Assistant Head of Discipline for Midwifery, Children and Professional Practice
Location
Kedleston Road, Derby Campus
Closing date
Tuesday 21 October 2025
Salary
38,784 to 46,049 per annum
Job grade
HE Lecturer
Reference
0065-25
Contract type
Fixed term contract until November 2026
Post type
Full-time
Adaptive working type
Onsite
This role will be based on site, primarily in the named location.
About the University
We have one simple promise - to make a positive impact. Through our ground-breaking research, teaching excellence and commitment to sustainable living, we are changing lives for the better.
The University of Derby is a modern university with a modern outlook. Everything we do is driven by delivering excellence and opportunities for our students, our staff and our region.
We have some of the best university facilities in the UK and achieve outstanding results for our teaching and research and have been awarded Gold in the prestigious Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF) 2023 - making it one of the top universities in the country recognised for its outstanding student experience and student outcomes.
Financially strong and seriously ambitious we offer our employees an inclusive culture that centres itself around staff wellbeing, where you can be confident you will receive all the help and encouragement you need to build a rewarding career with lots of opportunities to enhance your skills.
About the College/Department
At the heart of shaping future professionals and creative thinkers, the College of Health and Humanities brings together two dynamic and diverse schools:
School of Health and Social Care
Preparing the next generation of healthcare professionals and social care leaders through hands-on learning, expert teaching, and strong industry partnerships. Our courses are designed to meet the demands of real-world practice and improve the health and wellbeing of our communities.
The School is made up of a broad range of subjects, reflecting the diversity and complexity of modern health and social care settings:
Adult Nursing
Associate and Enhanced Healthcare Practice
Midwifery, Children's Nursing and Professional Practice
Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing
Public Health and Social Care
Diagnostics and Clinical Interventions
Therapy and Rehabilitation
School of Humanities, Law and Creative Arts
Celebrating creativity, critical thinking, and cultural exploration. This school nurtures writers, performers, thinkers and artists, offering opportunities to grow intellectually and creatively across subjects like English, History, Creative Writing, Fine Art, and Media.
Together, the College of Health and Humanities delivers a rich, integrated approach to learning and professional development, our students are equipped with the knowledge, values, and skills to thrive in their chosen fields and make a lasting impact.
About the role
An opportunity has arisen in our Children's Nursing team and we are looking for an experienced clinician / academic to join us. We are seeking an enthusiastic educator to teach and assess on the undergraduate and master's programmes in Children's Nursing, delivered in line with Future Nurse standards and approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Working closely with the programme leader and head of discipline, the post holder will contribute to the development and delivery of innovative, flexible teaching and learning materials that provide high-quality, accessible learning opportunities and an exceptional student experience. With employability and real-world learning at the heart of the curriculum, the role also offers the opportunity to engage in research that shapes best practice, enriches the research-led curriculum, and contributes to subject expertise and the University's REF submission.
You will join a highly committed team with excellent professional standing and currency across the sector.
The role requires flexibility, including occasional evening and weekend teaching, attendance at University events, and the ability to travel between sites and overseas when required.
This position is full time, offered on a fixed-term basis to cover a period of maternity leave, with the contract due to end in late November 2026. There may be the potential for the contract to be extended beyond this date, however this cannot be guaranteed.
About You
The ideal candidate will be a qualified Children's Nurse with current Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) membership and will hold a good honours degree in a relevant discipline (or equivalent). You will ideally hold, or be willing to work towards, Fellowship of the Advanced HE, and hold a PhD (or equivalent experience/achievement) in a relevant subject area.
You will bring subject-specific expertise alongside experience or knowledge of higher education, with the ability to use a range of delivery techniques to engage and inspire students. With demonstrable experience in your discipline, you will contribute to developing new knowledge and understanding, while also demonstrating strong networking and relationship-building skills across the University and externally.
Principal accountabilities
Learning / Teaching
Effectively teach and facilitate learning on a range of subjects / modules within the subject area on undergraduate, postgraduate, professional and post-experience programmes.
Ensure that knowledge from research and scholarly activities informs and enhances learning and teaching, as well as extending it to appropriate external activities such as knowledge transfer activities.
Ensure that module / programme design and delivery comply with the quality standards and regulations of the University.
Participate effectively in the assessment process, including the setting, marking and moderation of student work, providing constructive feedback and ensuring it is in accordance with quality assurance procedures.
Participate in the continuing review and development of module/programme delivery, incorporating innovative study modes, learning environments and pedagogic practices to engage and stimulate students, deliver effective learning outcomes and develop the skills and attributes of the 'Derby Graduate'.
Take on relevant module leader and/or programme leader responsibilities, including associated marketing, recruitment, delivery and ongoing programme development activities.
Research / Scholarship
Engage in individual research and collaborate both internally and externally on research projects that are consistent with the College, and contribute to influencing leading edge practice in the University and contribution to the REF.
Sustain and enhance the reputation of the University by publishing in appropriate quality journals and presenting at scholarly activities such as workshops, conferences and other similar events.
Develop and maintain contacts and relationship with relevant professional, research and industrial organisations.
Contribute to writing bids for externally funded research projects.
Other
Act as a personal tutor, supporting and mentoring students as appropriate.
Provide pastoral care to students, referring when necessary to services that provide further support.
Support marketing and student recruitment activities as required.
Develop external links in order, for example, to support student recruitment, secure student placements, facilitate outreach work, generate income or build relationships for future activities.
Be responsible for administrative duties in areas such as admissions, timetabling, examinations and assessment of progress and student attendance.
Contribute to effective cross College / University working.
Observe and implement University policies and procedures.
Person specification
Essential Criteria
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Qualifications
Current membership of the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a Children's Nurse
Good Honours Degree in relevant subject discipline or equivalent
Fellowship of the Advanced HE (HEA) or willingness to work towards
PhD (or submitted and awaiting examination) or equivalence accepted in a relevant subject area, for example by publication or through appropriate professional achievement or willingness to work towards within an agreed timeframe
Subject specific qualifications / knowledge
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Experience
Learning / Teaching
Experience or knowledge of higher education and ability to use a range of delivery techniques to inspire and engage students
Research / Scholarship
Demonstrable experience of own discipline to enable the development of new knowledge and understanding within the field
Experience of research / enterprise activity
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Skills, knowledge & abilities
An appropriate level of digital capability and aptitude with practical experience of applications which aid student learning
Ability to communicate complex and conceptual ideas to a range of groups
Excellent written and oral communication skills including networking and relationship building skills, both across the University and externally
Able to demonstrate both independent self-management and team working
Able to work with competing priorities and to tight deadlines
Demonstrates competences, core behaviours and supplementary behaviours that support and promote the University's core values
Demonstrates professionalism in learning / teaching and the values of the UK Professional Standards Framework for HE
A sound understanding of the current higher education environment and its implications for the student learning experience
A sound understanding of the employability agenda and its relevance to learners and the curriculum
A sound understanding of internationalisation and its relevance for learners and the curriculum
Flexible to the needs of others
Innovative and creative
Committed to continual enhancement and a high-quality student experience
Committed to a high-performance culture, fostering continuous improvement and driving quality
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Business requirements
Able to take a flexible approach to work
+ Travel between sites and occasionally overseas for research or teaching
+ Some evening and occasional weekend teaching
+ Attendance at Open Days, Graduation events etc.
