The Staff Tutor Role
Further Particulars
This document includes information about the role for which you are applying and the information you will need to provide with the application.
- Role details
Vacancy reference:10604
Job title:Staff Tutor
Reports to:Head of Department, Department of Engineering and Innovation
Salary:£34,233 to £45,954 per annum depending on qualifications and experience
Terms and conditions:Academic
Grade:AC2 or AC3
Duration of post:October 2014 to 31 December 2015
Working hours:Full time
Location:To be negotiated
Closing date:Noon Thursday 25 September 2014
Type of application form accepted:Long OU application form and CV. Please also read the Information for Applicants for guidance on how to apply
Number of referees required:Three
Unit recruitment contact:Staffing Co-ordinator, email
2. Summary of duties
The Staff Tutor Role
A Staff Tutor is an academic who is based in one or more of the national or regional offices of the Open University, although increasingly Staff Tutors will work in virtual teams with colleagues in Birmingham and Milton Keynes. In this case there is some flexibility as to where this post is based. For this particular post the successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the support of the engineering and design curriculum areas.A significant and distinctive part of the academic role of Staff Tutor is to manage a large number of part-time Associate Lecturers (OU tutors) who in turn directly support OU students through the means of correspondence tuition, email, telephone and face-to-face sessions and, increasingly, other mechanisms such as electronic tutorials and conferencing. Managerial responsibilities include the appointment, induction and staff development of Associate Lecturers, conducting Career Development and Staff Appraisal (CDSA), overseeing their professional development and assuring the quality of their work. The Staff Tutor role also extends to helping the largely non-subject specialist advisory and study support staff to understand the needs of Mathematics, Computing and Technology students, and in conveying the Faculty's curriculum developments and student support strategies to student services colleagues. A Staff Tutor will also be involved in designing and implementing local strategies to widen participation, to promote employer engagement, and to enhance more broadly the external work of the University in the region. A sound understanding of the issues and external contexts affecting higher education in England is essential.
It is envisaged that in the long-term the post-holder will spend 50% of their time managing ALs, engaging in outreach work and providing specialised support to students, as part of a wider Student Support Team, based in Birmingham. The other 50% involves working on departmental, faculty and university projects based in Milton Keynes (although this can largely be done from a distance). In the short-term the job will be more weighted towards the first of these areas. The successful candidate will become a member of the Engineering and Innovation department and will belong to at least one module teamwith responsibility for writing assessment material, supporting students and Associate Lecturers and determining module results. They will also have the opportunity to teach at one of the week-long engineering residential schools.
Staff Tutors are expected to bring their knowledge of student and Associate Lecturer needs and their understanding of the student services student support structures to their teaching and other department and Faculty work. They are also expected to bring their understanding of Department, Faculty and University priorities to their work in the management of ALs, support of students and engagement in outreach work. All Staff Tutors are expected to engage in scholarly activity and will be given the opportunity to pursue research. A wide range of staff development opportunities is offered.
The nature of the Staff Tutor role means that they must be able to work well in teams, and in particular in teams that are not co-located. Many of the duties of a Staff Tutor involve the need to perform administrative tasks, and the management and quality assurance aspects of the role require an ability to deal sensitively with a wide range of people.
Some aspects of the role will require working in the evenings and at weekends and Staff Tutors are expected to be flexible in their working hours. Some travel will also be necessary to other OU locations and to Birmingham and to Milton Keynes in particular. Such journeys will be reimbursed according to the University scheme.
Summary of the main duties of the post
- To conduct the appointment, initial training and on-going staff development of a team of part-time Associate Lecturers and to then manage, supervise and support them. This includes providing academic advice on module content and teaching methods, taking a lead role in monitoring the teaching activities undertaken by Associate Lecturers, and conducting ‘Career development and staff appraisal’ for them. These activities may take place at a distance.
- To participate in the academic activities within theengineering area of the Engineering and Innovation Department to include: writing assessment material, contributing to module teams, curriculum development, module production using a variety of media and teaching at residential schools and to undertake scholarship and/or research that furthers the Faculty’s objectives.
- To provide direct support for enquirers, applicants and students planning to study or studying modules within the Mathematics, Computing and Technology Faculty programmes. To assist prospective students in making informed choices about their studies, and to provide the quality of ongoing support and service that will encourage registered students to continue studying with the university. The Staff Tutor is strongly supported in this work by Student Services staff, who deal with the majority of enquiries which arise.
Staff Tutors are also expected
- To plan student support activities such as the programme of face-to-face tutorials and day schools, electronic tutorials and forums and telephone tuition.
- To represent the OU on regional/national bodies when appropriate and delegated to do so.
- To promote the study of modules and qualifications of the Faculty, particularly in respect of under-represented groups and to provide information on the Faculty’s modules for student services staff.
- To provide a link between Associate Lecturers, students, employers and professional bodies and the Faculty (at Milton Keynes),
- To be actively involved within Student Support teams in developing and implementing strategies, policies (and applications for funding where appropriate) designed to support students and Associate Lecturers, including equal opportunities and access initiatives, and to contribute to the University’s wider role in the economy and society.
