Lecturer in Journalism, Political and Public Communication

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1 About The Job. Department of Journalism Studies Faculty of Social Sciences Lecturer in Journalism, Political and Public Communication Pursue the extraordinary

2 Overview The Faculty of Social Sciences is a large and diverse grouping of thirteen departments that offer professional education alongside more traditional social science disciplines. This rich and exciting disciplinary mix encompasses both world-leading academic research and education and a strong practitioner focus in particular areas. It uniquely positions the Faculty among Sheffield's peer institutions. About thedepartment The Department of Journalism Studies marks its twentieth anniversary this year and in that time we have become one of the major journalism research and teaching establishments in the UK. We are committed to a teaching and research programme that takes an increasingly interdisciplinary approach to the fields of journalism, political communication and digital media. We have two research centres, one committed to studying freedom of the media and the safety of journalists and the other for the study of journalism and history. The 2014 Research Excellence Framework put the University of Sheffield in the top ten percent of all UK universities. It judged the department s research environment as of world leading quality and that our research has significant impact in the outside world. Our staff are drawn from both journalism and academia and we have an excellent network of national and international contacts both in journalism and in the academic world. We have a thriving international community of postgraduate research students, taught postgraduates and undergraduates. Our alumni are working in newsrooms in the UK and abroad as reporters, editors, producers, presenters while others have gone on to academic careers. We have topped the National Student Survey in our field on five occasions and every major UK university league table places us in the top five. The department has grown significantly in recent years. Our MA Global Journalism and MA International Political Communication in particular attract students from all over the world and these courses have a strongly international curriculum. Our undergraduate programme is one of the most applied for in the country and is accredited by all three industry bodies. Our applied postgraduate programmes are also industry accredited and our students regularly win prestigious prizes for their journalism. For more details about the department please see

3 Job Role The department wishes to expand its existing expertise in journalism, politics, political and public communication to deepen exploration of these areas as they relate to journalism. We seek a new member of staff, at Lecturer level, with a research track record of the highest standard to develop the interface between the study of journalism, political and public communication. The post will complement our existing industry accredited public administration provision and the specialised political and public communication research and teaching which already exists in the department. You will play a key role in maintaining the department s high standard of teaching through devising, designing, preparing, and delivering innovative teaching programmes in the areas of journalism, political and public communication. You will be expected to demonstrate an interest in and engage with vocational elements of our provision in innovative ways that draw on your research strengths. You will work collaboratively with other staff inside and outside the department and be able to demonstrate an innovative approach to understanding the ways that journalism intersects with politics, political communication and public communication. You will be able to demonstrate an innovative approach to learning and teaching and have an imaginative approach to the use of digital technology in learning and teaching with the ability to think beyond the lecture/workshop/seminar model to bring fresh thinking to journalism education. You will also develop your research profile in line with the Departmental Research Strategy, through personal research, applying for research funding, and supervising research students. We are particularly keen to hear from candidates who can demonstrate a capacity to look at issues afresh, work in an interdisciplinary environment, challenge convention or who are willing to swim against the tide in terms of dominant disciplinary approaches. You will make a full and active contribution to the principles of the Sheffield Academic. These include the achievement of excellence in applied teaching and research, and scholarly pursuits to make a genuine difference in the subject area and to the University s achievements as a whole. Further information on the underpinning values of the Sheffield Academic can be found at: Job Description Main Duties and Responsibilities Determine research objectives, and initiate and implement a programme of research in journalism, political and public communication either individually or collaboratively. Conduct personal research in the interface between journalism, political and public communication, which includes identifying literature and updating own knowledge; assessing the validity of the relevant literature and its contribution to the development of the field. Write

