Post Title: Professional Lead for Optometry
SBU/Department: School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences / Department of Medicine, Applied and Clinical Sciences
FTE: 1 fte (working 37 hours per week)
Duration of Contract: Permanent
Annual Leave: 35 days annual leave entitlement per year plus standard public holidays and an additional 4 holidays including the closure of the institution between Christmas and New Year.
Location: College Lane Campus, Hatfield
UH9 Applications are invited from candidates at all career stages who meet the person specification criteria, including those who currently hold appointment at Associate Professor or Professor level. For such candidates, appointment title and remuneration will be aligned with their academic credentials and experience, subject to benchmarking against University of Hertfordshire criteria for these grades.
The School of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences is a dynamic and relatively newly formed School, bringing together expertise across clinical, applied and health disciplines to drive innovation in education, research and professional practice. As part of an ambitious growth strategy, the School is investing in the expansion of its optometry provision, with a clear focus on developing a forward-thinking, research-informed and practice-oriented portfolio that responds to the evolving needs of the sector.
Main duties and responsibilities
The Professional Lead for Optometry will provide strategic academic and professional leadership for the discipline, driving the development and delivery of a future-focused, innovative portfolio of optometry programmes that respond to the evolving needs of the profession, healthcare systems, and society.
The postholder will lead the design, enhancement, and continuous evolution of programmes to ensure they are future-fit, clinically relevant, and aligned with the requirements of the General Optical Council, embedding innovation in curriculum design, assessment, and delivery. This will include advancing new models of education, including experiential learning, simulation, digital and blended approaches, and inter-professional education.
They will take a proactive and outward-facing approach to identifying and delivering new opportunities within optometry, including developments in scope of practice, workforce transformation, and service innovation, ensuring the School remains at the forefront of sector change.
Working across the School and University, the postholder will foster a dynamic, collaborative culture, enabling interdisciplinary working and supporting the development of innovative teaching, research, and enterprise activity.
The role will also lead the development of high-impact external partnerships with healthcare providers, professional bodies, and industry, translating these relationships into tangible outcomes such as placement expansion, collaborative provision, research activity, and knowledge exchange. Through this, the postholder will enhance the University’s reputation, influence, and impact at regional, national, and international levels.
Skills and experience required
You will bring substantial leadership experience within higher education or a relevant professional or clinical setting, with a proven ability to apply and translate that experience to the design, delivery, and enhancement of contemporary higher education provision.
You will have a demonstrable track record of leading and delivering high-quality outcomes across teaching, research, or enterprise, and the ability to shape direction, influence practice, and drive change within a complex organisational environment.
You will work effectively across disciplinary boundaries, building strong, collaborative relationships with academic and professional colleagues to deliver shared strategic objectives.
You will have a strong track record of developing and leading impactful partnerships with external stakeholders, including healthcare providers, professional bodies, and regulators such as the General Optical Council, translating these relationships into tangible outcomes.
You will bring proven line management experience, including performance review, workload planning, and staff development, with the ability to support and develop colleagues to achieve excellence. Experience of leading or chairing formal committees related to education, quality assurance, or governance is essential.
A strong understanding of the professional, regulatory, and educational landscape within optometry, alongside the ability to respond proactively to sector developments, will be critical to success in this role.
Qualifications required
You will have a Masters degree (or equivalent) in a relevant discipline. You will have a current membership of a relevant professional body and Fellowship of Advance HE (formerly the HEA).
Disclosure and Barring Service
Our commitment to the University’s Safeguarding Policy requires that the recruitment of staff in this area, will require the minimum of a Basic DBS Check. In the course of our work and University-led activities, there may be external contractual obligations where a further Enhanced Check is required. DBS checks may require renewal in line with policy.
Overseas applicants and UK applicants who have lived abroad
Successful applicants who have lived outside the UK, for 12 months or more (whether continuously or in total), in the last 10 years, will be required to produce a ‘Certificate of Good Character/Conduct’ from each of those countries.
Please view the job description and person specification for a full list of the duties and essential criteria. Please attach a personal statement showing clearly how your skills and experience match the Person Specification.
Internal applicants– please ensure you apply via your employee self service portal.
An appointment to this role may require an Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS) certificate.
Please note, this post cannot be visa sponsored unless you can evidence a good honours first degree plus a PhD / Doctorate. A criminal record check may also be required.
Contact Details/Informal Enquiries: Prof Zoe Aslanpour, Head of Department of Medicine, Applied and Clinical Sciences,
[email protected]
Closing Date: 22 June 2026
Interview Date: 28th July 2026
Reference Number: REQ000766
Date advert placed: 01 June 2026
Our vision is to transform lives: UH is committed to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and building a diverse community. We welcome applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their protected characteristics, and recognise there are different ways applicants may achieve the criteria in this document. We offer a range of employee benefits including generous annual leave, flexible location opportunities within the UK, discounted Sports Village memberships and free Active Staff sessions, personal and professional development and family-friendly policies. #GoHerts
