Job Purpose 

To manage, develop and run activities developing student academic writing, academic cultural awareness, and broader academic literacies to enhance student success across the University and to manage a team of advisers and Graduate Teaching Assistants (GTAs) supporting this work. To deputise, where relevant, for the Head of Student Learning Development.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Develop networks and mechanisms to identify relevant learning development and enhancement needs across different subject areas, and determine how to best structure provision to address these. Lead and manage a team in the delivery of learning development and enhancement.

2. Lead development and delivery of a variety of online resources to support student academic literacies, research skills and academic writing skills, particularly the identification, management, development and operation of appropriate diagnostic assessments, and courses targeting key transitions in students’ academic studies. Lead on the delivery of SLD courses, including the Academic Writing Skills Programme (AWSP).

3. Manage, develop, deliver and evaluate other activities to support student academic literacies and academic writing, including the relevant GTAs, classes and one-to-one provision.

4. Lead work to enhance formative feedback approaches across Arts and Social Sciences, linking in academic literacies, especially to ensure links between self-diagnostic tests and subsequent effective learning provision.

5. Lead work to embed the University’s Graduate Attributes into the work of the Service, including contributing to a growing culture of student engagement with non-academic, employability-oriented forms of demonstrating knowledge and skills.

6. Work with Deans of Learning and Teaching, the Students’ Representative Council, Academic Services and other appropriate colleagues to identify and develop good practice in learning, teaching and assessment across the disciplines.

7. Liaise with colleagues in the Student Learning Development to produce an annual report on activities supporting academic literacies and student research development.

8. Lead, develop and maintain close professional relationships with academic and other outside of Academic Services to enhance support for academic literacies and to embed best practice in curricula across the University.

9. Lead the promotion and advertising of the provision offered to students around student research skills, academic writing and academic literacies.

10. Provide specialist professional advice to University Committees, Working Groups and Project teams on issues relating to student writing and academic literacies development and, where appropriate, to lead Working Groups and Project teams.

11. Engage with and maintain an up-to-date knowledge of national and international developments in student learning development in Higher Education e.g. through engagement with the Scottish Higher Education Enhancement Committee’s Quality Enhancement Themes, with the Higher Education Academy, and other similar bodies.

12. Engage in appropriate scholarly activity to enhance your own and others’ practices and to disseminate and publish this where appropriate.

13. Actively participate in supporting the service to become a centre of excellence which is recognised throughout the sector for quality enhancement, innovation, and responsiveness to stakeholders’ needs.

14. Engage in continuing professional development activities as appropriate.

15. Undertake any other reasonable duties as required by the senior management of the service.

16. To contribute to the enhancement of the University’s international profile in line with the University’s Strategic Plan, World-Changers Together: World-Changing Glasgow 2025 https://www.gla.ac.uk/media/Media792478smxx.pdf.

Knowledge, Qualifications, Skills & Experience

Knowledge/Qualifications

Essential:

A1 A Scottish Credit and Qualification framework level 9, 10 or 11 (Ordinary /Honours Degree, Post Graduate Qualification) or equivalent.

A2 Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy/Recognising Excellence in Teaching programme, or ability to achieve this within twelve months of appointment.

A3 An authoritative and up to date knowledge and understanding of current teaching, learning and assessment practices in HE

A3 An understanding of Quality Enhancement and Academic Standards in Higher Education.

A4 An up to date knowledge and understanding of the major issues relating to writing and student learning more generally in Higher Education.

A5 Familiarity with virtual learning environments.

A6 Working knowledge of relevant software packages and the internet and the ability to use them effectively in support of their work.

Desirable:

B1 PhD or relevant professional experience.

B2 Understanding of the role of technology in supporting student learning.

B3 Fellowship or Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy/Recognising Excellence in Teaching programme.

Skills

Essential:

C1 Excellent negotiating, motivating, influencing and relationship-building skills.

C2 Ability to work constructively with all stakeholders.

C3 Well developed analytical skills.

C5 Lateral thinking to devise practical solutions to problems.

C6 Problem solving in general and with specific reference to complex environments where there are many interacting systems and dependencies.

C7 Ability to lead in a disciplined project managed environment.

C8 Accurate and clear document development.

C9 Excellent communication skills both written and oral.

C10 Ability to work with colleagues from across the University.

C11 Ability to develop appropriate resources and programmes of events.

Experience

Essential:

E1 Experience in planning, managing and delivering projects.

E2 Experience in leading and/or managing a team.

E3 Experience of implementing strategic objectives and of applying strategic thinking when making decisions.

E4 Experience of higher education as an educator, professional services or administrative member of staff.

E5 Proven ability to use initiative, take tough decisions and be resilient to setbacks.

E6 Experience of working constructively with stakeholders, staff at all levels and in partnership with other internal and external personnel.

E7 Experience of working with academic colleagues from a range of disciplines on educational or academic development projects.

E8 Experience of development, delivery and evaluation of events and programmes of events.

E9 Experience of the creation of online and other resources to support staff and practice development.

E10 Proven ability to apply creative thinking to all aspects of work.

Terms and Conditions

Salary will be Grade 8, £49,250 - £56,921 per annum.

This post is full time and open ended.

Closing Date: 23:45 4th March 2025

Relocation assistance will be provided where appropriate

The University of Glasgow has a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK.  If you require a Skilled Worker visa to work in the UK, you will be required to meet the eligibility requirements of the visa route to be assigned a Certificate of Sponsorship.

Please note that this post may be eligible to be sponsored under the Skilled Worker visa route if tradeable points can be used under the Skilled Worker visa rules. **For more information please visit: **https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa