"Professor and Deputy Head of School, Science"

• Bring your innovative energy and vision to help develop Science at AUT
• Lead staff, collaboration, research and teaching across disciplines
• Tackle science and societal challenges with a trans-disciplinary lens

As one of the world's top 50 young universities and New Zealand's newest, Auckland University of Technology (AUT) is a university of opportunity where all students with talent and potential have the chance to succeed. We are a socially-driven university with equity and excellence central to our purpose and actions, and we offer a stimulating teaching and research environment with strong connections to government, business, and industry. AUT has more than 26,000 students and almost 4,000 staff based primarily at our three Auckland teaching campuses.

AUT's distinctive and multi-disciplinary School of Science/ Te Kura Pūtaiao, based on AUT's City Campus, is part of AUT's largest faculty - Health and Environmental Sciences/Te Ara Hauora Pūtaiao. It is a fantastic School to work in and we're excited to be entering a new phase of innovation and regeneration. To learn more about us and our School, please CLICK HERE for the 'School overview for prospective applicants'. 

Become our new Deputy Head of School!

We are seeking an innovative professor to combine your disciplinary expertise with academic leadership, as one of our two new Deputy Heads of School (DHoS). We are open to expertise from any discipline that is within an existing area of our School of Science.

In this exciting role you will utilise your partnership-driven people leadership skills to contribute significantly to the school's research and teaching activities - while also playing a vital role in developing and implementing the school's strategic goals and managing staff! You will work closely with the HoS and the other DHoS across priorities, as we tackle science and societal challenges with a trans-disciplinary lens. The School is well supported and understood by our new Faculty Dean.

Key tasks include:

• Assist the Head of School in providing leadership and operational management as Deputy Head of School. This includes line management of around 20 staff.
• Provide research and teaching leadership.
• Develop, implement and evaluate strategic and operational goals for the school in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
• Help lead the revitalisation of our postgraduate programmes.
• Help lead the uplift of the School's research profile and outputs. Help foster excellence and support in teaching, scholarship, and collaboration across the School and research centres. Support future curriculum development, external engagement, oversight of accreditation processes (and more!) as directed by the Head of School.
• Become a key contributor to a School culture focused on excellence, innovation and equity in teaching and learning, service, industry and community outreach, and other academic contributions.

You will be recognised as a culturally capable leader who values diversity, works inclusively, and allows and champions creativity, flexibility, and innovation whilst being humble and principled. You will support the School's next steps in its Te Tiriti o Waitangi journey and display attributes of inclusiveness, empathy, trustworthiness, confidence and kindness. Your ability to listen, connect, collaborate, communicate and influence will be critical - as will be your strong respect for others coupled with an open and engaging attitude that is flexible to changing requirements. A resolute, robust, and positive attitude is essential.

Applications and Selection Criteria

We welcome applications from Professors (or Associate Professors of high standing) with staff management experience. Along with your academic CV (including a full list of publications), please submit a) a cover letter explaining why this particular role (and AUT) is of interest, and b) a statement addressing how your experience aligns with the key selection criteria we're seeking below:

1. A champion for equity, with proven ability advancing outcomes for student groups underrepresented in science. Demonstrated experience enacting Te Tiriti o Waitangi in another University is highly desirable.
2. Proven strategic academic experience. Please highlight key contributions such as, for example: high-level innovative pedagogy and curriculum development, running research entities, leadership at departmental/discipline levels.
3. Distinguished academic achievement appropriate for appointment as Professor. This should include a record of very strong publications, an outstanding research funding track record and success attracting and supervising postgraduate research students as a primary supervisor.
4. Disciplinary expertise within an existing area of our School of Science. Please also highlight your experience working successfully across other disciplines.
5. Direct staff management experience, with a track record of successful teamwork built around a coaching and consultative approach.
6. Applicants are welcome to add further comments they may feel of relevance.

Further Information:

• Start Date: Late-2024/Early-2025 (to be agreed with the appointee).
• Term: The successful candidate will secure a permanent substantive academic appointment as a Professor. They will be seconded for an initial one-year term to the role of Deputy Head of School in a 0.5 capacity (with the option for renewal as a three-year term, by mutual agreement), with the remaining 0.5 committed to their role as Professor.
• Salary: Commensurate with relevant experience and skills and aligned with the appropriate step in AUT's academic pay scales (Professor range: NZD $156,354 - $201,425). In addition, a special responsibilities payment (pro-rata'd) will be made for the Deputy Head of School responsibilities.
• Referees: Applicants should also provide names, contact details and clarification of relationship for at least three potential referees. Referees will not be contacted without the prior consent of the applicant.
• For academic enquiries: Contact Professor Hannah Buckley, Head of School Science - hannah.buckley@aut.ac.nz. For recruitment enquiries: Contact Mike Wood, Executive Recruitment Partner - mike.wood@aut.ac.nz 

Advertising closes: Sunday 4 August at 11.55pm. We expect interviews to take place in late-August.

Reference: 87706

At AUT we strive to be a place where people love to work and learn. We are committed to te Tiriti, excellence and inclusivity and aspire to be the University of choice for Māori and Pacific communities. We welcome people of all ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, religious and political beliefs, socio-economic situations and accessibility needs.

Please note that all applications must be submitted through the online application process. For further information, please send us an enquiry here or call 921 9499. Please note we are happy to answer your questions but we do not accept applications by email. You will need to apply through the standard registration process.