Programme Leader | BA Fashion Design & Accessories

Based at Boston Manor House, the Academy seeks to find, support and launch entrepreneurial and innovative fashion designers through a couture learner-centred approach that is focused on professional practice delivered within a boutique specialist incubation environment.
The JCA offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in a range of practice-based fashion design and entrepreneurship programmes that allow learners to pursue a very high degree of specialism.
There are two routes available to prospective students: 1) an immersive, professional practice experience with incubation in Mayfair, and 2) a timetabled professional experience within an artisan Maker Space in West London.
Inclusive in its approach, in terms of reach and scholarships given, the Academy seeks to support only the very best and most gifted designers to fulfil their ambitions and transition from higher education into entrepreneurship and/or employment.
As a selective institution, recruitment is based on academic and creative potential expressed through prior qualifications and portfolio and behaviours and attitudes through academic interview and engagement.
The bar is set high but the community is founded on well being.

Organisation Background

About us

JCA | London Fashion Academy is a unique modern-day undertaking by one of the worlds most renowned contemporary designers, Prof. Dato’ Jimmy Choo OBE.
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Positioned as an industry leader in the field of fashion education it follows and positively reacts to the developing higher education landscape in the UK and the Ministers call for ‘new and innovative providers opening high quality higher education’.
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The Academy offers both undergraduate and postgraduate degree programmes in a range of practice-based fashion design and entrepreneurship programmes that allow learners to pursue a very high degree of specialism.
‍
There are two routes available to prospective students: 1) an immersive, professional practice experience with incubation in Mayfair, and 2) a timetabled professional experience within an artisan Maker Space in West London.
‍
Inclusive in its approach, in terms of reach and scholarships given, the Academy seeks to support the best and most gifted designers to fulfil their ambitions and transition from higher education into entrepreneurship and/or employment.
‍
As a selective institution, recruitment is based on academic and creative potential expressed through prior qualifications and portfolio and behaviours and attitudes through academic interview and engagement.
The bar is set high with a vested interest in supporting those who want to achieve.

JCA Culture

Our academic staff are the best in their field, professionally within fashion, and pedagogically within education. They are also friendly and approachable people. People who want to work with other, similar minded, people – and together, to create a professionally focused learning community.
Lecturers are employed as ‘Mentors’ and deliver more than taught sessions; they interact, engage, and participate with learners and guide the learning journey. They excite, provocate and disrupt ways of thinking. They support, protect and inculcate excellence. However, most of all, they motivate, encourage and inspire.
Being an aspiring Designer at the Academy is much more than being a student it is about setting a direction and being mentored on that journey – from campus to beyond.

Overview and Objectives

JCA | London Fashion Academy is seeking an exceptional academic leader for the post of Programme Leader to develop and lead the field of Fashion Design and Accessories, enabling learners and wider professional stakeholders to develop their practice on the interconnectivity between garment and accessories design and make.
Reporting to the Director of Teaching and Learning, the successful candidate will lead our BA (Hons) Fashion: Design and Accessories course, teach across a range of modules and programmes, and champion the further development of short courses and specialist pathways.
Staff at the Academy typically come with a story: a past and a present and as such they naturally bring with them professional relationships and high-profile industry contacts that help position the Academy, and crucially, support students in defining and developing their future career paths.
This post would suit practising professionals who wanting to balance a portfolio of education, practice-based research or maintaining their own design practice / enterprise.
As such we will consider candidates who want a full-time position and also those seeking a fractional appointment (with a minimum of 0.6FTE) such that they can continue their own practice.
Ideal candidates would be ambitious, innovative and entrepreneurial and would not only be comfortable with change management, they would positively thrive in exciting dynamic environments.Critical to the position is the ability to identify, shape and curate the individual learning journey for each of the emerging designers following the course.
Reports to: Director of Teaching and Learning

Key relationships

Students
Industry
Programme Leaders
Director of Teaching and Learning
Academy Executive Team

Main duties and responsibilities

Student Experience

Provides a mentorship-led approach to supporting students who align with specific areas of practice.
Actively seeks to give guidance to students with their educational and professional development.
Contributes to the development of a sense of student and academic/professional community.
Assists with the operational teaching and / or mentorship delivery of courses/modules.
Actively participates in open days, induction and other student-facing forums.

Learning, Teaching and Assessment

Designs and delivers innovative, high quality and challenging learning / practical experiences.
Equips students with the skills, knowledge and attributes required by design entrepreneurs.
Engages in critical reflection as a basis for improving performance.
Contributes to innovation in learning, teaching, assessment and curriculum development.
Provides effective feedback, support and guidance to students.
Supervises individual and group based student activities, e.g. work based projects.

Professional Practice

Maintains own professional practice and regularly engages with wider industry.
Develops and actively shares networks of useful contacts both within and outside the Academy

Profile Raising

Actively promotes the association with the Academy and its students through PR, social media and events.
Represents the Academy at events sponsored by the Academy or in which the Academy is invited to attend.
Develops joint initiatives that promote areas of practice within the Academy.
Identifies opportunities for income generation and/or entrepreneurialism.

Scholarly Activity

Contributes (as appropriate) to practice-based research and scholarly activity.
Identifies opportunities for income generation and/or entrepreneurialism.

Quality management and enhancement

Contributes to the development and achievement of quality standards and criteria.
Takes part in meetings (as required) such as Programme Committee, LTA, and Academic Board.

Teamwork and Communication

Works effectively with colleagues and contributes to the achievement of team objectives.
Maintains dialogue with managers in the performance of post responsibilities.
Develops networks of useful contacts both within and outside the Academy.

Personal Effectiveness

Seeks ways to improve efficiency and quality and motivates and encourages others.
Contributes to achievement of organisational goals.

Personal Attributes

In addition to the required educational and professional experiences expressed for the post, ideal candidates would be ambitious, innovative and entrepreneurial.
Candidates would not only be comfortable with change management, they would positively thrive in exciting dynamic environments.
Experience of both public and private HEI’s would be advantageous but not essential.