Director - Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
The Scottish Graduate School for Arts and Humanities (SGSAH) is the world’s first national graduate school and the home of Scotland’s AHRC DTP. In its first ten years of operation SGSAH has established itself as a leading centre for postgraduate research across a wide range of arts and humanities areas of enquiry and practice. Working with supporters in the arts, culture, creative and heritage sectors, other stakeholders, students and supervisory teams, SGSAH provides outstanding training and development opportunities for doctoral researchers in Scotland. SGSAH’s vision is to nurture and inspire enlightened learners, leaders, collaborators and influencers from all walks of life and to consolidate its position as an integral and influential part of Scottish, UK and international civil society. The success of SGSAH is underpinned by a strong and active commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.
Hosted in the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Glasgow, SGSAH has recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Bringing together its unique geography and world-leading research opportunities and support, SGSAH has been able to connect the intellectual and creative capacity of doctoral researchers within and beyond the HEI sector, helping them to make a difference in the world. To date we have awarded more than 530 studentships investing over £40M in PhD funding. National co-ordination enabled by SGSAH allows us to be visible and informed advocates for the value of arts and humanities research and of our doctoral researchers’ diverse skills and expertise.
We are now seeking to appoint on secondment a dynamic and visionary Director to lead SGSAH in the next phase of activity. This will include: building on the strong foundations and trusted collaborations extending across SGSAH’s 17 HEI members, key stakeholders such as the British Council and Scottish Funding Council and more than 70 industry supporters; and guiding SGSAH through the process of transitioning to the new AHRC funding model for doctoral training.
The Director of SGSAH will be an inspirational and aspirational leader, delivering impact and influencing at a national scale. We are looking for someone who can build on SGSAH’s considerable achievements and enhance its reputation; someone who can foster trust and create enduring, mutually beneficial relationships; someone who can ensure delivery of SGSAH’s provision for its remaining and final cohorts, and lead the transition through to a new model of doctoral training funding and delivery.
If you are excited by the potential of SGSAH and, more broadly, for reshaping the future of doctoral research in Scotland, and share our ambitions, goals and values, we very much look forward to receiving your application.
Professor Jo Gill (Vice Principal and Head of the College of Arts & Humanities, University of Glasgow)
Professor Sarah Prescott (Vice Principal and Head of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Edinburgh)
About the University of Glasgow and the College of Arts & Humanities
From uncovering the University’s historic relationship with the transatlantic slave trade to tracing the legacy of Robert Burns and his peers to pioneering new digital and practice-based methodologies, the University of Glasgow has been changing the world since 1451. It is the fourth oldest university in the English-speaking world and has consistently been at the forefront of innovation, transforming lives and delivering world-changing impact for almost 600 years. The University was the Times Higher Education University of the Year in 2020, named the Scottish University of the Year by The Times in 2021 and is one of the world’s top 100 universities. Despite the institution’s unique history and firmly established reputation for excellence, Glasgow remains strongly focused on the future, investing in infrastructure and people to be the home of the world changers of today and tomorrow.
The College of Arts & Humanities is proud to be at the forefront of delivering world-leading teaching, learning and research. The College is ranked at 61 in the world for the Arts and Humanities (QS World University Rankings 2025) and is committed to making a positive difference locally, nationally and internationally. We are in the process of implementing our new College Strategy 2023-28 and we have ambitious plans for future growth and success. The College is home to four innovative Schools renowned for their world-leading research and for offering a rich range of undergraduate and postgraduate degree opportunities: § School of Critical Studies § School of Culture and Creative Arts § School of Humanities § School of Modern Languages and Cultures. We also host a range of interdisciplinary research centres, from the Andrew Hook Centre for American Studies and the Beniba Centre for Slavery Studies to the Kelvin Centre for Conservation and Cultural Heritage Research and the Stirling Maxwell Centre for Text-Image Studies.
Job purpose
To be responsible to the Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) Board for the overall vision of a sustainable SGSAH, with a view to delivering a world-leading and innovative national Graduate School, targeted to the particular needs of doctoral students in the Arts and Humanities across Scotland and providing them with a world-class experience.
