Associate Dean - Foundation Year (Holborn)

Department: Academic – as part of our partnership with Bath Spa University (BSU)

Location: Any GBS UK campus (On-Site)

Salary: £70,000 - £75,000 per annum

Type of Contract: Full-Time, Permanent (40 hours per week)

Our Vision : Changing lives through education

The role : We are seeking an Associate Dean to provide leadership and management for the foundation year provision of one or more higher education programmes delivered as part of our partnership with BSU.

A key focus of the role is to ensure that students are provided with an outstanding start to their higher education journey and are enabled to achieve their educational and professional goals. The role involves ensuring the delivery of student-centred learning whilst maintaining academic standards.

Please note this role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Role Responsibilities:

• Provide leadership and day-to-day management for staff involved in the delivery of foundation year provision across all GBS campuses, ensuring effective programme operation and coordination with partner institutions

• Promote and enhance the quality of learning, teaching, and assessment to ensure students receive an excellent foundation year experience

• Ensure the quality of provision results in key performance indicators for attendance, continuation, progression, and achievement being met

• Ensure that academic standards and partner institution marking criteria are consistently met through the assessment process

• Act as a key liaison with the partner institution, attending meetings and preparing high-quality reports to support collaboration

• Address student issues professionally using appropriate policies and encourage effective use of available learning resources for both students and staff

Essential Skills and Experience:

• Master’s degree qualification or above

• Previous experience of leading and managing staff and programme management

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with an enthusiastic approach

• Experience of upholding academic standards and enhancing the student learning experience

• Experience of working in partnership with universities and other higher education related organisations

• Knowledge and understanding of implementing internal and external quality assurance processes including those set out by the QAA and OfS

• Recognised teaching qualification, for example, with the HEA

Desirable Skills and Experience:

• PhD qualification

• Experience of quality assurance reviews, for example by the QAA or OfS

• External examining at UK universities and other higher education providers

• Senior leadership experience of leading through a period of significant change

What we offer: 

Time off that fits your lifestyle - 33 days annual leave (including bank holidays), 1-day extra leave per year of service (up to 5 days) and Buy/Sell additional holidays (up to 5 days)

Opportunities for growth - Tuition reimbursement for career development courses and support to gain Fellowship from Advance HE 

Pension Scheme and Flexible Benefits (via salary sacrifice) - Cycle to Work, Workplace Nursery, Tech scheme, Health and Dental cover, Women's Health scheme (via Hertlity) and much more

Savings and wellbeing support - Perks@Work discounts platform, Employee Assistance Programme (EAP), discounted gym membership and much more

Reward for your impact - discretionary annual performance bonus, annual salary review, £500 award employee referral scheme 

“I joined GBS in 2025 at a pivotal time in its journey towards excellence. Working to create the best learning environment for our students is a very exciting and rewarding exercise. Everyone in the organisation works together to make a huge difference to those who have not had access to higher education before.”

– Professor Peter Flew, Vice Provost

GBS is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities. We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed.