Job Description

Salary: Grade 09 \xc2\xa345,585 to \xc2\xa354,395 per annum with USS benefits

Contract: Full-time (60% FTE as Senior Lecturer and 40% FTE as EPI Lead). The Senior Lecturer is a permanent position. The Faculty EPI Lead duties will be undertaken for an initial period of 24 months with the potential to extend for a further period of 24 months

Location: This position will be based at the Singleton/Bay Campus

Swansea University has a community which thrives on exploration and discovery. Our stunning waterfront campus make us a desirable location for students and staff from around the world, and our multicultural community provides a global perspective, enabling those who join us to develop skills and knowledge that set them on successful and enriching careers.

Swansea University was built by industry for industry and places Innovation and Enterprise (I&E) at the heart of its strategic thinking. SU has built extensive links to industrial partners and other key external stakeholders (including the NHS) over preceding decades and will continue to grow this activity in the future. To enable further growth opportunities in the I&E space, FMHLS is looking to recruit an academic on the I&E academic career pathway, who also will take on the role of Enterprise Partnerships and Innovation (EPI) lead for the Faculty. The role will include 60% FTE for the individual academic I&E role and 40% FTE for the EPI lead. The personal academic element of the role will see the appointed individual develop a portfolio of I&E activities within the health arena. The EPI role (40% FTE) will help shape both Faculty and University strategy, delivery of our Faculty enterprise portfolio. Working closely with colleagues in FMHLS and wider EPI-facing staff across Swansea University, the individual will establish and grow their own portfolio of partnerships and innovation activities with the Health landscape in Wales. He/she will also encourage and facilitate others to grow EPI-portfolios in this growing Welsh sector in the role as Faculty EPI lead.

Swansea University is part of the ARCH partnership (A Regional Collaboration for Health), strategically working with the 2 local health boards to design and introduce innovation in the NHS whilst simultaneously supporting NHS employees to embrace innovation and become health entrepreneurs. FMHLS has an impressive track record in enterprise and partnership & innovation and currently has 25 academics on the I&E pathway. We have a current pipeline of >180 research and innovation projects, totalling over \xc2\xa3170m of funding with 16 active patents and a pipeline of IP disclosures. Indeed, FMHLS have built research impact delivery through this innovation pipeline. Our portfolio of UKRI impact acceleration accounts (IAA) and the Research Wales Innovation Funding (RWIF) enables pump priming of nascent innovation ideas.

The Swansea Bay City Deal funded \xe2\x80\x9cCampuses\xe2\x80\x9d project is a major focus of I&E activity within the faculty.

The personal academic element of the role (60% FTE) will see the appointed individual develop a portfolio of I&E activities within the health and sports arena working with external companies (large and small), Welsh Government, the NHS, Health Boards, other healthcare providers, and other public and third sector partners.

The Faculty EPI Lead will hold a key role in the development and implementation of the strategic priorities of the Faculty in Enterprise, Partnerships and Innovation working closely with the Associate Dean (Research Innovation and Impact), the Heads of School the Deputy PVC/Deputy Exec Dean and the Faculty PVC Executive Dean. He/she will focus on the direction and coordination of internal networking and external engagement activities that facilitate engagement with external stakeholders, impact driven research and innovation excellence, knowledge exchange, civic mission, outreach, regional, national and international partnerships, and advocacy. The Faculty EPI Lead will also work closely with Faculty/University based professional service colleagues and with central EPI delivery and the relevant Deputy PVCs to contribute to institutional strategies. They will be accountable for ensuring that all policies and academic processes are applied consistently and appropriately across the Faculty.

The Faculty EPI Lead will report to the Associate Dean (RII) and work in collaboration with other colleagues across research, innovation, engagement and education, at Faculty, School, and University level to create an environment that supports each Faculty to realise its full EPI potential. Alongside the Associate Deans, they will also have oversight over the delivery of innovation, impact, enterprise strategy(ies), advising both FLT and the Heads of School over issues relating to resourcing and quality of delivery. The postholder will also be expected to take on any other reasonable duties as requested by the PVC Exec Dean.