To direct SGSAH in the period 2025-29 as the remaining and final AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership (DTP2) cohorts complete their PhDs.
To lead the SGSAH Board, team, member institutions and partner organisations in shaping the new direction of doctoral provision in Scotland from 2026 through AHRC Doctoral Landscape Awards (DLA) and potentially Doctoral Focal Awards (DFA).
To establish and direct the new regional 'Hub' to oversee the delivery of the DLA.
Please note this is a secondment opportunity on a 0.5FTE basis. The Director must be a seconded senior member of staff (professorial) from one of the 17 institutions currently forming the membership of SGSAH: University of Aberdeen, Abertay University, University of Dundee, University of Edinburgh, University of Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow School of Art Heriot-Watt University, Queen Margaret University, Robert Gordon University, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland University of St Andrews, University of Stirling, University of Strathclyde, University of the Highland and Islands, and University of the West of Scotland.
Applicants should seek permission from their manager to undertake the secondment before applying.
Main duties & responsibilities
-
Strategies and associated action plans, ensuring that its activities are directed appropriately to the needs of multiple stakeholders and maximising value from member HEIs’ financial contributions, SFC funding and AHRC DTP and DLA funding.
-
Through advocacy and demonstrable excellence of activity, to engage national participation in the SGSAH, working with HEI members and external partners, and providing effective and dynamic leadership in relation to SGSAH provision, processes and policy.
-
To undertake ongoing review of doctoral training provision of Arts and Humanities students in Scotland and with the SGSAH Executive and other committees, plan and implement innovative student-centred skills development training for doctoral researchers, targeted to the different stages and needs of students and including international and non-HEI experience.
-
To raise the quality and standard of doctoral training provision for Arts and Humanities students across Scotland, ensuring activities fit for current purpose and future needs.
-
To undertake horizon-scanning in order to inform the overall direction of the SGSAH and to advise and be advised by SGSAH’s committees on the academic agenda of the SGSAH’s programmes and activities.
-
To review the activities and progress of the SGSAH annually, against agreed KPIs relating to the quality of the student experience and other indicators of success (e.g. post-doctoral career destinations, completion rates, national PRES scores).
- To manage the successful delivery of the SGSAH AHRC DTP and DLA and, where appropriate, to coordinate with Scotland-based DFAs.
-
To champion the role of the SGSAH in national and international contexts and to contribute to and lead national and international discussions and debates concerning doctoral research in the Arts and Humanities.
-
To influence HEI senior management, governments and its agencies ad funders in relation to PGR provision in the Arts and Humanities within and beyond Scotland and contribute to the debate on and shape of doctoral training provision.
-
To liaise regularly and at a sophisticated level with stakeholders, including the HEI partners, funding bodies, including the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), on matters relating to governance, outcomes and key performance indicators.
-
To identify and secure ongoing and additional funding for SGSAH activities (e.g. AHRC DTP and related schemes).
-
To network and collaborate with other national and international Graduate Schools/DTPs.
-
To undertake other duties as assigned by the SGSAH Board and VP and Head of the College of Arts & Humanities at the University of Glasgow (line manager).
Knowledge and qualifications
Essential
- Undergraduate degree.
- PhD in an Arts and Humanities subject.
- Currently holding a Professorial appointment (Grade 10) at one of the 17 SGSAH HEIs.
Skills
Essential
- Excellent leadership and senior management abilities (for example, in the context of a senior role in a College/Faculty or within a Research Council).
- Ability to influence at a senior level.
- Ability to lead, persuade and motivate others.
- Ability to identify and respond creatively to opportunities.
- Excellent oral and written communication skills.
- Excellent analytical skills.
- Decision making skills through pursuit of consensus agreement where possible and capable of unilateral decision making when necessary / appropriate.
- Imaginative problem-solving.
- Ability to act as a champion and advocate for the wide-ranging value of Arts and Humanities.
- Project initiation, leadership management and delivery.
- Highly effective interpersonal skills with the ability to build and sustain strong working relationships at every level across several organisations.
- Understanding of the political framework governing Higher Education and its funding.
