The School is a pioneer in experimentation and creative learning across media, art, design, theatre and architecture, whilst encouraging collaboration across all disciplines. The School’s recent £34 million investment into the Benzie Building, known for its architectural calibre and multiple awards, has encouraged greater interdisciplinary working and student collaboration than ever before. This same innovative architectural approach will also be applied in the design of the School of Digital Arts new building. Graduates from the Art School include Martin Parr, Sarah Burton OBE, L.S. Lowry, Julie Walters, Steve Coogan, Thomas Heatherwick, Peter Saville and many more.

02 The School of Digital Arts The Manchester School of Art is now in the process of redesigning its Media provision in order to respond to industry needs. The UK is a world leader in the technology, digital and creative industries; driving much of that growth is ‘screen-based’ business, those companies, products and services based on the creative use of technology. It is a sub-sector that includes film, TV, animation, gaming, distribution, sound engineering and software engineering – but its influence goes much further. This is a sector characterized by interconnectivity, with the innovation in these areas adopted elsewhere. From augmented reality to healthcare, from smart cities to connected homes: the creative use of technology drives it all.

The School of Digital Arts is Manchester Metropolitan University’s response to and an investment in screen based creative and digital technologies. It will create a digital skills powerhouse that will host a diverse programme of degree apprenticeships, Continuing Professional Development, work-based training, undergraduate and postgraduate courses and resources. It will build on the award winning strengths of the Manchester School of Art, and bring together creative and craft disciplines, technical and scientific skills, industry partnerships and global research to train the next generation of talent, who will ensure that the UK continues to compete on an international scale. The Schools sit within a wider Faculty of Arts and Humanities, a vibrant and ambitious community, of artists, designers, writers, academics and researchers. Alongside the new School of Digital Arts building, we are constructing a new Arts and Media building with a state of the art studio theatre and poetry library. Manchester is a globally recognised centre for broadcast TV, film, radio, digital media and IT. The city is renowned for initiatives such as the Manchester International Festival. The new School will work closely with key cultural and industry partners including: Red Productions, BBC, ITV and HOME to ensure that Greater Manchester has the skills base needed to support its continued growth as a centre of cultural capital and creative innovation. The School will provide courses in film, animation, applied games, special effects, sound design, software design for screen, user experience design and immersive media content production for more than 1000 students a year. It has been estimated that the School could generate an annual boost of £13 million for the local economy.

The School of Digital Arts will offer a range of programmes across a diverse spectrum of media and film. These will include:

- Film, TV and video production, post production - Data analysis and computer science - Broadcasting and distribution - Augmented reality, VR and immersive media - Games design and development - Sound and audio production, post-production and sound art - Animation and UX design

The School of Digital Arts links with industry will also be crucial; the school will work in collaboration across the following facilities:

- Green screen facilities, presentation facilities and edit suites - Collaborative workspaces for industry partnerships - Business incubation hub - Joint industry-academic research - Future-proofed, updateable lab environments - Apprenticeships, CPD and work-based training

Several key figures across film, media and commerce will also sit on the school’s industry advisory-group, which will be co-chaired by Film Director Danny Boyle and Nicola Shindler, founder of award-winning Red Productions. The School has been awarded 14.9 million of Government funding, through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, matched by Manchester Metropolitan.

03 THE ROLE

THE OPPORTUNITY Manchester Metropolitan is looking to appoint an exceptional candidate as the first ever Head of School of Digital Arts. This iconic new school will require a Head with the requisite ambition of approach, industry driven outlook and multi-disciplinary mind-set to match the passion and drive that has gathered behind this venture from a range of stakeholders. This high profile post creates the opportunity for an experienced, enthusiastic and wholly engaged individual to work across a span of academic and industry programmes, with a regional, national and international impact. This will involve everything from keeping up close with emerging technology and encouraging further industry support, to co-designing curriculum and ensuring the highest quality standards throughout the School. The new Head will play a crucial role in enabling Greater Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University to become one of the world’s leading hubs for creativity and digital innovation.

