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Lecturer in Theology and Ministry

Employer
Durham University
Location
EN, United Kingdom
Salary
Salary Not Specified
Date posted
Jun 1, 2023


The University

At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting – Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally.

Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here .

The Department

The Department of Theology and Religion at Durham University seeks to appoint a talented individual to the fixed term role of Lecturer. We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in any area of theology that relates to Christian thought, practice, ministry and mission in the contemporary world.

This post offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of excellent research, teaching and validation work within an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/theology-religion/

The Common Awards Scheme

In 2013, Durham University was contracted by the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England to provide validation arrangements for a suite of academic programmes in Theology, Ministry, and Mission, offered at a number of Theological Education Institutions (TEIs) around the country, and to provide academic resources and services to staff and students based at these institutions.

The partnership covers around 500 members of staff and 2,500 students spread across TEIs from Exeter to Edinburgh. Students at these TEIs are training for a variety of forms of ministry, lay and ordained, formal and informal, in a number of churches (Anglican, Methodist, URC, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc.).

In 2019, the University and the Archbishops’ Council signed a renewed contract for the Common Awards partnership, covering the period from 1 September 2019 to 31 August 2024; in 2023 this renewed contract was extended to 31 August 2027.

The Common Awards team includes an academic support team led by Alyson Bird (the Quality Assurance Manager) based in the University’s Curriculum, Learning and Assessment service, and a small academic team currently comprising Prof Mike Higton (Professor of Theology and Ministry) and Dr Selina Stone (Postdoctoral Research Associate in Theological Education), based in the Department of Theology and Religion.

The members of the academic team work with the academic support team to
  • maintain oversight of the delivery of Common Awards programmes at the partner TEIs, and develop related academic policies and quality assurance processes;
  • facilitate a range of research conversations and projects drawing in staff from around the partnership, and designed to help enhance the theological education provided around the partnership; and
  • provide a suite of activities aimed at enhancing the experience of students undertaking Common Awards programmes around the partnership.
More detail on the existing programme of Common Awards research activity is set out at https://www.durham.ac.uk/departments/academic/common-awards/ .

Lecturers (Fixed term) at Durham

The University is committed to enabling all of our colleagues to achieve their full potential. We promote and maintain an inclusive and supportive environment to ensure that all colleagues can thrive.

The role of a fixed term Lecturer at Durham provides the opportunity to deliver outstanding education and research within an inclusive and supportive environment that is staffed by world class colleagues. Lecturers will be supported to develop their academic careers by training and financial support in research and education, guided by a designated mentor.

The primary focus of this role is on validation work and research but there will also be the opportunity to engage in wider citizenship within the University and beyond.

This role of Lecturer is for a fixed term of four years, because the post forms part of the Common Awards scheme, which is funded through to 31st August 2027. If the Common Awards contract is renewed beyond that point, extension of this post in some form may be possible.

Successful candidates will ideally be in post by 1 September 2023.

Lecturer in Theology and Ministry

The role is full-time, but we will consider requests for flexible working arrangements including potential job shares

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of theology or a related discipline, with relevance to Christian thought, practice, ministry and mission in the contemporary world; the capacity to provide excellent academic quality assurance and leadership to our partners in the Common Awards scheme, and the ability to teach to an exceptional standard and to engage fully in the services, citizenship and values of the University. The University provides a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process.

Key responsibilities:

Working closely with the Professor of Theology and Ministry, the appointee will:

1. pursue research that is, or has the potential to be excellent in terms of originality, significance and rigour, and relevant to the development of Christian thought, practice, ministry and mission in the contemporary world, leading to

a. publications of international significance,

b. activities likely to produce public benefit outside the academic community, and

c. the pursuit of national and international funding opportunities to support research and promote its impact;

2. assist with the maintenance and development of the Common Awards partnership, by

a. drawing on their pedagogical experience and expertise to advise our partner Theological Education Institutions (TEIs) on contemporary approaches to theological education, contributing to ongoing curriculum development across the partnership;

b. liaising with the Church of England’s Ministry Development Team, who are responsible for the management of the partnership from the church side;

c. engaging constructively and critically with our partner TEIs, including by means of visits and online meetings, and acting as a University Liaison Officer for a number of TEIs;

d. pursuing Quality Assurance activities, drawing on good academic judgment to comment on curriculum development proposals, concession requests, policy revisions and similar materials from partner TEIs;

e. helping to develop and run online and onsite events for Common Awards staff and students from around the partnership, promoting the ongoing development of theological education;

f. serving as a member of the Common Awards Management Board and the TEI Forum, and attending selected meetings of Ministry Development Team’s ‘Quality in Formation’ panel and Continuing Implementation Group; and

g. meeting regularly with the Chair of Theology and Ministry, and the wider Common Awards team, both in person and online;

3. assist in the generation of research and development activity associated with the Common Awards partnership, by

a. helping to gather a research community around issues of contemporary Christian ministry, drawing on expertise from the Department, the TEIs, other departments of Theology and Religious Studies, the churches, and beyond;

b. helping to shape an agenda of questions related to the curriculum and pedagogy of the Common Awards, and to the future of theological education more broadly;

c. helping to develop specific collaborative research and development activities, designed to tackle these questions; and

d. helping to develop appropriate pathways to ‘impact’ for this research activity, and appropriate ways of monitoring such impact;

4. participate in the supervision of research students (MA and PhD);

5. undertake other duties as specified by the Head of Department, which may include some administrative tasks and/or some contribution to undergraduate or postgraduate teaching;

6. contribute to the citizenship and values of the Department; and

7. fully engage in and enhance the values of the Department and University;

Candidates should note that, because the focus of this post is on the maintenance and development of the Common Awards partnership, there are likely to be only limited opportunities for undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.



