Fellowship Opportunity: Investigating the Social Impact of Sport

MMU’s Sport Policy Unit (SPU), based in our award-winning, triple accredited Business School, consists of 20 scholars researching a wide range of topics that coalesce around the social impact of sport, including the roles of sport participation, spectatorship and volunteering in promoting mental health and wellbeing, social and ecological sustainability, and diversity, equity and inclusion.  SPU members are a multi-disciplinary group with backgrounds in sport policy, sport management, sport sociology, applied economics, political science and international relations.

Our work has been funded by UK Sport, Sport Scotland, the Japanese Foundation, the International Olympic Committee, UEFA, FIFA and the Rugby Football League. This research has led to an excellent track-record of outputs that contributed to MMU’s ‘Sport’ submission to the UK’s REF 2021, where the institution ranked 6^th overall in the UK for ‘research power’. SPU members also regularly publish their work in leading academic journals in sport and related disciplines, including leisure, business, health, and political science. Our researchers have expertise in both quantitative and qualitative research methods, including sector-leading work in the analysis of the economic and social impact of sporting events.

About the role: 

• To undertake world-leading and internationally excellent research using latest and innovative methodologies, as relevant in your area of research. 

• To prepare, present and publish research outputs through the appropriate forums. 

• To develop ideas for generating income to ensure the continued success and growth of research portfolio.  

• To disseminate findings of research widely to further the institution’s standing in the HE and research community and strengthen the impact of the research.

About the candidate: 

Your research interests will be working in sports policy either on the social impact of sport or on the relationship between the economic and social benefits of sport as it relates to climate change. Our research would be particularly complemented with your background in sport policy and management and with a particular interest in the use of sport and sporting events for social good.

Requirements:

• Doctoral level qualification in a related research area. 

• Possess breadth or depth of specialist knowledge and demonstrate potential for research independence.

• Excellent track record of relevant research outputs. 

• Significant research experience in the chosen field of research, which should include where appropriate: 
  • leading the work of a team, co-ordinating effort and resources to meet objectives 
  • developing partnerships with internal and external agencies 
  • preparing funding proposals and applications to external bodies 
  • using initiative, creativity and judgement to develop appropriate approaches to research 
  • synthesising complex data from different sources and communicating findings via written reports and articles 
  • presenting at national and/or international research meetings 
  • supervising student work and providing appropriate support and feedback. 

• Experience of managing and monitoring performance of research projects in multi-disciplinary teams.

• Ability to manage projects involving academic institutions and funding bodies. 

Please refer to the Job Description & Person Specification for a full list of essential & desirable criteria. 

Academic Contact: Professor Jonathan Grix (J.grix@mmu.ac.uk) or Professor Yuhei Inoue (Y.Inoue@mmu.ac.uk) to discuss the fellowship opportunity in detail. 

Closing Date: 29 May 2024 

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us on researchfellowships@mmu.ac.uk  

To return to the main fellowship page, click here  

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