Roland has an extensive career in education following some 10 years in industry as a Management Accountant working in engineering, food processing and pharmaceutical industries. He is a past President of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

He has held two chairs, Professor of Information Management at the Open University Business School and Professor of Management Accounting at the University of East Anglia. Roland was made an Emeritus professor on his retirement from the University of East Anglia.

He has served as Dean of the Open University Business School leading its diversification and expansion internationally. He has also served as Director of Teaching and Learning at UEA contributing to the doubling of the size of Norwich Business School and the launch of the UEA London site.