Summary
Birmingham Law School is seeking to appoint an outstanding scholar as an Associate Professor in law. We are looking to recruit experienced academic researchers with a strong and sustained international research and education profile, evidenced by a substantial record of high-quality outputs, external grant funding and a proven ability to plan and lead the delivery of innovative research-informed teaching. In particular, we are seeking to appoint an individual with the ability to teach private law (. Contract, Tort, Trust and Equity, Company, International and European Economic Law, Private International Law, Commercial, Commercial Conflict of Laws, International Investment Law, Banking) in both undergraduate and postgraduate modules.
You will contribute at a senior level to research, teaching, and administration. In addition, you will be expected to contribute to academic citizenship, likely to be demonstrated through generous, mutually respectful and supportive working relationships with all staff and students.
Teaching is likely to include: (a) development and leadership of major teaching programmes or equivalent; and (b) enhancement of the student experience or employability.
Research is likely to involve an established national and international reputation through significant original research work and a clear record of impact.
Management and administration is likely to include School leadership and management activity with University wide involvement – for example through sustained high value research, knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement, and public engagement or similar activities.
Main Duties
Research
To pursue sustained research activity through original research and scholarship, including other research-related contributions through conference & peer reviewed papers and presentations and/or consultancy projects and advice, including (as appropriate):
1. contributing to the management of research activities and/or supervising other research staff;
2. leading successful funding bids;
3. consistently publishing internationally excellent research, with some research regarded as world leading, that results in a sustained, highly respected reputation of international quality;
4. supervising and examining PhD students, both within the institution and externally;
5. providing expert advice internally and externally;
6. peer reviewing articles for peer reviewed academic journals and grant applications by research councils and/or other major funding bodies;
7. leading sustained impact activity including public engagement and makes a significant contribution to policy development at a national and international level;
8. as appropriate, managing research activities and/or supervising other research staff;
9. developing novel methodologies and techniques appropriate to the type of research being pursued.
Education
You will contribute across the range of teaching and learning activities:
10. making a significant contribution to the pedagogical knowledge base of the subject that advances teaching through the enhancement of practice, the development of teaching resources and/or through practice-based research;
11. leading on the management and the development of approaches to teaching and learning, including designing innovative approaches to digital resources/environments and supporting colleagues to use them that are innovative to the subject area or institution;
12. leading on curriculum design at module and programme level to ensure it is contemporary, inclusive, engaging and academically challenging;
13. actively engaging students in curriculum design and sharing evidence of “what works”;
14. making an impactful, high quality contribution to debates about education policy, methods and practices through internal and external publications, subject societies and conference activity;
15. developing an external profile evidenced through engaging in external quality assurance activities related to teaching, eg. external examining and engaging with/supporting education in other institutions;
16. playing an important and sustained role in the recruitment and admission of students;
17. co-supervising doctoral students to completion;
18. leading the development of teaching, learning and assessment policies and strategies;
19. acting as an education mentor to colleagues in the School/ College or more widely;
20. leading the development of new and appropriate approaches to learning and teaching. This may be underpinned by research and evaluation of teaching methods and systems
21. leading sustained high value impact in knowledge transfer and enterprise (including business engagement, public engagement) that enhances the student experience and/or or employability, and is of manifest benefit to learning and teaching in the College and the University
22. undertaking own teaching, which will include teaching and examining courses at a range of levels, planning and reviewing own teaching approaches, developing programme proposals, supervision, marking and examining. You will ensure that your teaching practice is informed by discipline-based research, through participating in the research culture of the school.
Management/administration
Lead activities in the school and represent the School on College/ University committees or working groups. Where appropriate to the discipline, this is likely to include some, but not all of the responsibilities listed below:
23. making an important contribution to the development and running of the school, for example, leading activity on research and/or teaching assessment
24. leading a successful international engagement at School or College level;
25. developing and managing staff and resources in support of major research and/or teaching activities
26. making important contributions to the development of the school’s research and/or learning and teaching strategy
27. contributing significantly to the development and delivery of knowledge transfer, enterprise, business engagement and public engagement activities with sustained high value impact of manifest benefit to the College and the University;
28. promoting a culture (including policies and procedures) that embeds equality and values diversity and inclusion
29. leading, serving on and assisting the work of committees and task and finish groups beyond School/ Research Institute, ., Senate, Council, University Education or Research Committee etc.;
30. leading external committees, ., those associated with public/professional bodies or delivery of activities for an external body at an appropriate level, ., chairing sub committees associated with large elements of work;
31. leading/project managing a team to devise and implement a new and/or revised process (. a new research initiative, or a recruitment drive);
32. making a sustained contribution to widening participation, schools outreach and/or public understanding of the discipline;
33. contributing to administrative activities within the University (. appeals panels, working groups).
Citizenship
34. identifying wellbeing issues within the School/College/University and developing appropriate solutions to address these;
35. taking collective ownership of challenges faced by the School or College and working with colleagues to develop solutions;
36. mentoring and coaching colleagues, particularly those in the early stages of their career.
Person Specification
37. A PhD relevant to the research/teaching area or equivalent qualifications.
Demonstrated excellence in at least Research, with competence in Learning and Teaching and Management and Administration.
Research requirements
An excellent national reputation and a developing international profile through significant original research work and a clear record of impact. Evidence of success under the following headings, as appropriate to the discipline:
38. High level peer esteem as evidenced byExcellent reputation in the UK and often internationally, reflected in sustained high-quality output, level of innovation, impact on subject and recognitionAn excellent and sustained record of peer reviewed research publications
39. Successful and sustained supervision of doctoral students to completion
40. Substantial and sustained research income generation,. through research grants, contracts, research consultancy or other external funding
41. Sustained high value impact knowledge transfer and enterprise that is of manifest benefit to the College and University.
Learning and teaching requirements
An excellent teaching profile and performance in terms of both impact and quality. The teaching quality demonstrated to be informed by an appropriate level of scholarship.
Where appropriate, evidence of success under the following headings:
42. High national reputation for the development of teaching and learning excellence within the discipline
43. Successful and sustained use of a range of appropriate teaching methods, and assessment strategies that promote high quality learning, including learning that is flexible, distinctive and current and stimulates learners’ natural curiosity
44. Significant and sustained contribution to one or more of the following: strategic development of new programmes; approaches to learning; the development of learning resources
45. High quality and sustained contributions to fostering excellence in teaching activities more widely,. in the School or College and/or externally
46. Track record of substantial and sustained high value impact on the enhancement of the student experience, and/or employability
47. Mentoring and expert advice which develops the skills of colleagues in teaching and in fostering learning.
Management and administration-related requirements
Demonstrated significant achievement in management and administration-related activities, which may include leadership of activities/initiatives. Evidence of success under the following headings:
48. Successful and sustained performance in significant administrative/managerial role (s) (. exams officer)
49. Significant and sustained high quality innovative contributions to the management/administration of the School/College or University
50. Successful and sustained contribution to the corporate life of the School/College/University, displaying willingness to contribute actively to committees, collaborative teaching and administrative tasks
51. Actively promotes equality and diversity to internal and external stakeholders
52. Able to use data to identify equality and diversity issues
53. Experience of developing interventions to address equality and diversity issues