Founded in 1837, the Royal College of Art (RCA) is the world’s largest community of postgraduate art and design students. It is also the oldest art and design university in continuous operation and has been ranked as the world’s number one art & design university for a remarkable ten consecutive years. We are a research-led institution, recognised internationally for our world-leading research, with a dynamic and creative community of nearly 3,000 students. Our inspiring network of more than 20,000 alumni spans the globe, forming a unique community of artists, designers, creators and innovators whose work shapes the world that we live in. 

Under the leadership of our new President & Vice-Chancellor, Professor Christoph Lindner, we are pursuing an ambitious strategic vision for 2030. Our focus is on generating new knowledge and insights from research; enhancing our teaching excellence, which will be continuously informed by new research knowledge; and translating knowledge, skills and insights to bring about economic, societal and cultural benefit through UK and international partnerships.

The RCA’s governing body, our Council, now seeks to add at least two new external members. Chaired by Sir Peter Bazalgette, the Council provides critical support and challenge to our vibrant, intellectually exciting and diverse community, and Council Members play a crucial role in advancing the RCA. At this time, the Council seeks to add members with experience in research and education.

Candidates will have successfully operated in a senior leadership role in a large and complex university, research-led institution or an organisation adjacent to discovery and translation. Individuals will bring an affinity for art and design, but they do not need to have expertise in these disciplines: we are actively looking for individuals who can make links to STEM. Most importantly, they will have the time to commit to the role. 

The RCA is keen to receive applications from a broad range of individuals and to consider various professional and non-executive backgrounds for the roles. We encourage applications from those who may be less familiar with art and design, but who would offer the requisite skills and experience to contribute broadly to the Council and bring enthusiasm for the RCA’s vision and values.    

The Royal College of Art will be supported in this appointment by executive search firm Perrett Laver. Any initial enquiries should be directed to Xavier Thomason at xavier.thomason@perrettlaver.com & +44 (0)20 3928 7387. For further details, including the job description, person specification, and information on how to apply, please visit https://candidates.perrettlaver.com/vacancies quoting reference number 7722. Candidates wishing to apply should submit a CV (including comprehensive details of key achievements and responsibilities) along with a covering letter which fully addresses the competencies outlined in the role description and person specification. 

The closing date for applications is 09:00 (GMT) on Monday, 17th February 2025.  

The Council | Royal College of Art

Royal College of Art | Royal College of Art | Home

Privacy policy

Protecting your personal data is of the utmost importance to Perrett Laver and we take this responsibility very seriously. Any information obtained by our trading divisions is held and processed in accordance with the relevant data protection legislation. The data you provide us with is securely stored on our computerised database and transferred to our clients for the purposes of presenting you as a candidate and/or considering your suitability for a role you have registered interest in. 

Perrett Laver is a Data Controller and a Data Processor, and our legal basis for processing your personal data is ‘Legitimate Interests’. You have the right to object to us processing your data in this way. For more information about this, your rights, and our approach to Data Protection and Privacy, please visit our website https://perrettlaver.com/privacy-statement/.

Accessibility

For a conversation in confidence or should you require access to these documents in alternative formats, please contact Xavier. If you require any reasonable adjustments to assist you in the selection process, please advise us of these so that we can make appropriate arrangements.

If you have comments that would support us to improve access to documentation, or our application processes more generally, please do not hesitate to contact us via accessibility@perrettlaver.com.