This will initially be a rotational role, with a four year tenure (likely to be extended to two terms), which will sit alongside this individual’s substantive post as Professor. The principal accountabilities for both roles can be found below.

Head of the School of Digital Arts / Professor

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES The primary responsibilities for the Head of Department of the School of Digital Arts are:

• To provide dynamic leadership and vision to a new and emerging venture, bringing our existing strengths together with a creative sector that is developing at pace.

• To ensure a smooth transition for staff and students from the Department of Media into the School of Digital Arts.

• To connect across the Faculty, University and Sector to maximise the School of Digital Arts potential within creative and technology based disciplines.

• Provide effective academic leadership, management and strategic vision for the Department across learning and teaching, research and knowledge exchange.

• To provide a high quality academic experience for students and a stimulating environment for staff and industry partners in order to collaborate effectively.

• Demonstrate a continually developing high level International research profile and professional and academic standing in a field related to the Creative and Digital industries.

• Deputise for the Dean as may be required.

• Support the Dean/PVC on all aspects of strategic planning, financial management, budgeting and deployment of staffing resources.

“We are delighted to be working with the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership to deliver a project of real ambition and scale. We know how critical digital skills development will be to the future success of our economy. The School of Digital Arts will be part of Manchester Metropolitan University's world-leading School of Art, ensuring that we form a strong bridge between creative media and digital production methods, informing critical thinking on how new media technologies can be expanded for

other uses. We are excited about this opportunity to jointly invest in the future success of our city region.” — Professor Malcom Press, Vice Chancellor Manchester Metropolitan University

KEY TASKS Planning & Strategy Development

Play a full role in the management of the Faculty through membership of the Faculty Executive Group and where appropriate chair or participate in relevant committees and working groups across the Department, School, Faculty or University.

Play a lead role in the School of Digital Arts delivery, partnership and advisory groups

“The School of Digital Arts will combine design, business and technology understanding to create an international centre of excellence for creative and digital skills. This will be a vital investment in

Manchester’s future economy.” - Lou Cordwell, CEO – Magnetic North

“We are just at the beginning of a new wave of technological innovation and it is clear that

transformations in content production for film, TV, games and other potential hybrid media will only be realizable through creative and technological convergence.”

- Peter Girardi, Senior Vice President of Creative Affairs, Warner Brothers

As a member of the University’s senior staff team, play a full role in the corporate management of the University, engaging in the strategic planning process and ensuring team understanding of corporate, Faculty, School and Department direction and objectives.

People Management

Have line management responsibility for the Academic Staff Team and engage in activities such as recruitment and selection, performance management, academic and professional development of the team in line with University procedures.

Lead a team of staff at a time of significant change, providing a positive personal example and engaging with the corporate change agenda.

Lead and support the academic and professional development of academic staff within the Department, ensuring that regular, structured discussions in line with the University's Professional Development & Review (PDR) scheme take place.

Ensure that the School of Digital Arts makes effective use of all staffing resources, delegating responsibilities for operational resource management appropriately, and ensuring the maximum opportunities for collaboration and joint working with colleagues from across the University.

Ensure that arrangements are in place for the organisation of Health and Safety within the Department and a safe place of work is provided for all staff, students and visitors.

Academic Leadership

Ensure that programmes are managed effectively according to University regulations, professional body accreditation requirements and relevant quality assurance procedures, ensuring a climate of continual improvement in the quality of taught programmes and appropriate engagement in programme development.

Lead the development and construction of the School of Digital Arts curriculum at all levels in the context of University objectives including widening participation, employer engagement, part-time and flexible delivery and overseas recruitment; monitor the financial and academic sustainability of the existing portfolio and propose revisions or closures of courses as necessary.

Work proactively to develop additional sources of income for research, consultancy, academic enterprise projects, short courses and taught programmes.

