Progression to Senior Lecturer

If you are considering applying for progression, the first step in the process is to discuss this with your line manager as this will enable you to:

• Seek feedback on performance.
• Gain ideas on how to approach an application.
• Discuss and gather examples that may best evidence your performance.
• Reflect on the experience of others and how they have progressed at Oxford Brookes.

If you are not quite ready to take the next step in your career journey, your line manager will be able to offer support, development opportunities and help you to further develop your skills.

Our resources section below provides further guidance to help you with your career development. 

We also recommend seeking feedback and exploring the experience of other colleagues. This can provide a well rounded picture of the academic career pathway at Oxford Brookes, as well as offer a number of examples that could be used in your application. 

The Senior Lecturer progression panel are looking to explore your contribution to:

• Teaching and Learning
• Research and Knowledge Exchange
• Teamwork, Motivation and Managing People
• Liaison and Networking

This is completed via an application form, which contains questions designed to support you to discuss your knowledge and experience.

Both these topics and questions are based on the responsibilities and requirements detailed within the Senior Lecturer role profile and job description.

Applications should include quality evidence that exemplifies performance and the progress made towards the level of working identified within these documents.

You are not expected to demonstrate performance at a Senior Lecturer level across all criteria.  

We also acknowledge that there may be a variation in the balance of achievements arising from the varied academic expertise and specialisms offered by colleagues at the University.

Applicants should provide:

• An up to date CV that is no longer than 8 pages, uses at least a 10pt font and contains normal margins.  Your CV should not contain website links. 
• A completed progression to Senior Lecturer application form. Responses are limited to 300 words per question.
• A research plan, if you are allocated research time.

This information will need to be sent to the relevant contact within your Faculty. Your Faculty/Line Manager will be able to advise as to any internal process.

Your Head of School (HOS) will complete a statement to accompany your application. Please therefore ensure that you:

• Leave enough time for this step of the process.
• Confirm any internal/faculty timescales or deadlines for the provision of information to the HOS.

Responses to each question should not exceed 300 words. It is therefore important to carefully select the examples you wish to discuss, and to be as concise as possible.

You may wish to discuss some/all of the following areas (depending on your role/academic focus) as part of your responses:

Teaching and Learning

UG/PGT teaching practice through module/programme outcomes, assessment and student progression. You may wish to discuss:

• Lectures.
• Tutorials.
• Seminars.
• Practical activities.
• Fieldwork/and or placements

Student feedback, prizes or awards for teaching,  feedback from external examiners, peer review of teaching. Examples could refer to:

• The supervision of UG/PGT dissertations and/or projects. 
• External/extracurricular student activities that contribute to the student learning experience.
• Pastoral care.

Curriculum redesign/development and the impact this has had e.g on recruitment/retention, progression, completion and employability. 

Continual module/programme level development and updating/incorporating scholarship and/or research activities

Compliance with and enhancement of PSRB or partnership requirements, course accreditations or other quality assurance processes.

Research and Knowledge Exchange

• Your involvement in a significant and developing subject, professional and/or pedagogic research programme that is making a contribution to the field.
• Applications made for competitive grant or studentship funding; as appropriate to the discipline at this stage of career.
• Dissemination of research appropriate to the discipline through appropriate channels including refereed publications.
• Consultancy and knowledge exchange activities that you have undertaken.

Teamwork, Motivation and Managing People

• Leading modules/subject/programme coordination courses across a team ensuring the planned quality of teaching and learning is achieved.
• Developing and leading on projects/initiatives at School/Department or Faculty level.
• How you ensure productive and effective working relationships with Academic and Administrative colleagues.
• Integrating ALs and other non-core staff into teaching or other job-related activities. 
• Supervising colleagues as part of a research or KE team, project group or supervising PHD students.
• Supporting, advising and/or coaching/mentoring colleagues using your knowledge and experience.

Liaison and Networking

• Networking with Faculty or University committees, and external organisations to both develop, and maintain a strong involvement in your field.

Heads of Schools are asked to complete the supporting statement section of the form, providing a clear rationale and evidence as to whether the applicant should progress to Senior Lecturer.

A discussion should take place with line managers prior to writing the statement to confirm whether PDR objectives have been met, and gather further information that will feed into the statement, for example, in relation to activities, skills and performance.  

Applications and supporting statements should be submitted to payandreward@brookes.ac.uk by 1 July.    

If you have any questions, please contact our Reward and Progression Partner at payandreward@brookes.ac.uk.

The information provided will be reviewed by the Senior Lecturer Progression Panel, against the role profile and job description for this role, to assess performance and progress made towards this level of working.

You are not expected to demonstrate performance at a Senior Lecturer level across all criteria.  

The panel will then make a recommendation to the Vice Chancellor. 

Outcomes will be provided no later than 31 August. Progression to Senior Lecturer will apply from 1 September.  

Your new incremental progression date will be 1 September.

If the panel does not recommend progression to Senior Lecturer, feedback will be provided to support you with future applications.

We are currently working on guidance to support you with making the most of this feedback and to identify next steps - please watch this space!

The Role of the Appeals Process and Panel

To ensure an effective, fair and transparent appeals process, colleagues may appeal the outcome of their application for progression to Senior Lecturer if there is evidence of procedural irregularity i.e:

The way in which the application was considered led to a decision that was outside the reasonable range of responses.

To ensure transparency, the Appeals Panel will consist of a senior member of the People Directorate (normally the Deputy Director People Operations) and a thematic PVC.

The panel will not consider any new evidence to further support the initial application for progression to Senior Lecturer. 

Eligibility

Colleagues wishing to appeal must meet the following criteria:

• The unsuccessful application was submitted as part of the most recent set of applications for progression .
• Panel feedback has been discussed with line management, the Head of School and a member of the Senior Lecturer Progression Panel.
  Colleagues are able to provide evidence that the process applied led to an incorrect decision.

Making an Appeal

To appeal, colleagues must complete the Senior Lecturer Progression Appeal Form, clearly detailing:

• The reason for appeal.
• Evidence to support the appeal, showing why the outcome was not reached in a procedurally effective or fair manner. 

The Appeal Form must be submitted by the Reward and Recognition Partner within 14 calendar days of the date of the letter detailing the decision of the Senior Lecturer Progression Panel.

The Appeals Panel

A panel consisting of the Deputy Director People Operations (or other senior colleague from the People Directorate), and a thematic PVC will review:

• The initial application for promotion, including supporting statements.
• The feedback from the Senior Lecturer Progression Panel. 
• The appeal request form and the evidence submitted in support of procedural irregularity.

The appeals panel will:

• Seek any further information they need in order to make a full and fair assessment.  
• Determine whether any action should be taken as a result of their assessment.
• This may include whether the appellant should progress to Senior Lecturer. 

Outcomes

The Appeals Panel will normally meet and provide an outcome within 30 working days from the date of receipt of the Appeal Form. 

If the appeal is successful, and it is determined that the appellant should progress to Senior Lecturer, progression will be backdated as if the original application had been successful.

If the appeal is unsuccessful i.e the panel outcome is upheld, feedback will be provided. This decision will conclude the appeals process. There is no further right to appeal or to raise a grievance concerning the process or outcome.