Associate Dean (Research and Innovation), University of Bristol, Mumbai, India

About The University Of Bristol

The University of Bristol's Mumbai campus is an innovative extension of its prestigious UK counterpart, established to promote academic excellence, global collaboration, and impactful industry engagement in one of the world's most dynamic financial hubs. The campus offers a truly international and cross-cultural academic environment, combining the University's rigorous academic traditions with the fast-evolving Indian and South Asian business landscape.

As part of a growing global network, the Mumbai campus serves as a hub for interdisciplinary learning, applied research, and thought leadership. Faculty members enjoy access to global partnerships, collaborative research opportunities, and the ability to contribute to high-impact academic programmes that prepare students to meet the challenges of an interconnected world.

About The Role

This role is a key foundational role to support the delivery of the University's Mumbai Enterprise Campus (MEC), a flagship transnational education initiative of the University of Bristol set to open its doors in 2026, coinciding with the University's 150th anniversary.

The role will provide leadership to develop and structure the MEC's research and innovation offer and its two-way link with the University's main campus in Bristol, reporting to and working closely with the MEC Executive Dean and Director, throughout the first three foundational years of the Campus establishment – with possibility of a contract renewal for an additional term thereafter. The role will be instrumental in providing research, innovation and partnership leadership, along with operational and strategic capacity, to deliver effective change and embed new structures and ways of working both in Mumbai and between Bristol and Mumbai. They will also work as principal lead in bridging the coordination of the MEC across the three Faculties in Bristol. To do so, the role will have dotted lines reporting and collaboration to University's Pro Vice Chancellor (Research and Innovation) and relevant Associate PVCs (Faculty based and thematic), The will do so alongside an expected close collaboration with the Faculty Pro Vice Chancellor in either Arts, Law and Social Sciences (ALSS) or Science and Engineering (S&E), to steward the development of a specific faculty-based MEC coordination function from year 2, depending on disciplinary background of the appointee.

Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the Executive Dean. The key responsibilities will be as follows :

• Provide leadership, operational and developmental capacity to the Executive Dean during a period of transformation within the MEC and the University, with an emphasis on Research and Innovation portfolio.
• Drive growth and consolidation of MEC partnership with industry, enterprise, or public sector partners that shape the MEC's offer.
• Work in consultation with the Dean and senior leaders at MEC, as well as across the University's Faculties to support the development and delivery of the MEC.
• Lead and participate in significant MEC development, campus development, industry engagement growth projects, including chairing working groups, management committees that champion and further the University's strategic ambition.
• Line manage MEC leadership roles tasked with the delivery of MEC programmes, or other roles in the MEC as delegated by the Executive Dean.
• Developing and promoting a Bristol-aligned research culture at MEC
• Deputise for the Executive Dean as required.

Teaching and Research

Resource Management

Key Competencies / Attributes

Skills Required

Teaching