About the Role
Since its inception, The Open University (OU) has focussed on innovation in teaching and learning, with a track record of providing, inspiring, world-leading programmes of higher education for students who learn at a distance.
We aim to appoint inspiring and innovative teachers and scholars who enjoy developing novel approaches to distance teaching and excel at working collaboratively with colleagues.
As a Staff Tutor you will have academic line management responsibility for up to 20 tutors. We are seeking candidates with a strong background in Life, Health or Chemical Sciences. The successful candidate will join a team extending our work on transformative approaches to teaching and contribute to the school’s internationally leading research.
You will ideally hold a PhD or have substantial experience in an area relating to Life, Health and Chemical Sciences. You will also have demonstrable knowledge of the skills and experience required to support undergraduate and postgraduate LHCS students and the staff that tutor them. You will have good organisational and communication skills, and an ability to produce high quality scholarly outputs relevant to your specialist area.
The School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences holds the Athena SWAN Bronze Award and is committed to transforming gender equality.
The full summary of duties and person specification can be found within the Job Description; Job Description Link
If you would like to discuss this role before applying, please email Fiona.moorman@open.ac.uk.
Key Responsibilities
Skills and Experience
Essential
• A good honours degree (or equivalent) in the field of Life, Health or Chemical sciences
• Demonstrable knowledge of the skills and experience required to support undergraduate and postgraduate taught students and the staff that tutor them
• Some experience of teaching at further or higher education levels in one or more of the disciplines covered in the School
• Some experience of adult learning within an online and/or distance learning environment
• Ability to work collaboratively with others for teaching or research
• An understanding and experience of dealing with issues of access and retention in the context of higher education
• Experience of staff selection and performance management
• Experience of delivering staff development
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, including the ability to communicate ideas clearly, and to offer and receive constructive criticism
• Good team working skills and the ability to work adaptively and responsively; particularly when the team is geographically dispersed
• Ability to prioritise demands when subject to conflicting pressures, and the ability to work flexibly and independently (including some evenings and weekends)
• Knowledge of, and commitment to, equal opportunities principles and practice
• Commitment to the aims, ethos and values of the Open University
Desirable
• Post-graduate qualification in a relevant area or a relevant education postgraduate degree
• Higher Education Academy professional accreditation or equivalent qualification
• The ability to write on issues outside of immediate area of expertise but in a related topic, in an informed and coherent manner
Essential Requirements
The successful candidate will be appointed to the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, and will be a member of the Staff Tutor Group in the Faculty. There will be opportunities to work in conjunction with Staff Tutors located across the UK at regular meetings held via online conferencing and at the University campus in Milton Keynes.
The Open University is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all backgrounds and nationalities. Our work is carried out across the UK and the Republic of Ireland, and you will need to be a resident of Wales, Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, or the Republic of Ireland in order to work with us. This will be a homeworking or office-based post. The successful candidate may be required to undertake evening and weekend commitments and will be expected to travel in the UK, to meetings in Milton Keynes, Manchester, and to other locations as necessary.
Panel and Interview
The interview panel will be chaired by Laura Alexander, Associate Dean –Tuition Delivery. The other members of the interview panel will be Eleanor Crabb, Head of School, School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, Fiona Moorman, Lead Staff Tutor, School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences + 2 other members, to be confirmed
The interviews will take place on: w/c 3rd Feb (TBC)
To apply for this role please submit the following;
CV and personal 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 requirements of the person specification for this role as detailed above, and in the full job description.
Early Close: We reserve the right to close adverts sooner than the closing date.
