London South Bank University (LSBU) is a civic university of technology in south central London. Its vision is to transform lives, communities, businesses and society through applied education and insight. Originally founded as the Borough Polytechnic Institute in 1892, it has been improving the lives of students, businesses and the community in south London and beyond ever since.

The University’s mission, as set out in its corporate strategy 2020-25, is to deliver technical and professional education to equip students with the knowledge, skills and social capital to move into graduate employment. LSBU has partnerships with more than 1,500 businesses, more than a third of students are employer-sponsored including 3,000 higher and degree apprentices; and the majority of the University’s courses are accredited by professional, statutory and regulatory bodies (PSRBs).

In 2019, LSBU established the LSBU Group, an innovative family of educational institutions. LSBU Group includes LSBU, London South Bank Technical College, Lambeth College, South Bank University Academy and South Bank University Sixth Form. A benefit of the Group is to offer professional and technical educational pathways at all levels to help learners and students meet their full potential in their chosen discipline. LSBU Group has over 32,250 students, including 19,000 at LSBU, 750 academy students, 7,000 in further education and 5,500 transnational students.

Recent major investment projects across the Group include:

• Opening of the LSBU Hub on the university’s Southwark campus to provide modern and flexible learning resources for students
• New LSBU Croydon campus teaching business and healthcare students, helping to tackle a severe shortage of nurses across south London.
• New London South Bank Technical College in Nine Elms, described by the Secretary of State for Education as a “phenomenal new technical college, which will offer people in south London fantastic training opportunities whilst giving businesses the skills they need to grow.”

Recent further successes for the Group include:

• LSBU graduates are the highest paid amongst all London modern universities one year after completing their course (LEO Data 2019-20, published 2022)
• LSBU is ranked 32nd worldwide for its contribution to UN Strategic Development Goal (SDG) 1 (No Poverty) and 8th for SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) in the 2023 THE Global Impact Rankings
• LSBU is ranked 16th in the UK among apprenticeship training providers and 3rd among universities (Rate My Apprenticeship 2023)
• LSBU is 12th among UK universities for graduate starting salaries at 1 year after graduation (LEO Data 2020-21, published 2023) and 16th in the UK in the Daily Mail University Guide 2024
• LSBU is ranked 2nd in London and 8th in the UK for Value Add in the Guardian University Guide 2024
• LSBU was shortlisted for three 2024 Times Higher Education Awards: Outstanding Entrepreneurial University Award; Outstanding Support for Students Award; and Outstanding Library Team Award

With a new Chair of the Board and Pro Chancellor recently appointed, this is an exciting time to be joining the LSBU Group as it continues to implement its ambitious corporate strategy. 

The Board as a whole is collectively responsible for promoting the success of the University and the overarching LSBU Group by leading and supervising its affairs. The Board is responsible for:

• The effective stewardship of the University and the Group to secure its sustainability over the medium and long term
• Safeguarding the mission of the University and the Group and the services it provides for the public benefit
• Securing the proper and effective use of public funds and accounting to stakeholders and society for institutional performance
• Fostering an educational environment that enables students to succeed
• Setting the values and standards of the University and the Group, and ensuring that its obligations to its stakeholders are understood and met

The Independent Governor’s role includes:

• Participating fully and actively in the meetings of the Board and its Committees
• Contributing to the strategic direction of the University and the Group
• Reviewing the performance of LSBU and the Group against the key performance indicators approved by the University Board
• Establishing constructive working relationships with fellow governors and the Group Executive, recognising that day-to-day management is the responsibility of the Group Executive
• Acting as an ambassador for LSBU externally
• Engaging with members of the wider LSBU Group at annual strategy days and external events, which include trustees from the Boards of South Bank Colleges and South Bank Academies
• Promoting the LSBU Group’s shared vision and mission
• Acting in accordance with the accepted standards of behaviour in public life and LSBU’s values
• Exercising the Board’s responsibilities in the interests of LSBU as a whole, rather than as a representative of any constituency, and to accept collective responsibility for decisions made by the Board
• Acting fairly and impartially at all times in the interests of LSBU as a whole, using independent judgement and maintaining confidentiality as appropriate
• Demonstrating an understanding of, and commitment to, equality and diversity, and its practical application

LSBU is looking to appoint a new Independent Governor with a senior, strategic-level background in IT and / or digital technology.

Having become increasingly digital as a University and Group in recent years, from its internal operations to its growing online education offering, the Board has identified IT and digital technology as important areas of expertise to add to its membership. The Board is particularly interested in individuals with experience of digital transformation projects in complex organisations, ideally focused on customer experience and customer relationship management. Experience with digital learning and educational technology would be considered advantageous, though not essential. Applicants from any sector background are welcome to apply. 

Candidates should share the University's vision to transform lives, communities, businesses and society through applied education and insight. First-time non-executives are encouraged to apply and will be given training, support and mentorship.

LSBU's Board of Governors currently has twelve independent governors, the Vice Chancellor, two student governors and two staff governors. The Board is chaired by Dr Andreas Raffel, Pro Chancellor.

More information about the Board of Governors, including profiles of current members, can be found here.

This role is unremunerated, and reasonable expenses (including travel and childcare costs) will be reimbursed. There are currently five Board meetings, which normally take place on a Thursday from 4-6pm, and two strategy days annually. Independent Governors usually also serve on one or more committees. The key committees are currently: Finance, Planning and Resources Committee; Major Projects and Investment Committee; and Group Audit and Risk Committee.  

Typically, these meet four or five times a year. The appointment is for a four-year term, which can be renewed once at the discretion of the Board.

LSBU Group is located in central London, just a short journey from Waterloo Station. The majority of meetings will take place in person, though there is some openness to remote dial-ins for committee meetings. Candidates will therefore be UK-based, with the ability to travel to London on a regular basis throughout the year. 

LSBU Group welcomes applications from everyone regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, belief or disability. As women and those from an ethnic minority background are currently under-represented on the Board, applications from those individuals would be particularly encouraged. All appointments will be made on merit, following a fair and transparent process. In line with the Equality Act 2010, however, the organisation may employ positive action where candidates from underrepresented groups can demonstrate their ability to perform the role equally well.