We are seeking to recruit a pool of Visiting Lecturers who can contribute to our Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes within the Department of Education and Initial Teacher Training.

The School of Law and Social Sciences brings together a diverse range of disciplines dedicated to improving lives, supporting communities and developing future professionals. Through excellence in teaching, research and external engagement, the School provides an inclusive and collaborative environment that promotes innovation, social impact and student success.

The Department of Education and Initial Teacher Training has a long and established history of preparing educators, teachers and education professionals. Our practice-led portfolio is designed to meet the needs of contemporary education settings and is informed by strong partnerships with schools, colleges, early years providers and community organisations.

Our courses reflect current educational priorities and emerging developments across areas such as:

Students learn in specialist teaching and learning environments within the Benjamin Zephaniah Building at our City Centre Campus, supported by facilities designed to enhance professional learning and development. Placement opportunities form an integral part of our provision, enabling students to gain valuable experience across schools, early years settings, children's services, community organisations and other educational environments.

The Department maintains extensive partnerships with schools and educational organisations across the Midlands, ensuring our teaching remains aligned with professional standards, sector developments and the evolving needs of children, young people and families. Through these collaborations, we support students in developing the knowledge, skills and confidence required for successful careers in education and related professions.

We welcome Visiting Lecturers who can bring professional expertise, educational insight and practice-informed teaching to inspire students and support the development of the next generation of teachers, educators and professionals working with children, young people and families.

Current Areas of Interest

While applications are welcomed across all areas of Education and Initial Teacher Training, we are particularly interested in hearing from experienced practitioners with expertise in:

Applicants with Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and experience supporting trainee teachers are especially encouraged to apply.

About the Role

Visiting Lecturers support teaching, learning and assessment activities on a flexible basis according to departmental requirements. Duties may include:

Specific responsibilities will vary depending on subject specialism and departmental requirements.

Person Specification

We are seeking applicants with relevant academic, professional and/or teaching experience within one or more areas of Education and Teacher Training.

Applicants should be able to demonstrate:

For some opportunities, applicants may be required to hold:

Application Process

Candidates must upload a current CV and provide two supporting statements. It is essential that applicants address the following:

By applying to this vacancy, you will be joining our Visiting Lecturer recruitment pool. Visiting Lecturer roles are part-time, fixed-term positions, with hours agreed between you and the Department as required. Posts are paid hourly, with rates varying according to the nature of the work.

When teaching opportunities arise that match your skills and experience, the Department will contact you directly to discuss them. Please note that contact is not guaranteed.

The recruitment pool is refreshed annually. You will be invited to resubmit your details if you wish to remain in the pool for the following year. If you do not respond, your information will be deleted in line with the University's Data Protection Policy.

Informal enquiries about this opportunity are welcome and should be directed to Louise Wiley Louise.Wiley@bcu.ac.uk

Please note any new engagement as a Visiting Lecturer, appointed from 2 November 2026, will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University and eligible for membership of the BCU Support Services Retirement Plan only.

Closing Date: 29 Sep 2026

Department: Academic - Visiting Lecturers

Salary: Competitive Hourly Rates
The hourly rate for this role varies depending on the nature and level of teaching assigned. Specific rates will be confirmed when work is allocated.

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.

By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

We are seeking an experienced, ambitious and inspirational academic leader to join Birmingham City University as Head of Department of Law.

Reporting to the Dean of School, you will provide strategic, academic and operational leadership for the Department, playing a pivotal role in delivering the University's Strategy 2030 and driving excellence across learning and teaching, student experience, research and innovation, enterprise and knowledge exchange.

This is an exciting opportunity for a leader who is passionate about developing people, improving student outcomes and building a high-performing, inclusive and forward-thinking academic community.

About the Role

As Head of Department, you will work closely with the Dean of School to shape the strategic direction and future development of the Department. You will be accountable for delivering key Departmental performance measures, including B3, TEF, REF and KEF, and ensuring that the Department contributes strongly to the University's wider strategic ambitions.

