Job Description

Salary: 37,369 to £39,560 with progression to £46,970 per annum

Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you.

Closing Date: 25 October 2026

The Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join our dynamic and collaborative Academic Practice team, part of our Learning and Teaching Development Service. We are seeking a knowledgeable and people-centred educator to contribute to the strategic enhancement of learning and teaching. The role offers the opportunity to influence institutional change, while further developing expertise in academic practice and educational development.

You will lead the development of the University’s approach to educational leadership, working with colleagues in key education leadership roles, including Directors of Education and Degree Programme Directors. You will develop and deliver targeted opportunities that strengthen educational leadership practice, build leadership capability and enable colleagues to respond effectively to education-focused institutional priorities and the changing higher education context.

You will take a leading role in developing and delivering key educational professional development initiatives, with a strong emphasis on scholarship and evidence-based practice.

This role provides an opportunity to contribute meaningfully to colleague educational development, curriculum design, and the enhancement of the student learning experience. You will play a key role in delivering the University’s academic practice development agenda in alignment with the Education for Life Strategy 2030+.

Please visit our website to learn more about the Academic Practice team and our work.

This role is suitable for blended working. To apply please upload your CV along with cover letter evidencing how your skills and experience align to the person specification as outlined within job description.

For more information, please contact: Graeme Redshaw-Boxwell, Head of Education Enhancement - graeme.redshaw-boxwell@newcastle.ac.uk

Key Accountabilities

• Design, deliver and evaluate academic development opportunities for colleagues that build capability in higher education practice within an agreed thematic portfolio
• Contribute to devising and implementing the University’s provision to support staff and research students in developing their academic practice in order that the University needs and those of individual colleagues are met
• Contribute to the implementation of the University’s Education Strategy through institutionally aligned educational enhancement activity, working with colleagues across the University to support change and improvement
• Interact effectively with key stakeholders to build and sustain effective partnerships, networks and communities that support educational development
• Use evidence-informed approaches and evaluation to inform academic practice enhancement and educational development activity, and to assess and demonstrate impact
• Contribute to the evaluation of Academic Practice provision, including collating and disseminating feedback and management data for surveys and reports, adapted, as required, to suit the needs of specified audiences
• Collaborate with senior leaders to identify and address educational development needs within their Academic Unit, Section or Service, including tailored provision to meet local needs where appropriate

The Person

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Knowledge and understanding of educational development theory, practice and approaches, and their application within a higher education context
• Knowledge and understanding of the UK higher education policy and regulatory environment, and the implications of this for educational development, academic practice and institutional enhancement
• Ability to plan, organise, teach, monitor and evaluate large volumes of high-quality training and development programmes
• Ability to evaluate the effectiveness and impact of educational development activity, and to use evaluation findings to refine, improve and adapt future provision
• Interpersonal skills to build and maintain effective relationships with Heads of Schools, Deans and other stakeholders
• Ability to work flexibly as part of a muti-skilled team
• Understanding of the role of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence, in supporting and enhancing educational development and academic practice
• Experience in designing, commissioning, delivering and evaluating development activities which range from short programmes through to more substantial accredited development initiatives
• Demonstrable commitment to own continuing professional development (CPD)

Attributes and Behaviour

Gathering Information

• Liaises effectively with stakeholders, colleagues, and customers
• Looks for opportunities and impacts arising from external developments

Communicating

• Understands how best to communicate with the others, correctly interpreting the right way to approach a situation
• Clear and concise; gets the message across to others

Team-working

• Ability to build positive working relationships and deal effectively with stakeholders at all levels

Planning and Organising

• Excellent organisational skills and the ability to handle effectively a range of tasks simultaneously, work well under pressure and to tight deadlines

Finding Solutions

• Ability to use initiative and judgement within the parameters of responsibility of the role
• Recognises urgency and takes decisive action when required
• Agility and flexibility within the role

Qualifications

• Qualified to postgraduate level
• Recognised as a Fellow or Senior Fellow by the Higher Education Academy
• Relevant professional qualification or recognition in teaching

Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution.

We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population.

At Newcastle University we hold a Gold Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme.

In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe.

Requisition ID: 29619