3. Person specification
Education and qualifications
Essential
- Good honours degree (or equivalent) in general engineering (mechanics or materials), or a closely related area*,
Desirable
- Specialist knowledge in a relevant field demonstrated by a postgraduate qualification, research publications or professional experience.
- Membership of a professional body
- Ability to support a second curriculum area (design and/or environment,) at Level 1
Work and experience
In appropriate cases the Selection Panel will use its judgement to balance proven experience and skills against potential to achieve the necessary qualities.Essential
- Experience of leading, supporting, and (preferably) managing, people who facilitate learning
- An understanding of the needs of adult distance learners
- Relevant teaching experience and evidence of an understanding of different teaching methodologies, including an interest in the development of innovative forms of teaching and learning
- An understanding of what constitutes quality learning experiences and the ability to convey this to others
- Knowledge of current and emerging curriculum in general engineering including an appreciation of the needs of employers and the professional development for engineers
- An understanding of the accreditation requirements of the Engineering professional bodies
- Ability to prepare well-written assessment materials using a variety of media
- Successful administrative experience
- Experience in the use of IT for teaching, administration and communication
- An understanding of the challenges facing post-compulsory education in England, such as access, retention and funding, and of the wider economic, social and cultural role of higher education.
Desirable
- Experience of teaching adults and/or experience of supported open and/or distance education
- Experience of implementing a widening participation, outreach or employer engagement strategy in an education environment
- Expertise in the use of new technology in education
- Experience of the Open University, and of the Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology in particular; for example, as an Associate Lecturer
Personal abilities and qualities
Essential
- Ability to work both independently, and with others in co-located and virtual teams, to a previously agreed schedule
- Organisational skills, including the capacity to deal quickly and effectively with queries, to prioritise demands and manage a wide range of activities.
- Good interpersonal skills, including the ability to work collaboratively with a range of staff (academic, administrative, and support staff)
- Good written and oral communication skills
- Interest in personal development, in learning new skills and in assisting others to develop new skills
- Capacity for original, creative and independent thought
- Knowledge of and commitment to equal opportunities principles
4. Role specific requirements e.g. Shift working
Ability to undertake evening and weekend commitments and to travel to Birmingham, to Milton Keynes and to other locations in the UK.5. About the unit/department
The Department of Engineering and Innovation
The Department of Engineering and Innovation is a broad-based multidisciplinary Department that leads the OU’s teaching in the areas of Engineering, Design, Environmental Engineering and Technologies, and International Development. We support qualifications including the IMechE and IET accredited BEng/MEng, the BA/BSc in Design and Innovation, the OU/TWI Foundation Degree in Materials Fabrication and Engineering, and the MSc in Development Management.Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology
The Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology is one of the largest faculties of The Open University (OU) with a turnover of approximately £80m, and with over 200 academic staff, including regional academics based in our Regional and National Offices, as well as researchers, administrators, curriculum managers, project officers, and secretarial support staff. With over 50,000 students from a wide range of educational and social backgrounds studying our undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and research degrees, our curriculum and research make a difference to people’s lives. Our modules provide breadth across the technical and scientific education demanded by the national and international knowledge economy, with the curriculum depth (from foundation through to postgraduate level) to provide the pull-through from lower- to higher-level skills. Our coverage ranges from quantitative analysis to policy, from engineering to design, from information to interaction, from vendor qualifications to technology management.
The breadth of our research enabled the Faculty to host returns to five Units of Assessment in the 2014 Research Excellence Framework (REF) and to contribute to further units of assessment across the University. Our research is currently evidenced as world leading or internationally excellent in a number of areas. It directly informs our teaching and ensures that the Faculty remains at the forefront of pedagogic innovation and technology-enhanced learning. In addition the Faculty is developing an ambitious enterprise agenda to exploit our capabilities through partnerships, consultancies and other relationships.
The Faculty consists of three academic Departments:
- Computing and Communications
- Mathematics and Statistics
- Engineering and Innovation
6. How to obtain more information about the role or application process
If you would like to discuss the particulars of this role before making an application please contact Lindsey Court by email ()If you have any questions regarding the application process please contact
7. Where to send completed applications
Please ensure that your application reaches the University by:Noon, Thursday 25 September 2014
Email your application to:
Or post it to:
The Staffing Co-ordinator, Pentz Building
Faculty of Mathematics, Computing and Technology
The Open University
Walton Hall
MK7 6AA
8. Selection process and date of interview
The interview panel will be chaired by Lindsey Court, Associate Dean (Regions and Nations).For the selection process applicants are required to submit:
(1) a completed application form*;
(2) a curriculum vitae(please remove any information from your CV that might give an indication of your race, religion or belief, or sexual orientation, as these details are irrelevant to your application)
The selection process for this post will be based on a short timed desk exercise followed by a telephone interview. The date and the members of the interview panel will be confirmed to shortlisted applicants.
*NB: It is important that candidates complete all sections of the application form in full. The selection panel will be paying particular attention to the following section of the application form: Describe briefly the nature of your present appointment, and any other position which you have held that you consider relevant to this application. Please provide details and evidence of how you meet the person specification.
We will let you know as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview. Further details on the selection process will be sent to shortlisted candidates.
Applications received after the closing date will not be accepted.
Human Resources HRG158 Issue 2
January 2010
Page 1 of 6