You will lead a culture of excellence, collaboration, innovation and continuous improvement, developing distributed leadership and empowering colleagues to take ownership of their work, develop their careers and make a meaningful contribution to the Department's success.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Providing strategic and operational leadership to ensure the Department meets and exceeds its key performance indicators.
• Leading the implementation of School and University plans across learning and teaching, student experience, research and innovation, internationalisation, enterprise and knowledge exchange.
• Developing a strong culture of collegiality, accountability, ambition and professional excellence.
• Leading, managing and developing colleagues across the Department, including recruitment, induction, mentoring, performance management, professional development and career progression.
• Effectively managing the Department's people, financial and physical resources, ensuring these are aligned with strategic priorities and delivered within agreed budgets.
• Supporting curriculum and programme development and ensuring high-quality teaching, learning and assessment.
• Using staff and student feedback, performance data and management information to identify opportunities for improvement and enhance the student and staff experience.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with relevant external organisations, professional bodies, industry, government and other stakeholders.
• Promoting and supporting research, scholarship, innovation, enterprise and knowledge exchange activity.
• Ensuring effective workload allocation and the appropriate use of academic workload planning processes.
• Championing equality, diversity and inclusion, ensuring an environment in which all staff and students can thrive.
• Promoting high standards of health, safety and wellbeing across the Department.
• Representing the School and University on relevant internal and external committees, networks and working groups.
• Contributing to cross-School and University-wide strategic projects and initiatives.
• Maintaining an appropriate academic and external profile through teaching, research, scholarship and engagement with professional and disciplinary networks.

About You

We are looking for an accomplished academic leader who can demonstrate a sustained record of successful leadership and academic achievement within higher education.

You will have the credibility, vision and interpersonal skills to inspire colleagues, build strong relationships and deliver meaningful change. You will be comfortable operating strategically while also ensuring that plans are translated into measurable outcomes.

You will bring:

• Proven success in delivering excellent academic outcomes in a leadership role.
• A strong track record of leading academic practice and academic development to enhance the student learning experience.
• The ability to provide clear, inclusive and effective leadership, fostering collegiality, ambition, productivity and accountability.
• Experience of leading and developing people, including recruitment, performance management, mentoring and professional development.
• Experience of budgetary management, resource allocation, curriculum and programme development.
• A strong understanding of contemporary approaches to teaching, learning and assessment, student engagement, employability and the effective use of learning technologies.
• A sound understanding of the UK higher education regulatory environment, including the OfS, DfE, Home Office and UKVI, together with relevant professional, statutory and regulatory requirements.
• A demonstrable commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion across teaching, education and the student experience.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication and team-working skills.
• The ability to work collaboratively across organisational boundaries and contribute effectively to University-wide strategic initiatives.
• A commitment to continuing professional development and to supporting the development and career progression of colleagues.

Desirable Experience

We would particularly welcome applications from candidates who can also demonstrate:

• A doctoral qualification in Law or a relevant discipline.
• Principal Fellowship of Advance HE under the UK Professional Standards Framework.
• Professorial status, or eligibility for professorial appointment.
• An active research profile with evidence of external contribution to the discipline and knowledge creation.
• Experience of successful collaboration between higher education, industry, commerce, research organisations and professional bodies.
• Experience of external examining.
• Involvement with external quality assurance agencies.
• Knowledge of the wider UK higher education research and policy environment, including the challenges and opportunities facing the sector.

Why Join Birmingham City University?

This is an opportunity to take a leading role in shaping the future of Law at Birmingham City University and to make a significant contribution to the University's Strategy 2030.

You will join a dynamic academic environment where student success, academic excellence, research, professional engagement, inclusion and innovation are central to our ambitions.

If you are an experienced academic leader with the vision, energy and collaborative approach to lead a Department through its next phase of development, we would be delighted to hear from you.

Further Information

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of the BCU we would love to hear from you.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Liz Smart at liz.smart@bcu.ac.uk

Interviews for this role are scheduled to take place on week commencing 2 November 2026.

Why not explore our campuses using our interactive map: Interactive Map | Birmingham City University

Why work for us 

• Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent). 
• Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career. 
• Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits. 
• Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs. 

Closing Date: 18 Oct 2026

Department: Management

Salary: £80,000 per annum
Permanent