This is a set of profiles and potentially a career path for staff posts where the responsibilities are primarily to cover essential teaching and/or clinical needs. The recognition of a limited number of specialist and/or professional educators as permanent and valued members of staff who concentrate upon teaching, pastoral and administrative duties will meet the needs of professional disciplines, enable schools to achieve their overall goals and contribute to the delivery of excellence in teaching and or clinical service.
These role profiles were developed in consultation with the AUT (now UCU) to be used for the University’s Job Evaluation Scheme. Although they will form the basis of the role profiles finally agreed under the Academic Staff Careers Pathways Policy, they are designed solely for the purpose of providing appropriate role profiles for those staff currently contracted, either explicitly or implicitly, mainly to teach and carry out connected administration (and/or clinical service) and not to undertake independent research. They cover a wide variety of posts. The titles used here are not intended to match current titles but are those currently under discussion for future use. These profiles cover several members of staff who provide clinical service. Those parts of the profiles relevant exclusively to this group of staff are presented in italics.
The teaching loads for such role holders will be greater than that of other academic members of staff because they are not required to carry out independent discipline specific research, although this is not precluded. Role holders are expected to be engaged in independent scholarly activity and are required to be fully abreast of the latest literature in their field and participating in seminars and colloquia in their academic areas. The higher the level, the more expert, as scholar and (where relevant) clinician, the member of staff is expected to be.
Each level within these teaching role profiles subsumes the competences of any lower levels. These profiles set out, first, the general qualifications and experience needed for entry into a particular level and, second, the generic competences and responsibilities expected of role holders at each level. It is unlikely that any single member of staff will be applying all these competencies at any one time but he or she would be expected to display most of them over a period of time. A match exists where three-quarters or more of the relevant descriptors are met. Inevitably, at any point in time, members of staff will fit descriptors in a higher level without matching to that level.
Care must be taken by academic managers to ensure equality of opportunity in relation to the allocation of opportunities and responsibilities to ensure that the appropriate competencies and experience can be acquired for progression to the appropriate higher level.
Role holders at this level will normally be responsible, usually under close supervision, for straightforward teaching and/or in some circumstances (with appropriate qualifications or experience) teaching related to their own specialism and/or straightforward clinical/professional work. They may provide necessary support teaching such as language training and practice, instruction in basic procedures, assessment, conversion training or study skills support. They will teach on units either prepared by themselves or by other members of academic staff and for which other members of staff retain overall responsibility. They are expected to plan their own activity, to make a contribution to teaching-related administration, and contribute to the review and forward planning of the teaching in which they are engaged. They will be developing their skills, as lecturers and/or clinicians/professionals. They will be provided with support and training to help them develop their competencies and ability to take on wider responsibilities. Full role profile description.
May be a first appointment, probably (though not exclusively) at a wider range of levels than Level A staff and may be helping with the administration of such teaching. Their teaching may be on units prepared by other members of academic staff, and for which other members of staff retain overall responsibility, but they will be developing their competence in teaching and/or clinical/professional work over a variety of units/programmes and settings. They are expected to plan their own activity, make a contribution to teaching and/or clinical/professional related administration and to course development discussions. They may be expected to act as tutor to undergraduate (or, where relevant, taught postgraduate) students. They will be provided with an academic mentor and with support and training to help them develop their competencies and ability to take on wider responsibilities. Full role profile description.
Role holders at this level will be individuals with significant experience in university teaching, often progressing from Level B. Their contribution will use a range of approaches and will involve courses at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. They will contribute to the design of courses and relevant teaching and/or clinical related administration. They will contribute to the design of courses and relevant teaching and/or clinical related administration and may take responsibility for some aspects of administration. (e.g. overseeing assessment or admission processes) (e.g. overseeing assessment or admission processes). They may supervise student projects, field trips, professional skills training and/or placements. They are expected to make a significant contribution to course and programme development and/or clinical/professional services development discussions. They will be expected to act as tutor to undergraduate and taught postgraduate students. They will be expected to take responsibility for planning their own professional development. Where appropriate they will be engaged in clinical/professional activities either alone or in a team. Full role profile description.
Role holders at this level will have extensive clinical/professional and/or academic experience in teaching and related administration. They will be expected to be teaching on, and taking lead roles in developing and overseeing, teaching programmes at all levels (including new courses and programmes). Where appropriate, they will carry out duties and responsibilities that reflect the core substantive position of a clinician. They will make a significant leadership and/or management contribution within their school or the wider university in the area of learning and teaching. They are likely to be responsible for the oversight of various teaching and learning related management duties such as unit lead, programme director, examinations officer, progress officer, disability officer, senior personal tutor. They may be undertaking independent scholarly activity or research related to their academic discipline and/or be researching pedagogic and/or clinical/professional issues related to their academic discipline and communicating their findings widely within and outside the University. They are likely to be involved in academic and/or clinical /professional networks in the same and/or related areas and will be beginning to take leadership roles in these networks. They are likely to be involved with students at all levels, including dealing with student difficulties, complaints and appeals and are likely to represent the School at faculty meetings related to student affairs. Full role profile description.
Role holders at this level will have extensive academic experience in teaching and/or clinical/professional leadership, and in related management/administration, leading to a wide recognition for their expertise within their field, that reflects a substantial and sustained reputation in teaching in a major discipline or in a clinical/professional speciality. The impact and value of their teaching and/or clinical/professional work will be widely recognised beyond the University. They will have broadened and deepened their impact on teaching methods and systems and/or clinical/professional practice through extensive and widely recognised scholarly activity or research. They will normally have responsibilities for the creation, initiation, development and overall management of teaching programmes and/or clinical/professional practice in their School and will be contributors to the teaching and learning strategy in their Faculty. They may oversee academic teaching and assessment standards within their School. They will be engaged in independent scholarly activity or research related to their academic discipline and/or be researching pedagogic and/or clinical/professional issues related to their academic discipline and communicate their findings widely within and outside the University. They are likely to be Fellows of the HEA. They are likely to hold key educational leadership role(s) beyond their home school, within the Faculty and/or University. They will network with appropriate individuals and bodies in the area of higher education teaching and/or the teaching of their subject. Full role profile description.