Ensure a high level of engagement by Department staff in research and academic enterprise activities.

Ensure that the University’s academic and other policies are fully and effectively implemented within the Department.

Promote the Department’s activities and reputation internally, nationally and internationally.

Lead the Department in maintaining and developing further a high level research community, enhancing and developing networks where appropriate.

“Manchester boasts the UK’s highest concentration of creative services and supporting facilities in one area outside of London. It is therefore a priority that Manchester is able to deliver a continuous pipeline of

talent into the sector.” - Sue Woodward, Executive Chair, Manchester Creative and Digital Assets Limited

Lead the School in establishing and maintaining a productive, accessible and well regarded learning environment for students, fulfilling the University’s responsibilities in respect of student admissions, instruction, progression and examination, availability of pastoral assistance and adherence to the various regulations regarding students.

Financial/Resource Management

Ensure adherence to University Financial procedures and regulations in respect of management of the Department’s budget and operating on a sound financial basis in respect of the Department’s operations/projects.

Ensure that value for money (VFM) is sought and achieved in the use of Department budgets, including maintaining an awareness of good practice and ensuring that this, along with the procedures operated by the University to promote VFM, are followed effectively.

Image credit to Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios

Professorial Duties

The role of Professor is one of the highest academic distinctions conferred by the University and postholders are

expected to have an international reputation and have made a sustained, significant and original contribution to

knowledge in the field of either Screen, Creative or Digital industries, and to contribute and operate at the highest

levels of seniority.

The role will be based predominantly on one of the following: teaching, research or enterprise, and will also

contribute to a broad range of activities including; providing excellence and innovation in teaching, leading

knowledge exchange activities, demonstrating leadership, mentoring and support for other colleagues and exceling

in academic citizenship to support the strategic objectives of the University.

All Professors are expected to contribute to teaching, supervision of students, and to administrative duties in their

Department. They are also often called upon for cross Faculty and University duties, as well as Internal and External

representation duties (including serving on relevant Internal and External committees).

Professors are appointed to either knowledge exchange and enterprise, learning and teaching or research routes.

Elements of this would include:

- Achieve and sustain an ‘internationally leading’ research profile consistent with the research priorities of the

School of Digital Arts and in areas that increase the global visibility and reputation of the University.

- Be recognised as an esteemed and influential authority in the field of Screen, Creative and Digital industries

by speaking (including plenaries) at international conferences, providing distinguished contributions to the

academic discipline through society and committee work, awards/ prizes, and acting as a peer reviewer or

thesis examiner and consulting contracts.

- Demonstrate leadership in teaching which promotes and significantly enhances the student experience and

has gained external recognition and has the potential to impact practice beyond the institution. This may

include: developing and delivering changes that enhance the curriculum, learning materials, assessments,

and or student experience, delivering improved outcomes and improving the teaching and learning of

colleagues by influencing or inspiring them.

- Secure, lead and manage a successful portfolio of knowledge exchange activities or projects with

demonstrable social and/or economic impact. This may include consultancy, incubation, design and

delivery of research led CPD programmes, licensing IP, the creation of spinout companies and

collaborations with public, private and third sector organisations.

- Lead and manage enterprise-related projects including team leadership, mentoring and develop the skills

of staff and resource management.

04 TERMS OF APPOINTMENT Competitive salary, the terms and conditions of the post will be governed by a university senior staff contract. Private healthcare available.

05 HOW TO APPLY Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Manchester Metropolitan University on this appointment. Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/jobs using code KVPB2. Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter, and complete the application and equal opportunities monitoring* form. The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 6 July 2018. If you are unable to apply through the website, please email belinda.beck@saxbam.com quoting reference KVBP2. * The equal opportunities monitoring online form will not be shared with anyone involved in assessing your application. Please complete as part of the application process.

Image credit to Fielden Clegg Bradley Studios