University London South Bank University (LSBU) is one of London's largest and oldest universities: it has been providing relevant, accredited and professionally recognised education since 1892.
LSBU is in an exciting period of its evolution, with a new campus in Croydon and the establishment of the LSBU Group, which comprises the university, two South Bank Academies, Lambeth College and South Bank Enterprises. The University is investing approximately £55million in its estates as part of its drive to create a campus that is fit for the future.
Research has played a key role in LSBU’s recent advancement – it was a key driver behind LSBU’s rise in the 2022 Times Higher Education World University Rankings, which is all the more impressive given that there was a 9% increase in the number of institutions included in the list. These great strides are reflected in LSBU’s performance in the last Research Excellence Framework (REF 2021) exercise. Key REF 2021 achievements include:
- 68% of the research submitted by LSBU was rated as ‘World leading’ or ‘Internationally excellent’, a 14 percentage point rise from the previous REF (2014). with a more than two and a half fold increase in the proportion of research rated as World-leading;
- an 85% increase in the size of LSBU’s staff cohort submitted, rising from 102 FTE (REF 2014) to 187 FTE (REF 2021) - nationally, the FTE increase was 46%;
- a more than doubling in the number of research doctoral degrees awarded, rising from 95 (REF2014) to 205 (REF2021);
- a more than three-fold increase in the Impact rated as being ‘Outstanding’, rusing from 8.9% in REF 2014 to 0% in REF2021.
About you
You will be:
- analytical by nature and very much at home with crunching numbers in Excel spreadsheets and producing data-based reports;
- proficient in writing clear and succinct prose and able to produce lucid, compelling summaries of complex topics in unfamiliar research areas;
- curious about research taking place across the university and eager to speak to academics about their work;
- willing to help organise events that bring academics together to share knowledge and foster an interdisciplinary culture and ethos.
Exciting work you will do
- Interview academics to both find out about and produce compelling, written summaries of, their leading edge, impactful research.
- Analyse large data-sets of LSBU’s research publications and income to find out in which research areas LSBU is making the biggest advances and which domains have the biggest potential for growth.
- Arrange networking events to catalyse new and leading edge, interdisciplinary collaborations and partnerships.
- Help to build an Impact culture across the institution and support the promotion of LSBU’s research to the wider world.
The skills and experience you will need to be successful
State qualifications or experience required for the role (E = essential; D = Desirable)
Qualified to degree level or equivalent (E)
Proven record of quickly acquiring a sound understanding of and adapting to, unfamiliar data systems and information platforms (E)
Meticulous attention to detail (E)
Skilled in data analysis and clear, concise reporting (E)
Experienced in the use of Microsoft Software (Outlook, Excel and Word) (E)
Able to demonstrate an understanding of equality and diversity and its practical application (E)
Good understanding of the Research Impact agenda (within the university sector) and an appreciation of university research governance (D)
Strong interpersonal and communication skills, demonstrating the ability to work collaboratively with colleagues in both the immediate and wider working environment (E)
Excellent writing skills, able to convey complex research activities and outcomes in lucid and pithy prose (D)
Experience of taking meeting minutes (D)
Details about the role
Two and a half days a week (0.5 FTE). An immediate start is preferred. The contract we can currently offer runs until February 2024, but an extension may be feasible.
Please note that the University is operating a hybrid working model which means a mix of working on site and from home, confirmation of days worked on campus are arranged with the line manager.
To view the Job Description & Person Specification – go to the attachments at the top of the advert (Right click and select 'open in new tab' option)
Application process
To apply, please submit a CV and cover letter clearly addressing the essential selection criteria detailed in the Job Description.
To apply, please complete our online application form ensuring to address the essential selection criteria in the ‘Evidence for selection criteria’ section.
Interview and assessment process
Closing date: Midnight, Sunday 4th December 2022
It is expected that the interview will be held on Thursday 15th December 2022
Please Note: The Job Reference # for this post is REQ7466
Employment Visa: Under the UK Governments PSB scheme this role does not meet/ meets the criteria to be sponsored by LSBU for a Skilled Worker Route (SWR) application.
Please be advised that currently LSBU will only support the Certificate of Sponsorship for any employment visas and will not support the payment of the employment visa for the offered candidate and/or dependants.
Recruitment Process: The email account you use to apply will be used for recruitment communication. Please ensure that you use an email account that you regularly monitor.
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early, should we receive sufficient applications.