- Understanding of current issues facing the sector on equalities, inclusion and diversity.
- Experience of significant successful external grant capture.
- Experience of managing budgets.
Desirable
- Well-developed networks in relevant areas (e.g. subject associations, creative industries)
Experience
Essential
-
Senior management experience.
-
Experience of line management and performance management.
-
Significant experience of PGR supervision, provision, and examination.
-
Development and implementation of doctoral training, support and policies.
-
Demonstrable experience of leading change/innovating.
-
Evidence of strategic thinking and creativity in a role which requires critical appraisal, analytical and well-developed problem-solving skills.
-
Experience of working effectively to tight timescales and managing complex and competing demands in an often-fast-moving environment.
-
Experience of supporting staff and annual review processes.
-
Demonstrable experience of managing a range of external relationships.
-
Demonstrable understanding of the PGR landscape in the UK.
-
Significant portfolio of academic research and an international profile as a researcher.
-
Experience of successful cross-HEI or HEI and non-HEI project collaboration.
-
Experience of competitive funding review processes (e.g. AHRC Peer Review College).
Desirable
- Experience of leading a Graduate School or similar delivery of significant PGR development.
- Experience of working in partnership with PG students to co-create training, skills development, etc.
- Engagement with SGSAH activity.
Campus development plan
Our Vision
Over the next 10 years, the major investment will expand our campus footprint by 25%, creating a new urban quarter with the University at the heart of a revitalised west end. This is the largest development since the creation of the original campus in 1870.
This is a unique opportunity for a University to extend the boundaries of its historic core in a central city location. It will create:
- New learning and teaching facilities
- Refurbishment and repurposing of existing iconic buildings for specialist uses
- Identification and design of social spaces that support the student and community experience.
The expansion of our Gilmorehill campus into the 14 acre, former Western Infirmary site will transform the West End of Glasgow. The Masterplan for the site will incorporate:
- New learning and teaching facilities supporting our students and making sure they get the best in modern teaching and learning styles and approaches
- Creation of a Research Hub, housing large-scale multidisciplinary projects and incubator space for spin out collaborations with industry. This will encourage further innovation development
- New public cycle and pedestrian routes and a new central square which will link Byres Road to the up-and-coming cultural quarter for the West End, with new links to Kelvingrove and the newly-refurbished Kelvin Hall
- Refurbishment of five listed buildings: The Chapel, the Outpatients building, the Macgregor building, the Tennent Institute and Anderson College
- Commercial opportunities, including a hotel, restaurant, bars and cafes
- The state of the art Learning and Teaching Hub adjacent to the Boyd Orr building on University Avenue will be completed next year.
Find out more
Living in Glasgow
A UNESCO City of Music, a vibrant arts and culture scene, a food-lover’s delight, and a shopper’s paradise. Just some of the highlights of the ‘friendliest city in the world’. As well as that accolade by the Rough Guides poll, Glasgow has also been named a must visit destination by publications including the New York Times, The Guardian, and Wanderlust.
Music
The city hosts an average of 130 music events a week catering for every taste; from rock to rap, and classical to country. Glasgow also has a world class club scene playing host to some of the world’s top DJs.
Shopping
Outside of London’s West End, Glasgow is frequently voted the best place for shopping in the UK. A must-visit destination for any shop-a-holic, it houses high street chains, international designers, and independent retailers. The West End, home to the University of Glasgow, is bustling with vintage fashion, vinyl stores, and second-hand bookshops.
Arts and Culture
Glasgow’s arts scene has gone from strength to strength, and is the base for five internationally renowned performing arts companies including the National Theatre of Scotland and Scottish Ballet. The city has several world-class museums, which are free to the public, and the city’s architecture is a work of art in itself.
Food and drink
You can be in Glasgow and taste the world with its many diverse restaurants, cafes, and bars. And if you’ve yet to sample the delights of haggis and whisky, Glasgow is the place to be.
The City and Beyond
Glasgow has all the opportunities and excitement of a big city but its compact size means you can quickly travel from one vibrant district to the next. You could be relaxing in one of its many parks, before shopping in the quirky West End, and then dancing until the wee small hours in the Merchant City.
