Job Description
Professor of Policing and Research
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Advert Reference Number:  335
Job Location:  Milton Keynes
Department:  The Faculty of Business & Law
Salary:  £75,251 to £84,151
Closing Date:  midnight on 14th November 2024
Weekly Working Hours:  37
Contract Type:  Permanent
Fixed Term Contract: End Date: 
Welsh Language Standard:  Not Applicable
Job Description: 

About the Role

The Open University’s Department for Policing (DfP) is seeking to appoint an exceptional individual to the role of Professor of Policing. This is an exciting opportunity to join a thriving department and provide strategic leadership at the cutting edge of police education and research.  

The DfP is embarking on an exciting new phase of development, and we are looking for an innovative and visionary Professor of Policing to lead the department into this future. This role will provide strategic leadership across all areas of the DfP’s activities, focusing on synergising teaching, research, and knowledge into practice. A core responsibility will be leading the CPRL, ensuring that it continues to drive research innovation and achieve real-world impact in policing.

The DfP offers a successful portfolio of accredited police education programmes, including police apprenticeships and other certified learning pathways. These programmes have earned the department a strong reputation for delivering high-quality, impactful education (for more information, visit OU Policing). In addition to its educational remit, the DfP is home to the dynamic Centre for Policing Research and Learning (CPRL), which fosters true collaboration between the university and police forces across the UK’s four nations. The CPRL is widely recognised for its innovative, co-produced research and its ability to translate knowledge into real-world policing impact.

Please note that we may close this job advert earlier than the published closing date where a satisfactory number of applications are received. We would therefore encourage early applications.

This role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office and whilst it is possible to work remotely, attendance on site in Milton Keynes will be as and when required to suit business needs. 

To apply for this role please submit the following;

CV and Supporting Statement, up to 1,000 words. You should set out in your statement why you’re interested in this role and provide examples of where your skills and experience meet the required competencies for this role as detailed in the above essential and desirable criteria.

Please see more detailed information to support your application in the Job Description here: Job Description

Key Responsibilities

As a Professor of Policing at the OU, you will be expected to (see Job Description for full list of key responsibilities):

  • Lead on the development and expansion of specialist research areas, ensuring the DfP continues to be recognised for its intellectual leadership in policing.
  • Lead the CPRL in line with its entrepreneurial model, addressing the evolving challenges and opportunities in the dynamic landscape of policing.
  • Shape the future research agenda, fostering high-quality research, with particular attention to emerging areas such as AI in policing.
  • Drive the department’s efforts in income generation, ensuring sustainable growth through external funding and partnerships.
  • Support the department’s teaching strategy, aligning research outputs with educational programmes and continuing professional development.

Skills and Experience

Essential Requirements

We are looking for an experienced academic leader with a strong background in policing research and education, capable of steering the DfP and CPRL to even greater success. The ideal candidate will have the following skills, plus be able to meet the essential requirements in the Job Description:

  • A proven track record of leading high-impact research in policing or a closely related field.
  • Experience in securing external funding and fostering productive partnerships.
  • Expertise in driving innovation through the co-production of knowledge with external stakeholders, especially within the policing sector.
  • Strong leadership and strategic planning skills, with a commitment to promoting the integration of research, education, and practice.
  • The ability to guide and inspire a diverse academic team and shape the DfP’s future.

Please see more detailed information to support your application in the Job Description here: Job Description
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Contact us

If you have any queries or questions about the recruitment process, or regarding your application, please contact: Careers@open.ac.uk.

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