Supporting Departmental Change with the University of Sussex Business School

Organisational change, while often challenging, provides a unique opportunity to reassess and enhance culture, behaviours, and ways of working. Change initiatives allow leaders to address longstanding challenges, improve governance structures, and create a shared vision that both engages and energises staff. When approached thoughtfully, change can drive long-term improvements that strengthen both the organisation and its people.

The brief:

The University of Sussex Business School was transitioning from a Departmental to a Faculty structure, as part of broader institutional change. At the same time, the Business School faced challenges shared by many across the sector, particularly changing patterns of student recruitment, which was having an impact on resources. Given these circumstances, the Faculty leadership recognised an opportunity to drive positive cultural and behavioural changes alongside the wider institutional transformation.

Strive Higher was invited to support the interim Dean and Head of Faculty Operations in developing a Faculty-wide approach which addressed the following problem statement:

What changes do we need to make to our operating model to bring about positive change to our ways of working, behaviours and culture – which will allow our people to flourish and help embed our new faculty structure?

Our approach:

We adopted an engagement-heavy approach in the discovery phase to surface key insights. This involved one-to-one interviews with key stakeholders, desk-based research on existing structures, strategic plans, and ongoing projects, and the development of a stakeholder engagement plan to guide discussions and ensure inclusivity. Our approach emphasised confidentiality and careful positioning to develop trust and buy-in from staff members.

The discovery phase surfaced several recurring themes, including: a lack of shared vision at the Faculty level, tensions between research and teaching priorities, perceptions of weak performance management, limited support for leadership roles (particularly for Heads of Department), and a perceived disconnect between the Business School and the wider University.

In discussion with the Interim Dean and Head of Faculty Operations we translated these insights into structured recommendations. A key recommendation was the development of a shared vision and citizenship charter plus a ‘target culture blueprint’ to outline the desired future culture.

Outcomes:

The School’s transition to Faculty status presented both challenges and opportunities. Through a structured, engagement-driven approach, Strive Higher was able to work with the leadership team to surface key insights, propose targeted improvements, and support the development of a Faculty-wide action plan.

By prioritising leadership development, governance reform, and cultural alignment, the Business School will be better positioned to navigate institutional change, enhance staff engagement, and improve student outcomes. The recommended roadmap provides a clear pathway for continued success and resilience in an increasingly complex landscape.

Key recommendations can be summarised as followed:

• Enhanced clarity and direction

  • Development of a clearly articulated vision developed collaboratively, that aligns faculty objectives with the broader institutional strategy. This shared purpose will foster greater engagement among staff and improve collaboration across departments.

  
  

• Improved leadership and governance

  • Additional leadership upskilling and support for Heads of Department, which includes recommendations around coming together as a leadership cohort and setting out the expectations of leadership and governance within each of the Business School’s five departments.

  
  

• Strengthening school culture and citizenship

  • Development of a ‘Citizenship Charter’ to support the vision and build a clear and transparent set of behavioural expectations covering research, teaching and broader enabling activities, as well as collective responsibilities.

  • Creation of a ‘target culture blueprint’ developed with input from across the School and articulating a collective vision, value and behaviours, ways of working, leadership and governance & EDI commitments.

  
  

• Increased alignment with the University

  • An opportunity for the Business School to reframe its relationship with central University departments, fostering better support from key central teams. Helping institutional leaders to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities within the Business School and leaders within the Faculty, to see the opportunities to improve overall alignment to the wider institutional strategy.

  
  

• Sustainable change mechanisms

  • By embedding these improvements within formal governance structures and leadership development programmes, the Business School will make significant strides towards creating a framework for sustained cultural and operational enhancement.

Read more about our Transformation & Change and Values & Culture service offerings.