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Academic Practice Developer - RGU07487

Job details
Posting date: 30 June 2025
Salary: £46,735.00 to £55,755.00 per year
Hours: Full time
Closing date: 13 July 2025
Location: Aberdeen, AB10 7GJ
Company: Robert Gordon University
Job type: Permanent
Job reference: RGU07487

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Summary

Job Summary

Situated with the Academic Quality and Learning Enhancement (AQLE) department, the Academic Development team are responsible for the delivery of RGU’s staff development offer in learning and teaching. This includes providing training for new and experienced academic and professional services staff; offering opportunities for professional recognition at a range of levels through our AdvanceHE accredited development programmes; serving as a coordination point for the University’s pedagogic research activity; and enabling innovation in teaching, learning and assessment through advice, guidance, and curation of practice-sharing events. The team also play a critical role in promoting institutional standards in teaching, learning and assessment by contributing to policy developments, supporting staff to adhere to institutional requirements, and advising on course developments, including collaborative arrangements with external partners.

As Academic Practice Developer within the Academic Development Team, you would hold a key role in developing and delivering a high-quality CPD offer for staff involved in teaching and learning support across the institution, promoting professional standards in teaching and learning, and supporting understanding and implementation of institutional policies and requirements. This will involve coordinating credit-rated modules, leading on the development of new services and products, providing advice and guidance to staff, and working in partnership with our academic Schools. You will also contribute to enhancement projects and activities related to learning and teaching and associated pedagogic research.

You will have expert knowledge of higher education teaching, learning and assessment and a track record in delivering high-quality teaching and assessment, the effective coordination of provision, and designing support that is responsive to stakeholders’ needs.

In keeping with RGU's commitment to work/life balance you will have the opportunity to work from home for a portion of the working week and also benefit from a generous pension scheme, 46 days annual leave (including statutory days) an onsite nursery and sports centre, as well as a range of voluntary health and travel benefits.

We are committed to attracting and engaging a diverse range of staff and fostering a culture where everyone feels welcome, comfortable to express their ideas, and can reach their full potential. For more information, please visit Our Diverse Workforce pages.

Job Description

RESPONSIBLE TO: Academic Development Lead

RESPONSIBLE FOR: No supervisory responsibility

PURPOSE OF POST: To contribute to the development and delivery of AQLE’s staff-facing offer by coordinating and delivering accredited programmes in Academic Practice and leading the design and delivery of services and products for staff to enhance teaching, learning and assessment. Responsible for leading, coordinating and delivering aspects of CPD provision in teaching and learning for all RGU staff and others supporting the RGU student experience. Responsible for liaising with colleagues within the wider AQLE team and across the University e.g. module coordinators, course leaders, staff in schools/departments, to offer advice and guidance, deliver projects and services, and to assure the quality and relevance of support. Responsible for promoting institutional standards in teaching and learning through contributing to policy development, providing guidance and support to staff, and advising on course developments.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES:

  • Develop teaching materials, methods, assessment, and approaches to CPD provision (workshops, courses, activities, projects, services, resources) as an integrated part of AQLE team activities.
  • Plan and organise provision to maximise effective use of resources and opportunities.
  • Seek ways of improving staff development provision and resources through reflection and obtaining and analysing feedback.
  • Teach elements of CPD provision, individually and as part of a teaching team.
  • Coordinate and deliver elements of credit- and non-credit rated AQLE CPD provision across all levels: induction, initial development courses leading to recognition by AdvanceHE, and CPD for existing staff and others supporting the RGU student experience.
  • Design and deliver products and services to support the assurance and enhancement of teaching, learning and assessment.
  • Support effective academic practice, adherence to institutional standards, and enhancement of the student experience through provision of expert advice and guidance.
  • Work in partnership with academic Schools to determine academic practice development needs and provide appropriate support.
  • Undertake pedagogic research as agreed and contribute RGU’s pedagogic research culture.
  • Maintain expertise in teaching, learning, assessment and quality developments.
  • Manage own responsibilities for teaching and administrative activities as agreed.

Person Specification

ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

Masters qualification relevant to the role.

Fellowship of AdvanceHE.

Knowledge

Teaching, learning and assessment practice in contemporary UK higher education.

Design of effective learning and assessment, including online.

Quality assurance and enhancement processes, including QA of credit-rated teaching and assessment.

Sector expertise including key UK teaching quality and learning enhancement references and resources to support quality assurance and enhancement of the student experience.

UK and international pedagogic literature.

Approaches to delivering staff development in UK higher education.

Approaches to implementing institutional policies in UK higher education.

Experience

Designing and planning teaching and development activities in response to stakeholders’ needs and quality frameworks.

Sustained leadership and delivery of credit-rated activity at an undergraduate and/or postgraduate level.

Inputting into complex decisions that impact curriculum design and/or the student experience.

Design and delivery of formative and summative assessment, including providing feedback to learners.

Developing online learning resources and activities, including use of a virtual learning environment.

Delivering effective staff development and/or support in UK higher education.

Implementing institutional policies in respect to teaching, learning and assessment.

Providing effective advice and guidance to ensure adherence to institutional requirements.

DESIRABLE REQUIREMENTS

Qualifications and Professional Memberships

PhD relevant to role.

Potential to achieve Senior Fellowship in the future.

Knowledge

The Professional Standards Framework for Teaching and Supporting Learning in Higher Education (PSF).

Specific knowledge of some of the following aspects: work-based learning; promoting and supporting diversity, including the needs of disabled students; online learning; scholarship of teaching and learning; the use of AI in learning, teaching, and assessment; interdisciplinary teaching and learning.

Collaborative partnership arrangements, for instance, transnational education.

Experience

Leading projects related to staff development.

Contributing to policy developments in teaching, learning and assessment.

Acting as a Course or Programme Leader.

Supporting colleagues to achieve Advance HE fellowship.

Providing effective advice and guidance to colleagues on course development, curriculum design, and course leadership.

Supporting external partners to meet institutional requirements.

Undertaking pedagogic research and/or scholarship leading to public output and/or the enhancement of teaching and learning.

Postgraduate research supervision.

Behaviours

Behaviour 1: Communication – Ability to receive, understand and convey information requiring careful explanation and information of a complex or conceptual nature, in a clear and accurate manner.

Behaviour 2: Pastoral Care and Welfare – Experience of: calming and reassuring those with work/study related problems who may be experiencing distress; dealing with difficult welfare situations or confidential matters; providing support for those in considerable distress or requiring long-term complex support.

Behaviour 3: Teaching and Learning Support – Experience of: providing standard information or delivering teaching or training; designing content or learning materials within existing frameworks; developing innovative approaches to learning experience and the curriculum.

Behaviour 4: Service Delivery – Experience of exploring and adapting a service to meet customers’ expectations and also identifying ways of improving standards.

Behaviour 5: Liaison and Networking – Experiences of: circulating information in an accurate and timely manner; working across team boundaries to build and strengthen working relationships; leading and developing internal networks to pursue a shared interest; leading and building external networks to enhance the work of the organisation.

Behaviour 6: Analysis and Research – Experience of identifying or designing data gathering and analytical methods appropriate

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