Associate Professor in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities

Job details

College: College of Arts, Humanities and Education

Responsible to: Professor of Inclusion and Special Education Needs and Disability

Location: Kedleston Road, Derby Campus

Salary: £56,921 to £69,757 per annum

Job grade: Associate Professor

Closing date: Monday 4 November 2024

Contract type: Permanent

Post type: Full-time

Adaptive working type: Hybrid
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location with the opportunity to work remotely available in line with our Adaptive Working Framework.

Reference: 0417-24

About the University

We have one simple promise – to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.

The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.

We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 – making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.

Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.

About the College/Department

At the Institute of Education (IoE) in the College of Arts, Humanities and Education, we deliver Undergraduate, Postgraduate and doctoral level courses and Initial Teacher Education, and have several specialist areas of research. Our ITE provision is rated outstanding by Ofsted. The ISEND Research Cluster has an internationally outstanding reputation for leading on SEND policy research. We have strong international, national and local connections with government departments for education, Local Authorities, and school/college leaders for SEND. Our research often involves working with special educational needs coordinators (SENCOs), parents/carers, and young disabled children/people. Central to all our research is a commitment to hearing the voices of young disabled children and adults. The Cluster has a particular interest in young disabled people’s transition from education into employment, including the nature of supported internships as a mediator of social inclusion.

About the role

We are recruiting an Associate Research Professor in Education, with specialism in Special Educational Needs and Disabilities in Education (SEND). We are currently developing our growing research culture after receiving an excellent REF result in 2021. This research appointment will contribute significantly to our active, supportive and vibrant research environment, and our ambitions for REF 2029.

The appointment will sit within our Public Services Institutional Academic theme. The IoE has existing significant teaching and research strengths in SEND and has strategic plans to grow this area further. Through this appointment, the IoE is committed to further developing a systematic understanding of policy and practice that will impact on the lives of children, young people and adults in a range of education settings, supporting their life experiences and employability.

Please note that it is likely that an enhanced DBS check will be required during employment, depending on the research undertaken/bids won.

About You

The appointee will conduct world-leading, internationally excellent and impactful research, contribute to our lively research culture and support doctoral researchers. We are looking for an outstanding, collaborative and collegiate colleague to join us.

Applicants will be expected to have an excellent track record in publishing, including world-leading and internationally excellent outputs for the Research Excellence Framework (REF); to have an outstanding international reputation and networks in their field and to have experience of attracting research funding and leading research projects with real world impact.

Principal accountabilities

Research/Scholarship

• In collaboration with other senior academics, participate in the development and management of the research and innovation strategy for the IoE and the College.
• Identify and grow research projects to be carried out individually or collaboratively with colleagues across the University, working in collaboration with public, commercial and national and international partners as appropriate.
• Procure grants and develop income generation and bidding activities to strengthen the profile of the IoE, College and the University.
• Collaborate with, and support staff in the College to build capacity for income generation and bidding activity.
• Teach and contribute to teaching at undergraduate and postgraduate level in such a way that knowledge acquired from research translates to teaching.
• Provide high quality undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral supervision.
• Participate in the creation of networks and opportunities for early career researchers, research colleagues, associates and students, advising them on sources of funding, providing expert advice on their projects and contributing to the development of their careers.
• Undertake activity to build external esteem such as the publication of research in high quality publications, presentations at conferences or editing journals that will make a contribution commensurate to 3* or above to the Research Excellence Framework.
• Establish contacts and develop entrepreneurial links with organisations such as commercial companies, professional bodies, other academic institutions, government and other agencies.
• Oversee the pastoral care provided to a diverse range of students within the subject area, resolving issues or concerns which have been escalated.

Leadership and Management

• Contribute to the management, academic leadership and administration of the Department or College, to facilitate the delivery of high quality research, knowledge transfer and/or teaching and learning.
• Lead the Development Performance Review (DPR) process within own area of responsibility, ensuring clear performance expectations and development plans are agreed, and encourage the continuous professional development of staff.
• Undertake a range of leadership and management activities as appropriate which may include, but is not limited to, line managing individuals and / or teams, within areas of responsibility, chairing and participating in University-level committees, leading and developing external networks, acting as a personal mentor to peers and colleagues.
• Take a leading role in developing the work of one of our research centres or clusters.

Other

• Work across the University to help build interdisciplinary team working in conjunction with other academic staff.
• Build on a growing international reputation for the quality of research work.
• Develop successful results in enterprise and knowledge transfer, e.g. income, intellectual property or other outputs.
• Referee papers and grant proposals for external bodies.
• Participate in the dissemination of research at conferences and where opportunities exist, act as Chair at conference sessions.
• Carry out administrative duties in order to contribute to the efficient management and administration of the College and University.
• Observe and implement University policies and procedures.

Person specification

Essential Criteria

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in a relevant discipline
• Subject specific qualifications / knowledge

Experience

• An appropriate level of digital capability with practical experience of applications
• Significant evidence of research, scholarship, teaching and cutting-edge practice at a national and international level
• Experience of leading research teams or groups, developing research proposals and managing research projects
• Proven experience of generating and managing research income
• Substantial record of high quality publications at national and international levels
• Experience of effective supervision of research students to completion and mentoring junior colleagues
• Experience of supervising undergraduate projects, postgraduate and doctoral research students, providing training and some teaching as appropriate

Skills, knowledge & abilities

• Excellent interpersonal skills evidenced by collaborative working within a team and with external partners (nationally and internationally)
• Proven ability to demonstrate leadership, to manage, motivate and develop a team
• Ability to use skills of persuasion and influencing to develop successful relationships at all levels
• Mentorship skills with the ability to coach colleagues in a range of learning and teaching techniques, education, professional practice and where appropriate research
• Able to monitor and manage budgets
• High level analytical capability to facilitate conceptual thinking, innovation and creativity
• Ability to devise, advise on and manage research programmes
• Track record of published research in peer reviewed journals / professional journals

Business requirements

• Demonstrate competences, core behaviours and supplementary behaviours that support and promote the University’s core values
• Demonstrate professionalism in learning / teaching and the values of the UK Professional Standards Framework for HE
• Commitment to ensuring academic excellence and a high quality student experience
• Demonstrate commitment to promoting and achieving our strategic targets and objectives

Desirable Criteria

Qualifications

• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA)
• Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education or equivalent qualification

Experience

• Experience of collaborating with partners outside of the sector such as industry or commerce

Benefits

• Generous annual leave entitlement of 47 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
• Teacher’s Pension Scheme
• Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
• Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
• Discounted onsite gym
• Discounted access to Devonshire Spa
• Cycle to Work scheme
• A flexible working environment
• A commitment to personal and professional development

Key contact

For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Charlotte Chadderton, Education Research Professor of Education via C.Chadderton@derby.ac.uk

For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.