Job Overview: Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE) Centres and Hubs Coordinator

The London College of Fashion (LCF), part of the University of the Arts London (UAL), is seeking a highly organized and adaptable Coordinator to join its Research and Knowledge Exchange department. This role is a critical administrative backbone for LCF’s prestigious research centers, including the Centre for Sustainable Fashion and the Centre for Fashion Curation. The position balances daily operational coordination with high-level strategic support, serving as the primary liaison between specialized research hubs and the broader university’s compliance and financial systems.

Job Summary

Employer: University of the Arts London (London College of Fashion)
Location: London, United Kingdom (Stratford/East Bank)
Role Type: Full-time
Sector: Higher Education / Creative Research
Department: Research and Knowledge Exchange (RKE)

Key Responsibilities

Administrative Leadership: Provide comprehensive support to Research Directors and Hub leads, ensuring the smooth daily operation of labs, networks, and centers.
Financial & Grant Monitoring: Support research grant processes and maintain rigorous financial monitoring procedures in line with university requirements.
Strategic Liaison: Act as a central point of coordination for cross-centre data, ensuring all RKE activities comply with university-wide research policies.
Event & Program Coordination: Assist in the administrative delivery of internal and external events, partnerships, and cultural programming related to fashion research.
Data Management: Analyze research data and generate reports to track the impact and progress of various knowledge exchange initiatives.
Collaborative Support: Work as a key member of the RKE administrative team, providing mutual cover and supporting senior colleagues across concurrent projects.

Requirements & Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field (e.g., Administration, Finance, or a related discipline).
Experience: Proven background in research administration, ideally within the creative sector or Higher Education.
Technical Skills: Familiarity with grant management systems, budgeting, and financial management within a research context.
Communication: Ability to communicate effectively across oral, written, and visual media to a diverse group of stakeholders.
Organizational Mastery: Strong ability to prioritize tasks, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and maintain extreme attention to detail.

Professional Qualities

Adaptability: Comfortable working in a dynamic, ever-changing research environment.
Integrity: A deep commitment to ethical research practices and maintaining research integrity.
Inclusive Teamwork: A collaborative worker who upholds the principles of equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI).
Problem-Solving: Uses initiative and creativity to resolve complex administrative or logistical hurdles.

Salary & Benefits

Pay: Competitive (Typically aligned with UAL Grade 4 or 5 scales, often ranging between £34,000 and £42,000 depending on experience and the 2026 London weighting).
Cultural Impact: Work at the heart of the world’s leading fashion college during a period of significant growth at the new East Bank campus.
Professional Development: Access to UAL’s extensive internal training and career progression pathways.
Pension & Leave: Generous final salary pension schemes and a competitive annual leave allowance.

Job Description

Are you an administrative professional with a passion for the intersection of fashion, sustainability, and academia? The London College of Fashion is looking for an RKE Centres and Hubs Coordinator to help manage the engine room of our world-leading research. This isn’t just a “desk job”; it is a role that puts you at the center of groundbreaking work, from the Centre for Sustainable Fashion to the Centre for Fashion Business Research.

In this position, you will wear many hats. One morning you might be deep in the intricacies of a research grant application; by the afternoon, you could be coordinating a high-profile cultural event or helping a Director navigate university financial compliance. You are the “connective tissue” that ensures our researchers can focus on what they do best, while you ensure the infrastructure behind them is robust, ethical, and efficient.

As a key member of the RKE department, you will thrive if you enjoy a fast-paced environment where no two days are the same. We are looking for someone who can speak the language of finance and data just as fluently as they can navigate a creative studio or a research lab. You will be joining a team that values Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion as a core principle, not just a policy.

If you have a Bachelor’s degree, a background in research administration, and a desire to work for an institution that is literally redefining the future of the global fashion industry, we want to hear from you. Apply today to help LCF maintain its position as a global leader in creative research and knowledge exchange.

Expert Guide: Finalizing Your 2026 Academic Research Analysis

This role completes your profile of the 2026 Higher Education market in both London and Manchester. To help you synthesize this data, consider these three concluding perspectives:

The “Creative vs. Business” HE Comparison: A look at how administrative roles at UAL (Fashion) differ from lecturing roles at UCLan (Business).
London Weighting & Salary Realities: A summary of how 2026 London-based administrative salaries compare against Manchester-based professional roles in your list.

The “RKE” Career Path: A checklist of the skills needed to transition from general administration into specialized Research and Knowledge Exchange careers.

Goldsmiths, University of London: The Creative & Critical Powerhouse

Goldsmiths is a world-renowned institution based on a single-site campus in New Cross, South East London. Known for its radical, “different is what we do” approach, it has been a constituent college of the University of London since 1904. It is the definitive home of the “Young British Artists” (YBA) movement and continues to be a global leader in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. The university is celebrated for its ability to blend high-level academic theory with hands-on creative practice, encouraging students to challenge the status quo and think for themselves.

The company culture at Goldsmiths is intellectually defiant, progressive, and deeply inclusive. It is a place where “bold ideas are welcomed” and critical thinking is nurtured across all disciplines—from Fine Art to Creative Computing. The environment is defined by its social mission, with a strong focus on social justice, climate action, and community engagement via its “Civic University Agreement.” Whether in the studio or the lecture hall, the atmosphere is collaborative and high-energy, attracting students and staff from over 140 countries who are passionate about making a real-world impact.

Key University Highlights

Feature	Details
Global Ranking	Top 100 worldwide for Arts & Humanities (QS 2021)
Research Power	9th in the UK for Research Intensity (CUG 2022)
Creative Pedigree	9 Turner Prize winners & 26 nominees among alumni
Student Diversity	35% International; students from 135+ countries
Manchester Link	Strong academic ties to Northern creative & tech sectors
Sustainability	Home to the “Green New Deal” campus project
Location	Single-site campus in New Cross (10 mins from Central London)

Academic Strengths & Faculties

Creative Arts & Media: Houses the world-leading School of Art and the Department of Media, Communications and Cultural Studies (ranked 4th in the UK for research).
Society & Innovation: A hub for groundbreaking work in Sociology, Anthropology, and Law, with a specific focus on human rights and criminal justice.
Creative Computing: Blending computer science with artistic expression, focusing on AI ethics, creative technology, and interactive media.
Mind, Body & Society: Leading the way in Psychology, Social Work, and therapeutic studies, emphasizing community wellbeing.

Notable Alumni (The “Goldsmiths School”)

Goldsmiths graduates have a profound impact on global culture:

Art: Damien Hirst, Sir Antony Gormley, and Sarah Lucas.
Film: Oscar-winner Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) and Sam Taylor-Johnson.
Music: Members of Blur (Alex James, Graham Coxon), James Blake, and Katy B.
Literature & Media: Bernardine Evaristo (Booker Prize winner) and Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education).

To apply for this job please visit jobs.gold.ac.uk.