Pathway 3 - Role Profile Level e

Professor (Grade M)

This profile assumes that all the qualifications, skills and experiences required of a Level d Senior Lecturer have been acquired.  It also assumes that the responsibilities of a Level d Senior Lecturer will have been fulfilled satisfactorily.  Only the additional requirements are spelled out below.

Role Summary

  1. Role holders at this level will have substantial academic experience in teaching and/or clinical/professional leadership, and will be leaders of educational activities within the University.
  2. They will have achieved wide recognition for their expertise within the educational community in the University and/or their field of expertise that reflects a substantial and sustained reputation in teaching in a major discipline or in a clinical/professional specialty.
  3. 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/research or innovation.
  4. They will normally have responsibilities for the successful creation, initiation, development and overall management of teaching programmes and/or clinical/professional practice programmes in their School and contribute to the teaching and learning strategy in their Faculty and the University.
  5. They may oversee academic teaching and assessment standards within their School or Faculty.
  6. They will be engaged in independent scholarly activity/research related to their academic discipline and/or pedagogic research and/or clinical/professional issues related to their academic discipline and communicating their findings widely, within and outside the University.
  7. This role will typically requires delivery of significant leadership or management contributions, usually within the School but sometimes in the University more widely. They will network effectively with appropriate individuals and bodies in the area of higher education teaching and/or the teaching of their subject.

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Qualifications, skills and experience needed for appointment to Level e

  1. Extensive and successful teaching experience over many years, which may be supported by relevant teaching qualifications (over and above what is routinely expected by the University).
  2. Senior Fellowship (in most cases) through successful completion of the University’s CREATE scheme or equivalent in another institution. 
  3. Substantial and high quality contribution to their area of independent scholarly activity/research in the discipline, and/or pedagogic research and/or clinical/professional research.
  4. Ability to successfully disseminate conceptual and complex ideas to a wide variety of audiences using appropriate media and methods.
  5. Experience and capability to act as a professional role model in the areas of teaching, scholarship, academic management and/or clinical/professional practice.
  6. Extensive experience in successfully leading the design of programmes, techniques and methods.
  7. Extensive experience and evidence of ability to effectively lead, manage and motivate staff (and students) and manage effectively money and/or other resources as appropriate for the discipline.
  8. In-depth understanding of their own specialism to enable the development of new knowledge and understanding within the field and training of colleagues.
  9. Established and widely recognised reputation among peers.
  10. Proven skills in coaching and developing others in best practice techniques.
  11. Likely to have a proven track record of attracting external funding for projects and, where appropriate, posts.

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Responsibilities

  1. Generally oversee the successful development and review of teaching and/or clinical/professional provision within the School.
  2. Ensure that teaching and/or clinical/professional training in the School is quality assured and achieves the educational standards expected within the University, taking responsibility for quality, audit and other external assessments.
  3. Effectively manage the people and other resources needed to deliver the clinical/professional service.
  4. Contribute significantly to the effective leadership of the School, Faculty or University (e.g. as Director of Clinical Services, School Director of Teaching and Learning, Faculty Education Director, Chair of Faculty Quality Assurance Teams).
  5. Identify opportunities for strategic development of new courses or appropriate areas of activity and contribute to the successful development of such ideas.
  6. Promote and develop a culture of embedding engagement and knowledge exchange into teaching and learning activities.
  7. Consistently act as a good citizen, actively taking on administrative duties and participating fully in the daily working life of the School, behaving as a role model for others
  8. Promote full and effective participation in Staff Review and Development and demonstrate a commitment to mentoring and other continuing professional development for self and others. Their own development may include engagement with the University’s CREATE scheme to achieve Senior or Principal Fellowship. 
  9. Act to resolve conflicts within, or between, those involved in teaching and/or clinical/professional work.
  10. Take responsibility for dealing with difficult student issues referred within the School and/or Faculty.
  11. Use their experience to develop further in other academic staff the skills and methods needed of a quality teacher or clinician/professional, both within and, where appropriate, outside the University.
  12. Act as an effective personal mentor to senior colleagues and peers.
  13. May successfully obtain external funding for posts and equipment/infrastructure.
  14. Make a leading contribution to debate about teaching and learning policy and/or clinical/professional practice, methods and practices.
  15. Provide intellectual leadership in area (e.g. through membership of appropriate bodies and committees, editorships of journals, writing textbooks etc.).
  16. Undertake independent scholarly activity or research related to their discipline and/or pedagogic research and/or clinical/professional issues related to their academic discipline, and communicate and/or publish the results of research and/or scholarship, through high-quality outputs appropriate to the discipline.
  17. Apply for funds for scholarship and/or research projects, and where appropriate maximise income from their own (and team’s) clinical/professional activities.
  18. Work with national bodies on curriculum development and quality assurance, leading to and reflecting an acknowledged reputation as an expert in teaching methods and/or clinical/professional practice.
  19. Contribute effectively to the running of the University through membership of University level Committees or project groups.
  20. Contribute to at a senior level, (or take a leadership role in) one or more professional bodies or learned societies.
  21. May participate as expert witness or give professional advice to government bodies and other agencies.
  22. May take responsibility for health and safety issues across the whole School.

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Relationships and Contacts

  1. Will be line managed by the Head of School (or Head of Primary Unit).
  2. Will usually be members of a School's Management Team.
  3. Will network with, and be recognised by, scholars in their area.
  4. Will usually act as a reviewer in Staff Review and Development arrangements.
  5. Will be expected to work in a collegial and supportive manner with all levels of academic and professional services staff from across the University.
  6. Will develop contacts and professional relationships with external individuals or professional bodies, often holding office within such organisations.

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