Head of Department Design - Media Jobs

The Department of Design at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste (ZHdK) is one of the leading design institutions in Switzerland and combines teaching, research, and continuing education in a future-oriented understanding of design. In seven disciplines - Cast/Audiovisual Media, Game Design, Industrial Design, Interaction Design, Knowledge Visualization, Visual Communication, as well as Trends & Identity - central questions of contemporary design are addressed and implemented in innovative projects. At the center is a reflected engagement with design beyond purely aesthetic and functional aspects. Together with your leadership team, you are responsible for the strategic direction, profiling, and quality assurance of the department. You ensure a contemporary offering oriented towards the professional field and future challenges. You promote sustainable cooperations within and outside the university and thereby expand the content resources for teaching and research. Taking local and global perspectives and representing the department within the university as well as in national and international networks is a matter of course for you. You maintain partnership-based and constructive relationships with actors from design, art, politics, society, and business. You actively promote interdisciplinary questions and innovations. As a member of the university management, you represent the interests of the department on one hand, and on the other hand, you are jointly responsible for the development of the entire university and are engaged in various internal and external committees. We are looking for a personality with a profile from the field of design or related disciplines as well as proven experience in leading complex larger organizational units, preferably in the higher education sector. In addition, you have a university degree in a direction represented by the department or a related field. We appreciate it if you have a doctorate, but this is not a requirement. With a strategic-analytical view, you recognize the potentials of the department and proactively meet its opportunities with holisticity, consistency, and in compatibility with the university strategy. You promote the systemic and conceptual development of the department as well as its embedding within the ZHdK in a goal-oriented manner and in transparent dialogue with your committees. Sense of responsibility, negotiation skills, and decision-making power characterize your cooperative and contemporary understanding of leadership. You have clear conceptual ideas about the development of the Department of Design with regard to future challenges. You understand the concerns of an arts university and effectively use your communication and moderation skills as well as your university-political, strategic, and organizational competencies for the university and the cooperation within the university. Furthermore, we wish for you to have good networking in the higher education landscape and in national and international design and cultural life. You bring excellent German and English skills. We look forward to receiving your complete application documents by 28.08.2026 via the link -Apply online now- at the end of this advertisement. Please note that we only accept online applications for this position. The job interviews will take place on 30.10.2026 (1st round of interviews) and on 27.11.2026 (2nd round of interviews). Information is provided by the Rector Prof. Dr. Karin Mairitsch via contact person Human Resources Management: Gerhard Bayard, Head of Human Resources Management; Tel. +41 43 446 46 20; gerhard.bayard@zhdk.ch www.zhdk.ch www.zhdk.ch/design • Zürcher Hochschule der Künste • -