Interim Dean of The School of Architecture - Internal Vacancy For Rca Employees Only

The Interim Dean will provide dynamic academic leadership for the School of Architecture, ensuring excellence in teaching, research, knowledge exchange and student experience. You will play a central role in delivering the RCA's strategic ambitions, including:

• Leading programme innovation and new academic initiatives across M-level, doctoral and executive education
• Strengthening the School's research culture and ensuring REF2029 readiness
• Expanding partnerships, external engagement and interdisciplinary collaboration
• Representing the School nationally and internationally at conferences, biennales and sector events
• Supporting philanthropic engagement and donor stewardship
• Guiding staff and students through a period of campus and curriculum development
• Work collaboratively with the other Deans, PVCs, and Finance to advance financial sustainability priorities for the School and College
You will lead a talented academic and professional team, manage a significant School budget, and contribute to College-wide governance through membership of Senate, Executive Board and the Deans' Group.

We are seeking an exceptional leader with a distinguished profile in architecture or a closely related spatial discipline. You will bring:
• A proven record of senior academic leadership in a prestigious institution, or
• A strong track record of practice-based research and research income, or
• Eminence as an architect, urban designer or architectural scholar with demonstrable impact on the built environment
You will also demonstrate:
• Strategic vision and the ability to lead through change
• Deep understanding of art and design higher education, including quality assurance, research frameworks and knowledge exchange
• Outstanding communication skills and the ability to inspire staff, students and external partners
• A commitment to the RCA's values of curiosity, inclusion, collaboration and integrity, Success as a senior academic: evidence a track record of successful strategic project delivery as a senior academic in art & design or related disciplines.
Communication skills: how do you ensure effective communication with students, faculty, non-academic staff, and external stakeholders?

The Royal College of Art (RCA) - the world's leading postgraduate art and design university for 12 consecutive years - is seeking an exceptional academic leader to serve as Interim Dean of the School of Architecture. This is a rare opportunity to guide one of the world's most respected architecture schools at a pivotal moment in its evolution. As we embark on our new strategic plan, Towards the RCA at 200 (2026-2030), we are looking for a visionary leader who can shape the future of architectural education, research and practice within a globally influential creative community. About the RCA Founded in 1837, the RCA is home to more than 2,500 postgraduate students across four Schools and multiple research centres. Our community is defined by curiosity, collaboration, inclusion and integrity - values that underpin our world-leading research culture and our commitment to interdisciplinary, practice-based learning. With over 30,000 alumni worldwide and a faculty of active practitioners and researchers, the RCA is a hub for innovation in art, design, architecture and emerging creative technologies. About the School of Architecture Located in Kensington, the School of Architecture offers a vibrant, research-intensive environment where students work on live projects, collaborate across disciplines, and engage with contemporary spatial, environmental and urban challenges. Our project-based pedagogy, supported by world-class faculty and technical specialists, prepares graduates to become influential practitioners, thinkers and leaders.