4 up research work for publication in high quality outlets and deliver presentations at conferences. Apply for research grants and manage or co-manage external research funding over period of grant(s). Supervise undergraduate and taught postgraduate projects/dissertations. Design and contribute to teaching programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students in the areas of journalism, political and public communication. This will include identifying learning objectives and selecting appropriate curricula, selecting teaching methods, resources and reading, and determining, designing and producing study material. Coordinate and contribute to team teaching, which will include liaison with other academic staff and/or university teaching assistants, to ensure modules complement others taken by students. To engage with vocational elements of our provision in innovative ways that draw on your research strengths, particularly the ways in which journalism and more widely political communication and public communication overlap, influence each other and operate. Carry out assessment for courses. This will include designing assessment instruments and criteria; marking assessments, ensuring adequate moderation; providing written/oral feedback; and collating and providing final assessments of students. Carry out course evaluation which will include facilitating student feedback; reflecting on own teaching design and delivery; and implementing ideas for improving own performance. Carry out a pastoral role for students such as acting as Personal Tutor. Contribute to knowledge exchange and the department s impact strategy as appropriate Participate in and, as appropriate, have a role as a member of departmental and/or Faculty Committees. Carry out departmental administrative roles. Involvement in professional activities such as refereeing papers, editing journals, refereeing research grants, external examining, organising conferences, committee membership, ethics reviewing. Plan and prioritise own daily work. For teaching, plan up to one year ahead unless there are significant teaching programme changes or new courses, then plan for up to two years ahead of their introduction. Undertake ad hoc requests relating to teaching, supervision and administration. Any other duties, commensurate with the grade of the post. Person Specification Applicants should provide evidence in their applications that they meet the following criteria. We will use a range of selection methods to measure candidates abilities in these areas including reviewing your on-line application, seeking references, inviting shortlisted candidates to interview and other forms of assessment action relevant to the post.

5 Criteria Qualifications and experience 1. Have or be working towards a PhD in a relevant discipline (or have equivalent qualifications / experience). 2. Proven teaching ability. Essential Desirable 3. Previous experience of working as a Lecturer. 4. Ability to demonstrate a record of quality research publications and grant applications. 5. Possess or be willing to undertake a teaching qualification 6. Ability to contribute to the teaching of journalism, political and public communication in innovative ways 7. Experience of supervising undergraduate student projects/disserations 8. Experience of supervising PhD students. Management skills 9. Ability to manage resources effectively. 10. Experience of applying for externally-funded research. Communication skills 11. Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. 12. An ability to communicate research findings 13. High quality presentation skills. Team working 14. Experience of working effectively as a member of a team. Problem solving and decision making 15. Ability to develop creative approaches to problem solving. 16. Ability to analyse and solve problems with an appreciation of longer-term implications. Project management 17. Ability to assess and organise resources, and plan and progress work activities and forward plan up to two years for some tasks Ability to manage research projects and deliver outputs. 19. Ability to design and deliver modules to a high standard. Personal effectiveness 20. Excellent organisational skills and the ability to undertake some administrative duties. 21. Experience of developing and maintaining a network of contacts throughout own work area. 22. Proven ability to work to and meet deadlines.

6 Further Information All applications via E Recruitment: When applying for this post, please ensure that you upload a CV and covering letter with your application. This post is open ended. This post is full-time: This role has been identified as a full-time post, but we are committed to exploring flexible working opportunities with our staff which benefit both the individual and the University (See Therefore, we would consider flexible delivery of the role subject to meeting the business needs of the post. If you wish to explore flexible working opportunities in relation to this post, please contact the recruiting department via the contact details provided below. Benefits Terms and conditions of employment: Will be those for Grade 8 staff. Salary for this grade: 38,511-45,954 per annum. Potential to progress to 51,702 per annum through sustained exceptional contribution. More details on salaries, terms and conditions and our wide range of benefits for staff are available at We are committed to making the University a remarkable place to work and support this through a number of sector leading initiatives such as Juice and Sheffield Leader. Our innovative Health and Wellbeing programme, Juice, promotes happiness and wellbeing through a broad range of inclusive activities ( Our leadership development has been designed to ensure that our leaders have the knowledge, skills and behaviours needed by the University ( ). Alongside this is a comprehensive selection of benefits and offers to suit your changing lifestyle needs, for example childcare vouchers, Cycle to Work initiative, staff discounts, access to extensive

7 development and training options over a third of staff work in Investors in People (IiP) recognised departments. We are also proud of our award-winning equality and diversity action which enhances working life for all. 91% of staff tell us they are treated with fairness and respect (staff survey 2014) In our staff survey (2014) 94% of staff said they were proud to work for the University and 87 % of our staff would recommend Sheffield University as an excellent place to work. To find out more about what it s like to work here have a look at our webpages, and Closing date: 18 March 2015 Informal enquiries: For all on-line application system queries and support, contact: e-recruitment@sheffield.ac.uk. For informal enquiries about this job and department, contact: Professor Marie Kinsey on m.kinsey@sheffield.ac.uk or Selection-Next Step Following the closing date, you will be informed by whether or not you have been shortlisted to be invited to participate in the next stage of the selection process. Please note that due to the large number of applications that we receive, it may take up to four working weeks following the closing date before the recruiting department will be able to contact you. The University of Sheffield is committed to achieving excellence through inclusion. The University of Sheffield is proud to be a Two Ticks employer Pursue the extraordinary