Person specification

For personal academic role (60%), applicants should be able to demonstrate a track record in academic innovation and enterprise activity within the health sector. This can be related to business facing activities working with companies (IP, spin out, licensing) or with external stake holders in the health sector (NHS, healthcare providers). An understanding of the Welsh NHS innovation funding landscape is essential.

We expect the applicant to have a demonstrated track record in innovation funding success from enterprise-facing funding bodies (UK/Welsh government, BEIS, Innovate UK) and from industry themselves. Knowledge of academic impact and the steps needed to nurture impact would be beneficial. Experience of teaching in the university-sector and possession of a teaching qualification is desirable.

• For the EPI lead role (40%) we highlight the following responsibilities:
• Leading and contributing to the development of an EPI strategy for the faculty in partnership with the Associate Dean RII, and the Heads of School. Once the Faculty strategy is set, the EPI Lead will oversee its implementation, including any promotion, monitoring, evaluation, and feedback.
• Chairing the Faculty EPI committee and reporting up to the Faculty Research, Innovation and Impact Committee (FRIIC). Chairing the Tenants and Affiliates panel to support our embedded businesses

• Establishing supportive and responsive mechanisms through which colleagues can share best practice and identify opportunities for collaboration.
• Providing strategic leadership of I&E themes across the Faculty, delivering to strategies that enables achievement of Faculty Business Plan and KPIs.
• Collaborating with other faculties on the I&E themes and representing the Faculty at relevant University level committees.
• Developing policies and guidance relating to external engagement and research-related innovation and knowledge transfer, consistent with the HEFCW Knowledge Exchange Concordat
• Developing strategies for engagement with external stakeholders relating to projects involving infrastructure development, industry, capital equipment, knowledge transfer, commercialisation and intellectual property
• Encouraging a pipeline of impact in all its forms and helping to identify emerging work from knowledge transfer for the research impact component of the Research Excellence Framework
• Promoting engagement with both internal University resource opportunities and external innovation and knowledge exchange funding opportunities, e.g., Innovate UK
• Promoting the development of spinout companies in line with university strategy and policies
• Promoting the development of knowledge exchange through both professional training and consultancy work in line with university strategy and policies
• Acting as an ambassador for external links, knowledge exchange and partnerships.

This post is on an Innovation and Engagement pathway. The Academic Career Pathways (ACP) scheme is designed to ensure that academic strengths whether in research, teaching, the wider student experience, leadership or innovation and engagement, are all appropriately recognised, developed, valued, and rewarded. Further information is available here. These provide indicative performance levels for all academic staff which will be used in the recruitment process as well as for internal academic promotion. Where there are numeric indicators these will be considered in light of the stage of career, hours of work and other commitments. This may be personal circumstances or work related activities outside of academia such as in industry or a clinical setting. Applicants are very welcome to provide any relevant individual circumstances such as career breaks, any periods of leave or secondment or any other absences, which should be taken into account and how these have had an impact on your career development.

This can be included in Questionnaire 1 on the online application, which asks for further information in support of your application.

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity in all of its practices and activities. We aim to establish an inclusive environment and welcome diverse applications from the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race (including colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation.

We have an under-representation of women in the area of academia and would particularly welcome applications from women for this position. We also have an under representation of individuals from ethnic minority backgrounds and would encourage applications from these groups. Appointments will always be made on merit.

Please note this job is also being advertised to a pool of colleagues internally as part of our University commitment to employee redeployment. Should this post be filled from this route then you will receive an email confirming this. If you do not receive an email, please assume that your application is still in process.

Applicants are asked to provide a completed online application providing evidence against the essential criteria in the recruitment documentation. Applicants should also attach to the application

• Curriculum Vitae;
• Innovation track record (health facing projects completed)
• Statement detailing innovation vision

For further information please contact Professor Gareth Jenkins (Associate Dean Research Innovation and Impact, FMHLS). Tel. No. 01792 602512, email:

Swansea University