A message from Linda Evans, outgoing SEED Deputy Head of School

22 Jul 2025

Reflections on being the first Deputy Head of School and continuing the SEED mid-career mentoring programme

"If I become your deputy, you’re not going to give up your role in a couple of months’ time, are you?" I asked Martin Evans, when we met in Christie’s in March 2023. I’d seen the advert for a deputy head of school – a brand new role in SEED – and I’d emailed Martin to say I was interested in applying, and he’d invited me for coffee to discuss it. "I don’t really want to be landed with doing your job," I said. 

"Don’t worry," Martin assured me, "I’m going to be in post for another 18 months." Anyway, I decided to apply, and was interviewed, for the deputy HoS role and was offered it. My tenure was for two years, due to end in April of this year. But sometimes things don’t turn out as expected. Martin sadly left us for Durham last October to become a dean – a job that he richly deserves – and everything changed.  

"I don’t want an assistant; I want someone with their own portfolio," Martin had told me. My portfolio was academic staff development, with a particular focus on getting the SEED mid-career mentoring programme up and running after it had stalled during lockdown. So, I kick-started the programme that had been Tim Allott’s initiative, and we’ve now recruited two cohorts of mid-career colleagues who seemed keen to be mentored by the school’s professors. The first cohort is about to complete their participation in the programme – which lasts for two years.  

I’ve thoroughly involved leading the mid-career mentoring programme; we’ve had two brilliant cohorts of senior lecturers and readers (with several of them promoted whilst on the programme), and they seem to have enjoyed participating in it. They don’t simply get paired with a mentor, they also come together as a cohort around five times a year for workshops and networking over drinks. Khalid, our incoming HoS, has asked me to continue running the programme and to take a lead in facilitating certain other professional development activities in SEED – which I’m very happy to do.  

I have liked the variety of the job that comes with deputising for the HoS: chairing interview panels, attending faculty leadership team meetings, hosting inaugural lectures – and acting as HoS when Martin was away. But I always knew I wouldn’t want the HoS job itself – not even in an interim capacity, so I was delighted when Juup took it on, and, just as I did with Martin, I have enjoyed a great working relationship with him. I shall miss the role in many ways, but I’ve already overstayed my tenure, which we extended to see out Juup’s interim SEED headship. It’s time now to hand the deputy HoS baton on to him; I know he’ll run well with it.

Professor Linda Evans