Working at Durham

A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits:
  • We offer 30 days’ annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year – a total of 42 days per year.
  • The University closes between Christmas and New Year.
  • We offer a generous pension scheme. As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into the University Superannuation Scheme (USS).
  • No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike, and discount with local bus and train companies.
  • There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities.
  • We give lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state-of-the-art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme.
  • An onsite nursery is available and children’s clubs in the summer holidays.
  • We have family-friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers).
  • We offer the opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community.
  • Discounts are available via our benefits portal including: money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema, and days out at various attractions.
  • A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits.
  • If you are moving to Durham, we can help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas.
Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion

Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University, equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.

We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.

Qualifications :

Person Specification

Candidates may have recently completed or may be concluding their doctorate and, while they may have limited direct experience of the requirements for the post, they must outline their experience, skills and achievements to date which demonstrate that they meet or that they have the potential to achieve the essential criteria.

Research

Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.

Essential Research Criteria – Grade 7

  1. Qualifications - doctorate in theology or a related subject (which may be completed or under examination).
  2. Outputs - experience, skills and/or achievements which demonstrate experience of or the potential to produce high quality outputs that are recognised as world class or that have world-class potential. Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below). Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs
  3. Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Department’s research strategy, and is relevant to the Common Awards scheme.


Education

Candidates must demonstrate the development and delivery of high-quality teaching that contributes to providing a world-class learning environment and curricula which enables students to achieve their potential. They must also demonstrate their ability to draw on their pedagogical experience and expertise to provide advice, support and quality assurance for institutions delivering theological education in a variety of ways.

Essential Teaching Criteria – Grade 7

  1. Qualification – candidates must have attained or have the ability to attain the rank of Fellow of the Higher Education Academy ( https://www.heacademy.ac.uk/individuals/fellowship/fellow ), which is the national body that champions teaching excellence), or equivalent.
  2. Quality – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrates experience of or the potential to deliver high quality effective and engaging teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching).
  3. Innovation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate the ability or the potential to provide advice and support to theological educators as they engage in new programme development and innovation in the design and delivery of high-quality teaching or assessment of learning including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment.
  4. Strategic – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to engage in the design and quality assurance of excellent teaching programmes which are research-informed and -led.


Service, Citizenship and Values

Candidates must actively engage in the administrative and collegial requirements of the Department and positively contribute to the University Values and to fostering a respectful environment; as well as demonstrating their commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion.

Essential Service, Citizenship and Values criteria – Grade 7

  1. Validation contribution – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate the ability or potential to engage critically and constructively with Theological Education Institutions validated by the university. (Candidates may choose to evidence familiarity specifically with the work of Theological Education Institutions, experience of validation and similar quality assurance processes in a Higher Education context, and/or fruitful engagement with other external partners.)
  2. Collegial contribution – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to participate in the collegial/administrative activities or an academic Department, Faculty or University or similar activities in other contexts. (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or university roles, mentoring activity, engagement with widening participation, involvement in equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies).
  3. Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues and external partners across a variety of forums.


Desirable Criteria

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are:

  • Event organisation – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate the ability to design and deliver research-based training and education events for staff and students.
  • PhD Supervision – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to provide excellent supervision for PhD students.
  • Research Impact – experience, skills and/or achievements that demonstrate experience of or the potential to evidence research impact beyond their institution.


  • Contact Information

    Department contact for academic-related enquiries

    Mike Higton, Professor of Theology and Ministry; mike.higton@durham.ac.uk

    Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application

    If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email. Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to  e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk

    Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time. We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).

    University contact for general queries about the recruitment process

    Michele Groark, HR Administrator (Recruitment) michele.groark@durham.ac.uk

    How to Apply

    To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification below. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria.

    While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview.

    Submitting your application

    We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates.

    What to Submit

    All applicants are asked to submit:
    • a CV and covering letter which details how your experience, skills and achievements meet (or demonstrate the potential to meet) the criteria set out below;
    • a personal research plan;
    • two of your most significant pieces of written work. Where possible your written work should have been published or submitted since 2018, however work prior to 2018 may be su bmitted where candidates have had career breaks.
    We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.

    Referees

    You should provide 3 ac ademic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s). The majority should be from an institution other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post).

    References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process.

    As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted.

    Next Steps

    Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department. The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff and students followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over one day - 23 June 2023.

    In the event that you are u nable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date.

    Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement https://www.durham.ac.uk/about-us/governance/information-governance/privacy-notices/privacy-notices/job-applicants/ which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

    When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.

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