Queens’ College, University of Cambridge Appointment of President November 2018

THE COLLEGE Queens’ College is an open, friendly, and diverse academic community of some 1,300 people,

including undergraduates, graduates, Fellows and staff. Set on the River Cam in central

Cambridge, and featuring some of the city’s most recognisable buildings, it has been in the heart

of Cambridge for more than five centuries.

The College stands for aspiration, excellence, a commitment to diversity, and a firm belief that all

students and academics, whatever their resources and background, can play leading roles in

society, the professions and commerce. Members can pursue their interests and achieve their

full potentials within an environment that is informal, modern, welcoming and comfortable.

The College remains committed to widening participation in higher education, and runs a

number of successful initiatives. The College maintains close relationships with a community of

roughly 13,000 alumni, who give vital support financially and in other ways.

Further information on life at Queens’ can be found here.

THE ROLE PURPOSE OF POST The President is the Chair of the Governing Body of the College, which is also the Board of

Trustees of the Registered Charity. The successful candidate will provide strategic leadership and

motivation to the Fellowship as it strives to strengthen the College’s academic achievements and

endowment. This will require a person with a distinguished record of achievement and

leadership in academia or another professional field.

The new President must be sympathetic to the distinctive values, ethos and aims of Queens’

College, have knowledge of academia and a strong understanding of the Cambridge collegiate

system. Candidates should have the personal qualities to lead the College community by

example and through consensus, as well as the leadership and management ability successfully

to oversee the senior officers who are responsible for the day-to-day running of the College.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES The College is seeking a President who will promote and strengthen the academic standing of Queens’

and foster an environment in which its members can grow academically and personally. He or she

should be committed to the pursuit of academic excellence on the part of both Junior and the Senior

members of the College in teaching and research and thereby enhance the College’s reputation and

contributions in the wider world.

He or she is expected to provide leadership in developing a vision of the future collectively with the

Fellowship. The President is expected to demonstrate a deep commitment to the academic purpose

and aims of Queens’, and be a custodian of the College as a thriving intellectual and social community,

recognising the central role of teaching, learning and research to the College mission. The President

should be committed to an agenda for widening participation and making the College accessible to

students from all backgrounds.

Queens’ College takes pride in its consensual style of governance. The Governing Body of the College,

which consists of the President and some 60 Fellows, has the responsibility for governing the College.

The principal executive officers of the College are the Senior Tutor and Senior Bursar. In addition to the

Governing Body, the President also chairs the main College committees, which have oversight of the

management of the College, and make recommendations to the Governing Body as to policy, elections

to Fellowships, appointments to College offices and committees, as well as other academic, financial

and staff matters. The Governing Body normally meets 10 times each year; other committees meet

once or twice a term. The President also is typically asked formally to confer degrees on graduating

students of the College on behalf of the Vice-Chancellor at the annual degree ceremony.

The President has a critical role to play (with the Development Director and his office) in fundraising

and establishing networks with the College's alumni and other supporters. The President must have a

genuine enthusiasm for meeting alumni and benefactors and be able to argue persuasively the case

for promoting higher education, and in particular Queens’. A willingness to travel, to attend events, and

to actively promote fundraising projects is therefore a critical requirement of the role.

A principal responsibility of the President is to encourage and develop the Fellowship and its members.

The President is expected to take an active part in the appointment of new Fellows, including Research

Fellows and College Lecturers, and take responsibility for recommending the appointment of College

Officers, following consultation with the Fellowship. He or she should recognise and encourage the

contribution by Fellows, and be supportive of their (sometimes conflicting) University and College

commitments in teaching, research and administration, and be engaged in understanding the

consequences of academic/corporate pressures. The President is involved in the regular appraisal of

Research Fellows and senior officers.

The President is not merely a figurehead, but is expected to live in the Lodge, playing a central role in

the life of the whole College, taking obvious pride in the contributions made by all its members. As

such, he or she is expected to provide inspiration to, and active engagement with, the College

community, especially undergraduates and postgraduates.

The Fellows expect the President to further the interests and reputation of the College through

prominent participation on major University committees. As Head of House, he or she is expected to

attend the Colleges Committee, which meets at least once a term, and to take a lead in representing

Queens’ in the evolution of the collegiate system to meet changing needs amidst a range of academic,

financial and political challenges.

PERSON SPECIFICATION The successful candidate will possess:

● Intellectual stature, with a distinguished record of achievement in their chosen professional

field, to command the respect of the Fellowship and the collegiate University.

● A national profile, and a professional network beyond the University.

● Experience in the leadership of organisations that require government by consent.

● Financial and business awareness at a strategic level.

Embodying the aspirational spirit of the College, the President must possess the following

personal qualities:

● Commitment to the academic purpose of the College, and a keen interest in developing the

intellectual life of its Senior and Junior Members.

● Commitment to the ethos of the College and its values of openness, inclusivity, diversity and

innovation.

● Ability to provide strong strategic leadership: to lead the Fellowship in developing a collective

vision of the future, to understand the value of strategy and implementation of a set of cohesive,

interconnected actions that will effectively address challenges:

- to promote the teaching and learning strategy as being central to College mission,

- to resource and instil excellence in the work and outcomes of the College.

● Cognisance of the challenges facing higher education, and an understanding of, and empathy

with, collegiate Cambridge.

● Enthusiasm for participating in the fundraising effort.

● The interpersonal skills to motivate and develop the Fellowship and the entire College

community, and attract talented academics to the Fellowship.

● The ability to chair meetings effectively and efficiently, and to provide strong leadership

through constructive engagement with self-governing committee structures. Diplomatic acuity

and a high level of integrity and empathy, with a sense of fairness, discretion and willingness to

listen and learn.

● The ability to hold the Senior Officers to account through the Governing Body.

● The stature to represent the College within collegiate Cambridge, within the University, and

with the wider political arena.

● The ability to host major College events involving students, alumni or guests of the College in

an inclusive and engaging manner.

● Excellent communication skills, both in private and on public platforms.

● An inclusive leadership style that inspires and motivates the Fellowship, student body and

College staff, and a commitment to the social element of the President’s role.

● A willingness to take account of changing influences impacting Junior Members.

TERMS OF APPOINTMENT Like many Headships in Cambridge colleges, this post can be undertaken part-time, so that the

President is able to maintain some of their other academic or professional activities.

There is a competitive salary in the professorial range. The President will be appointed to serve

for a maximum of 10 years, subject to retirement conditions specified College Statutes.

HOW TO APPLY Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Queens’ College, Cambridge on this

appointment.

Candidates should apply for this role through our website at www.saxbam.com/jobs using code KABSF.

Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter, and complete the

application and equal opportunities monitoring* form.

The closing date for applications is noon on 11 January 2019.

* The equal opportunities monitoring online form will not be shared with anyone involved in assessing your

application. Please complete as part of the application process.