Articles

Recruitment of our new Vice-Chancellor

TLDRoffon

To help develop the role description and person specification, we are seeking the views of staff and students on the priorities and attributes when selecting our new Vice-Chancellor.

Professor David Maguire has announced his intention to retire as the University's Vice-Chancellor at the end of 2019 after eight successful years in office. The University has commenced the search for a new Vice-Chancellor to build on the achievements of Professor Maguire's tenure and continue the ambition, set out in our Strategic Plan 2017-2022, of Making Greenwich Great.

The search process

The appointment of a new Vice-Chancellor must be approved by the University's Governing Body. The Governing Body has established a Selection Committee, comprising a majority of Independent Governors, to oversee the recruitment process. The Selection Committee's responsibilities include:

  • Undertaking the process of seeking applications, long‐listing and short‐listing candidates;
  • Final interviews (the final interview panel will be drawn from the membership of the Selection Committee);
  • Recommending an appointment to the Governing Body for approval;
  • Ensuring that there is effective communication and engagement with stakeholders.

Further details of the Selection Committee's remit are provided in its terms of reference and membership, and will include two members of staff, one academic and one Professional Services. Professor Susan Lea, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Hull (previously Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) at the University of Greenwich) has agreed to act as the external member of the Selection Committee.

We will finalise the Selection Committee's membership in January 2019 and a role description and person specification for our new Vice-Chancellor will be prepared, taking into account feedback from stakeholders.  The role will be advertised in February 2019.

In the following months we will identify candidates, and long-listing, short-listing and final interviews will take place, with shortlisted candidates having the opportunity to visit the University and to discuss and explore the University's strategy. 

Following final interviews, the Selection Committee will ask the Governing Body to approve a recommended candidate by summer 2019 to enable a handover from the current Vice-Chancellor to the new Vice-Chancellor to take place before the end of 2019.

Perrett Laver has been appointed to support the Selection Committee in conducting the search for a new Vice-Chancellor. They are an international firm of recruitment consultants with extensive experience of conducting executive searches in higher education, including recent Vice-Chancellor appointments at Queen Mary University of London, London Metropolitan University, the University of Westminster, the University of Aberdeen, and Queen's University Belfast.

We have advertised the Vice-Chancellor role in the national media and the higher education press with a closing date of 4 April 2019. The candidate pack is available on their website.

Student and staff engagement

1. Help us develop the role description and person specification (staff & students)

We sought the views of staff and students on what the priorities of our new Vice-Chancellor should be, and the attributes we should seek when selecting a new Vice-Chancellor gathering feedback through an online survey, which has now closed.

2. Apply to be on the Selection Committee (staff)

We have sought applications from members of staff for two positions, one academic and one Professional Services, on the Selection Committee. Applications have now closed and we expect to announce the successful staff members, selected by the Chair of the Governing Body and a panel chosen by the Chair shortly.

If you have any questions or comments on the search for our new Vice-Chancellor, please contact VCsearch@greenwich.ac.uk