Staff Tutor in Photography

About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join The Open University as a Staff Tutor in Photography in the School of Creative Industries. We are looking for a dedicated individual to join a team developing innovative and vocational online learning resources in Photography.

As an academic member of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences and the School of Creative Industries, you will have a key role in keeping the OU in the forefront of supported distance higher education, particularly in designing and facilitating effective teaching of the School’s modules, qualifications and programmes. You will also contribute to the academic life of the Discipline through your scholarship and/or research.

As a Staff Tutor you will be responsible for the selection, monitoring and staff development of part-time Associate Lecturers (ALs), who will teach across our theoretical and practical creative modules in our forthcoming BA (Hons) Photography. For this full-time role, we are particularly interested in experience of line management and curriculum development.

The post is designated as a homeworker, however some travel to Milton Keynes, and other locations in the UK, will be required.

Key Responsibilities

• act on behalf of the School of Creative Industries in the recruitment and appointment of ALs. ALs are responsible for grading and commenting on students’ written assignments and offering support and guidance for students through blended learning provision including face-to-face day schools, synchronous online tutorials, asynchronous online forums and individual correspondence, telephone and e-mail.
• provide line-management of ALs including career development and performance management, maintaining their currency of knowledge on curriculum development, student progression pathways and teaching methods, and facilitating two-way communications with the school and academics working centrally on module teams.
• organise and implement an appropriate staff development programme, i.e. to train, supervise and support the work of ALs, encompassing face-to-face, online and correspondence tuition, telephone and other electronic support methods and to monitor their feedback on students’ assignments.
• provide a link between Associate Lecturer Services, the Student Support Team and the School. This includes liaising with Associate Lecturer Services about its work with ALs when necessary, e.g. recruitment, timetabling, as well as with other academic services staff in the SST on the progress of individual students as appropriate.
• organise timetables for blended tuition, including face-to-face day schools, online tutorials, forums, and aspects of collaborative and team working required of ALs.
• contribute as an academic to the development and presentation of the school’s emerging curriculum in formal and informal learning opportunities and by contributing to module teamwork.
• contribute to scholarship or research in the School of Creative Industries in areas of strength existing in the School or to developments of theory and practice in learning and teaching.
• contribute to the development and maintenance of student learning communities.
• contribute to the work of the School’s Student Support Team; be actively involved in developing and implementing policy and practice designed to support student success.
• be actively involved in developing and implementing diversity and widening participation initiatives, both for students and ALs and supporting student groups with additional needs.

About You

Essential criteria:

• An honours degree in photography or a related subject.
• Professional experience in photography as evidenced by a portfolio of work. This might include digital image creation, AI in creative workflows and immersive photography.
• Scholarship/research interests in an area related to photography, digital image creation and/or visual communication.
• Relevant experience of management within teaching and student support (HE or equivalent).
• Line management experience and ability to select, manage, motivate and provide staff development for Associate Lecturers.
• An understanding of issues of student access, retention, diversity and success.
• Proficient IT skills and experience of using industry standard software in photography.
• Evidence of excellent communication and organisational skills, including the ability to work to deadlines.
• Evidence of administrative and data management skills.
• The ability to travel to undertake School work as required in Milton Keynes and other locations in the UK.
• An understanding of the ethos and values of The Open University including the principles and practice of equality and diversity, and the ability to work in a manner which aligns to these.

Desirable criteria:

• A PhD or MFA in photography or related subject.
• Research outputs in traditional or practice-based research projects.
• Knowledge and experience of online learning environments; proven ability to be innovative in forms of teaching and learning.
• FE/HE teaching qualification or Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (Advance HE).