Independent Member of the Board of Governors x3 - Falmouth University

Job content

About The Role

We are currently seeking to appoint up to three outstanding individuals to our Board of Governors as Independent Members. These are exciting opportunities to make a significant contribution to the future direction of the University.

The Board of Governors is the governing body of the University, and has responsibility for ensuring the effective oversight of the institution, approving its future strategic development and fostering an environment in which the institutional mission is achieved, and the potential of all students and staff is realised. Our Board Members make an active contribution to achieving the University’s objectives, and promote the University’s interests locally, nationally and internationally.

The main duties of the Board of Governors are:

• The determination of the educational character and mission of the University and for oversight of its activities.
• The effective and efficient use of resources, the solvency of the University and the Corporation and for safeguarding their assets. Approving annual estimates of income and expenditure.
• The appointment, performance, suspension, dismissal, and pay and conditions of service arrangements for the Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive.
• Approving the framework for the pay and conditions of service of all other staff.

Falmouth’s status as a leading specialist creative University, headquartered in Cornwall, brings further opportunities and challenges, which the combined skill set of the Board must be able to address.

This is an unpaid position, the University will meet all reasonable expenses incurred by Board Members undertaking Board business, including optional training and development.

About You

We are looking to hear from candidates who have experience in one or more of the following areas:

Higher Education – especially senior/policy leadership in one or more of:

• Portfolio growth and diversification in a specialist creative arts context.
• Academic quality and standards and current HE regulation.
• Future skills for the UK and international Creative Industries.
• Connectivity between Further Education and Higher Education.
• The Access and Participation agenda.

Business finance – including one or more of:

• Senior experience in start-up ventures and helping start-ups to access finance.
• Accountancy or banking with experience of corporate finance, business financing and capital markets.
• Financial sustainability and resource management.

Human Resources – including one or more of:

• Talent development.
• Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
• Leading change in a complex organisation.

For full details of the position, please download the ‘Job Description’ above.

Our Board meets six times per year. The usual expectation is that a minimum of three of the six meetings per year must be attended face-to-face, the remaining three meetings may be attended via video conference.

We welcome and encourage applications from people of all identities and backgrounds, particularly those under-represented and/or marginalised.

The closing date for applications is 11.59pm onSunday 26 June 2022, interviews will take place in July 2022. To be considered, please upload a curriculum vitae and covering letter via the Falmouth University job portal.

Applicants are welcome to contact Dr Robin Kirby, Secretary to the Board of Governors, with any informal queries regarding the role, including to arrange an informal conversation with the Chair of the Board of Governors or Vice-Chancellor & Chief Executive prior to formal application. Please email, robin.kirby@falmouth.ac.uk.

About Us

For 120 years, Falmouth University has been a hub of creative thinking and design innovation, producing headline grabbing journalists, award-winning artists, ground-breaking product designers, agenda-setting film makers, dynamic entrepreneurs and digital pioneers. Today, our portfolio of undergraduate and postgraduate courses represents the breadth of the Creative Industries, from art, design, photography, music and performance to games, computing, writing, business and marketing. Falmouth’s research programmes are built on the principle of open innovation - the idea that the grand challenges of our age can be addressed most effectively when tackled collaboratively across disciplinary boundaries. They focus on delivering impact for lives and economies through the development of new knowledge, solutions, services and products.

More than 5000 students from across the globe study on Falmouth’s two campuses, with access to professional standard environments including state-of-the-art performance and recording studios, some of the best photography facilities in Europe, cutting edge digital manufacturing technology and a TV studio and gallery. Tour our facilities here. As well as the courses that are delivered on-campus in Cornwall, Falmouth also provides ground-breaking online distance learning, through our Falmouth Online portfolio, and exciting partnerships with industry-leading bodies including the Fashion Retail Academy, Eden Project, and WaterBear.

Falmouth University takes a multi-disciplinary approach, ensuring its students have the skills they need to excel in a fast-changing world. Putting real world, real market challenges and hands-on experience at the heart of the learning experience also means that Falmouth’s graduates leave as experienced professionals, accomplished complex problem solvers and strong team players.

Falmouth plays a key role in the economic regeneration of Cornwall. It is building a pipeline of talent, retaining skills in the region and leveraging its capital, network and academic knowledge to foster the generation of high-growth, high-value businesses that will create jobs and attract investment.