For our Inspirational Women Shaping The Future Of Business Education series, we speak to Dr Sam Giove, Director of Sheffield Business School

• Name: Dr Sam Giove  
• Job title: Director 
• Institution: Sheffield Business School 

Dr Sam Giove is the Director of Sheffield Business School at Sheffield Hallam University. Sheffield Business School is an AACSB-accredited leading applied business school with over 6000 students and more than 200 full time academics.  

Sam has over 30 years of experience working across the higher education sector and has disseminated her work nationally and internationally. She has held several senior leadership posts to include Associate Dean Teaching and Leaning, Assistant Dean, Employer Engagement.  

Dr Giove has commercial experience which is in part from her years as an entrepreneur. She is a recognised authority in developing and implementing authentic and inclusive learning and teaching and student experience strategies. Dr Giove has a particular passion for how higher education experiences enable social and economic mobility and genuinely transform lives.  

Why do you work in education?  

I’ve worked in higher education for 30 years.  I’ve always felt privileged and blessed to do so. Education is a powerful driver of development – and one of the most powerful mechanisms for reducing equality and supporting social and economic mobility. Even when confronted with significant challenges, I’ve never lost sight of the bigger picture and why I continue to work in higher education. 

On a personal level, I have always felt hugely motivated and fulfilled. Even as an early career academic, you have the opportunity every day to have a positive impact on learners, businesses and society and the opportunity to do research and innovation for advancement and improvement.   

As a senior academic, you take on the responsibility of steering the ship. This involves navigating choppy waters (more so now than ever in my career). Whilst this responsibility can sometimes feel like a heavy weight it is also thrilling and immensely rewarding.    

What’s the most rewarding part of your role? 

The most rewarding part of my role is seeing the positive impact of our work at the business school, observing the personal growth and achievements of students and learners, and of course our academic faculty, and seeing our alumni achieve great things. We can also see the very real impact of our (staff and student) engagement with businesses and the community. 

The relationships that you develop working in higher education are very special. The sector attracts incredibly talented and very generous people. These relationships provide endless and continuous opportunities for personal and professional development.    

In my current role – observing the development, resilience and coming together of faculty to achieve ambitious goals in challenging times has been very rewarding to see.     

“I’m a very optimistic person who always anticipates that something good will come from most things and that the knottier the challenge the more you learn and develop.” 

– Dr Sam Giove

I have a very clear sense of my own purpose and that of the school. I’m values-driven and goals-orientated.  I’m a strategic thinker and see the big picture, but I’m also interested in the ‘how’. With over 200 FTE faculty plus many other associates and over 6000 students across many different locations, I have had to trust in the capacity and capability of others.   

A recent change process (which I lead) has provided the opportunity to reset our values and ambition and, importantly, the culture and conditions needed to achieve our goals. This is challenging and sometimes slow work (slow being difficult for someone like me – who likes to see impact at speed). Nevertheless, we are seeing positive change happening and this is incredibly rewarding. One of the most rewarding aspects of this is seeing the growth in the incredibly talented school leadership team.  

Please tell us about a challenge you’ve overcome to get to where you are today. What did you learn?  

Two stand-out professional challenges for me were: 

• Leading a significant change process and restructure to relaunch Sheffield Business School. This includes the activation of the new Sheffield Business School building/estate which we will move into at the end of April 2025.  
• Co-leadership of Sheffield Hallam University’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic (leading the mobilisation of staff, students and practice, regulations and policy).  Leading the implementation across Sheffield Business School and the College of Business, Technology and Engineering (over 500 staff and 11,000 students) which resulted in business continuity and the mitigation of detrimental impact on student outcomes. 

On a personal level, in 2016, I experienced sudden serious ill health in 2016. Managing my return to work, rebuilding my confidence and personal sense of purpose related to work and career was challenging. 

What did I learn? Firstly, I’d share that I recognise that I thrive in a challenging environment and that little frightens me – or if it does, I’m comfortable with that feeling. I’m a very optimistic person who always anticipates that something good will come from most things and that the knottier the challenge the more you learn and develop. I always see a way through. This might take a few twists and turns, but you’ll get there in the end. 

A challenge forces you to think creatively, consider different perspectives, be humble and recognise that there are things to consider that you might not of previously.   

Stepping up and taking a lead in challenging situations is important for anyone wanting to progress their career. Being the person others can rely on, and having people’s backs during difficult times is generally reciprocated, and this can be very valuable at a later point in time. 

I’ve never shied away from stepping up (not on reflection choosing to do this to further my career but rather because I enjoyed the personal change or felt that it was my duty to do so). 

Have you ever had a role model? If yes, who? And how have they impacted your career or outlook?  

I’ve been asked this many times. For some, when asked this, they identify someone in the public eye or someone who has achieved greatness in the eyes of many.   

I have observed and been inspired by many people throughout my personal and professional life (if you open your mind and eyes, they are all around you). I’ve worked with some amazing colleagues, have amazing friends and, through working in education, I’ve been inspired by hundreds if not thousands of students and learners. At different stages of my life and career, I’ve taken different things from different people.

You learn what you admire in people and then I guess you try to emulate some of that. Ultimately, they inspire you to be the very best version of yourself and, in turn, you hope you can enable/support others to be the best version of themselves.  

The common theme across those who have inspired me is their commitment to have a positive impact on the lives of others. Their ability to articulate their vision and their plan, bring people with them and deliver their promise with integrity and authenticity.     

What advice would you give to others to succeed in their careers?  

• Find your purpose and be clear about the impact you want your leadership to have and the difference you want to make.   
• Align your personal values with the institution you choose to dedicate yourself to. 
• Don’t underestimate the power you have in your hands to impact the advancement of others: students, businesses and society. You’ll need to demonstrate this impact to progress.  
• See and develop the talent around you. Their success is a sign that you’re doing a good job.  
• Work to develop a culture where everyone sees the part they play and the impact they have in achieving a common set of goals that are value-driven. It’s always a team effort.  
• Always strive for excellence. Take ownership and responsibility for the good and the bad. 
• Respect others, be kind – we live in a small world. 
• Be prepared to make difficult and unpopular decisions – and own them. Accept some people will choose not to like your decisions. 
• Have fun, and encourage others to!   

Interested in this series? Keep reading…