+ A commitment to own professional development
Desirable Criteria
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Qualifications
Master's degree in relevant subject area
Appropriate level of membership of a relevant professional body
Postgraduate Certificate in Teaching and Learning in Higher Education
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Experience
Learning / Teaching
Experience or knowledge of quality assurance and validation of HE modules / programmes
Demonstrable experience of delivering excellent and effective learning and teaching identified by peer review at undergraduate and postgraduate levels at a Higher Education provider
Demonstrable experience of module and / or programme leadership
Experience of developing innovative module/programme content and delivery methods
Online and blended learning / teaching experience
Demonstrable experience of successful curriculum development
Demonstrable experience of effectively designing and implementing a range of formative and summative assessments for undergraduate and postgraduate programmes
Research / Scholarship
Evidence of active publishing in high quality journals or other outputs in research or practice that will contribute to the REF or other areas identified in the College / University Research Strategy
Developing national and international profile of research and scholarly activity
Experience of bidding for and obtaining external research funding
Experience of successfully applying discipline to income generation activities, including consultancy, industry-based applied research and KTPs
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Skills, knowledge and abilities
Able to identify potential sources of funding
A sound knowledge of the QAA Quality Code and HEFECE's Operating Model for Quality Assurance
Benefits Generous annual leave entitlement of 47 days inclusive of bank holidays and concessionary days (pro rata)
Teacher's Pension Scheme
Suite of holistic wellbeing benefits and support including family-friendly policies, generous sick pay provision and comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme
Access to a variety of staff discounts at high street retailers
Discounted onsite gym
Cycle to Work scheme
A flexible working environment
A commitment to personal and professional development
Find out more about rewards and benefitsFind out more about rewards and benefits
Key contact
For further information and informal enquiries regarding the role, please contact Jill Gould, Assistant Head of Discipline for Midwifery, Children and Professional Practice via J.Gould@derby.ac.uk
For enquiries regarding your application and for sponsorship eligibility, please contact the recruitment team via recruitment@derby.ac.uk.
Important information#
Visa Sponsorship Eligibility
The University is unable to sponsor the employment of international workers under the Skilled Worker route for this role; however, applications are welcome from candidates who are able to demonstrate an alternative right to work in the UK.
Please visit visit our website for more information.
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DBS check
This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (ROA) 1974 and is therefore subject to an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.
Any information you provide will be treated in confidence and only used when considering your suitability for the post.
To enable us to process your DBS check please ensure you are able to supply the documentation listed on the DBS website at interview stage.
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Equity, diversity and inclusion
The University of Derby is committed to promoting equity, diversity and inclusion, regardless of age, disability, trans status, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief (or none), sex and sexual orientation.
We are Disability Confident Employers, demonstrating our commitment to disability inclusion, and invite applicants to highlight adjustments they may require to ensure equitable participation in our recruitment processes.
Further, we are committed to ensuring an environment which is trans and non-binary-inclusive for all our staff, students, partners, and visitors, and continuously review our policies, guidance and training.
When applying to join the University, you can choose your preferred title, including the gender-neutral title 'Mx'. We also ask our candidates if they would like to share their preferred pronouns. This is voluntary but demonstrates our commitment to inclusivity for trans and non-binary candidates. Once employed, you can add pronouns and preferred names onto our system.
The University of Derby undertakes anonymised shortlisting during the staff recruitment process. This means that, when shortlisting, panel members will not be able to see an applicant's name and will see an applicant number instead. This demonstrates the practical steps we are taking to remove barriers to recruitment by minimising the possible impact of our unconscious bias.
However you identify, we actively celebrate the knowledge, experience and talents each person brings. Our students come from a wide range of backgrounds; therefore we are particularly interested to hear from applicants who will help our leaders and teams be more reflective of our student population.
For more information on equity, diversity and inclusion at the University of Derby, please visit our website.
A university that celebrates you
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Environmental Sustainability
At the University of Derby, we are passionate about embedding sustainability into everything that we do. We aim to bring environmental sustainability into all aspects of the University, including teaching, research and operational activities. In line with the University's strategic framework, we expect all our staff to embed sustainability into their working practices and support the University's objective to reach net zero carbon by 2050.
Environment and sustainability
Seek academic excellence by applying now with University of Derby.
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