And when you fancy getting out of the city you can reach the stunning Loch Lomond in just 30 minutes, climb one of our many breath-taking Munros, play golf at one of Scotland’s many world-class courses, visit one of our ancient castles, or go further North and search for Nessie! Scotland has also just been named the world’s most beautiful country by Rough Guides.
Relocating to Glasgow
Choosing to relocate to Glasgow is a big decision. There are numerous things to be considered, such as the costs of moving, the cost of living, and where exactly to relocate to. We have created two guides to aide you in the decision making process.
Find out more on relocating to Glasgow at the below link:
WORLD CHANGERS TOGETHER
WORLD CHANGING GLASGOW 2025
Our outstanding disciplinary breadth and expertise has enabled us to make world-changing advances in fields as diverse as medicine, physics, linguistics, public policy and global development.
The key to our success is our talented staff and students pushing back at the boundaries of knowledge and understanding together.
Our World Changers Together strategy recognises the fundamental importance of a culture of open cooperation: not just as colleagues and mentors or students and teachers, but as a community of discovery that reaches beyond its walls and draws inspiration and strength from its connections and partnerships worldwide: excellence that's part of something bigger. The strategy is articulated across three themes:
COMMUNITY
- People centred, globally engaged
CONNECTIVITY
- Collaboratively minded, digitally enhanced
CHALLENGES
- Solution focused, impact oriented
Find out more
How to apply
For an informal discussion please contact Claire Squires via email – Claire.Squires@glasgow.ac.uk
Closing date 23rd June 2025
Interview date 7th July 2025
Start date 5th January 2026
Full details of the role and how to apply can be found by visiting our website:
Terms & Conditions
As part of Team UofG you will be a member of a world changing, inclusive community, which values ambition, excellence, integrity and curiosity.
As a valued member of our team, you can expect:
A warm welcoming and engaging organisational culture, where your talents are developed and nurtured, and success is celebrated and shared.
An excellent employment package with generous terms and conditions including 41 days of leave for full time staff, pension, benefits and discount packages.
A flexible approach to working.
A commitment to support your health and wellbeing, including a free 6-month UofG Sport membership for all new staff joining the University .
We believe that we can only reach our full potential through the talents of all. Equality, diversity and inclusion are at the heart of our values. Applications are particularly welcome from across our communities and in particular people from the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) community, and other protected characteristics who are under-represented within the University. Read more on how the University promotes and embeds all aspects of equality and diversity within our community here.
We endorse the principles of Athena Swan and hold bronze, silver and gold awards across the University.
We are investing in our organisation, and we will invest in you too. Please visit our website https://www.gla.ac.uk/explore/jobs/ for more information.
It is the University of Glasgow’s mission to foster an inclusive climate, which ensures equality in our working, learning, research and teaching environment. We strongly endorse the principles of Athena SWAN, including a supportive and flexible working environment, with commitment from all levels of the organisation in promoting gender equity.
Our values
The future holds innumerable challenges for our sector, our society, and our world. We will have to adapt and change what we do and what we offer if we are to navigate these successfully. Our strategy and approach may evolve as the landscape changes, but our values will remain constant: a fixed point of certainty in uncertain times.
We have identified our values in consultation and partnership with our staff and student community. Living and upholding these values will ensure that we remain true to the spirit of our community and ourselves:
Ambition and Excellence
- We strive for excellence through our work
- We defend academic freedom globally
- We recognise and celebrate shared success
- We have an unrelenting focus on development
Curiosity and Discovery
- We innovate and solve problems together
- We lead by influence and example
- We engage with lifelong learning and personal development
- We learn from our mistakes
Integrity and Truth
- We uphold honesty, integrity and fairness
- We share our work widely and generously
- We do the right thing, not the easy thing - or we don’t do it
- We take responsibility
An Inclusive Community
- We are one Glasgow team, and we care for and respect one another
- We advocate for diversity and believe in variety as a vital part of a healthy university
- We champion education as an engine for social progress
- We practise and advance sustainability