Lecturer (Sustainable Futures, Ecology, Political Economy or Alternative Economics)

Hours: Part-time 0.7 FTE

Holidays: 28 days + bank holidays + Christmas shutdown

Reporting to: Dr. André Pusey

Location: Talgarth LD3

About Black Mountains College

Black Mountains College is an educational charity; a radical new institution dedicated to climate action and adaptation. We offer three levels of education: further education (vocational training), higher education (undergraduate) and short courses, as well as public education delivered across the Bannau Brycheiniog National Park. 

We help people in every sector and of all ages understand what the climate emergency means for them and prepare for just and appropriate responses to the multiplying impacts emerging. At the heart of our operations is Troed-yr-Harn farm, a beautiful venue for land-based learning and agro ecological experimentation on 120 acres of the Black Mountains outside Talgarth, Powys, in Wales. 

About the role:

We are seeking to recruit a Lecturer to contribute to our undergraduate degree, a BA (Hons) in Sustainable Futures: Arts, Ecology and Systems Change, which recruited its first cohort in September 2023. This is a chance to join a small team that teaches this programmes, as the first students approach graduation. 

We are looking for a candidate who can assist the Programme Lead with various aspects of the programme’s development, including reviewing and revising the curriculum, and who may take a lead in specific areas, such as reviewing some modules or devising a strategy for Welsh medium delivery. 

This is an exciting role, joining our programmes at a time of growth and change in the College. It would suit a motivated individual who is interested in making a holistic contribution to a programme and learning about various aspects of its delivery. It may suit an early career researcher or someone who has joined academia after a career in another field. 

This is a permanent contract. We are seeking a candidate to fulfil a 0.7 FTE role. The post will require the successful applicant to lead on two modules and to contribute to other areas of the programme. 

We are looking for a candidate with an ability to teach in at least one (and preferably two) of the following areas: ecology, perspectives on sustainable futures as they pertain to the Global South, and political economy or alternative economics. 

Duties and Responsibilities

As the Lecturer, your responsibilities will include working with a wider team to: develop a programme of teaching, support Visiting Lecturers, curriculum development, and administration. Duties include: 

Assisting with Programme Development

• To assist and at times deputise for the Programme Lead as needed.
• Undertaking specific academic and leadership roles and sharing in course-related administrative responsibilities.
• Contributing to the planning and ongoing curriculum development and renewal of Black Mountains College’s programmes with an emphasis on higher education courses, but also including our further education and short course programmes.
• Planning and leading programme-level activities.
• Supporting the development of new programmes and activities at the College, which may include postgraduate provision in future.
• Supporting the identification of modules that can be delivered in Welsh and the development of a Welsh medium strategy for delivery over the coming years. 

Teaching

• Teaching across the programme, including leadership of two modules.
• Drawing on and developing innovative approaches to learning and teaching that extend the ethos of Black Mountains College, emphasising methods appropriate to the urgent challenges of the present and future.
• Assessing student learning through a variety of methods designed to allow each student to develop their own strengths and providing detailed feedback.
• Providing academic support and guidance to students.
• Leadership, management and administration.
• Working with others to ensure the College becomes an inclusive environment that centres and empowers communities and perspectives that might otherwise be marginalised.
• Advising and liaising with colleagues on aspects of learning, teaching, and assessment at Black Mountains College and our partner Cardiff Metropolitan University.
• Providing advice and support to students based on College and University policies, procedures, and guidance.
• Supporting and contributing to the ongoing development of the partnership between Black Mountains College and Cardiff Metropolitan University.
• Participating in the College’s recruitment, community engagement and promotional events.

Thinking, Reading, Reflection, Practice

• Being aware and informed of developments in higher education relevant to development of new pedagogies, interdisciplinary education, and/or inclusive practices.
• Engaging in activities that put the Black Mountains College ethos into practice, helping to create systems change with others, in response to local and global challenges.
• Supporting the practice and reflection of colleagues, students, and the wider BMC community.
• Engaging in knowledge exchange and public engagement activities around areas of interest and practice.
• Working with others to develop practice and engagement activities, including by applying for suitable funding if opportunities arise. 

Applicants should have specialist knowledge in at least one of the following areas and would preferably be able to teach in at least two:

• Struggles for sustainable futures as they pertain to the Global South
• Political Economy, Alternative economics
• Ecology 

Qualifications and Skills

Essential Qualifications Skills 

• Curiosity and interest in how a wide range of people learn and develop.
• An undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline.
• A doctoral qualification or a relevant track record of publications (whether academic or in other fora).
• A relevant teaching qualification or a willingness to undertake one and/or Fellowship of the HE Academy within 2 years of appointment.
• Ideally 2+ years of teaching experience in relevant settings.
• The skills to deliver learning effectively, and proven experience of designing and delivering experimental pedagogies in an unconventional setting.
• Experience of embedding study skills in relevant programmes.
• A proven commitment to inclusive practices and experience of teaching learners from a wide range of backgrounds.
• Experience of and/or proven ability to work in an interdisciplinary learning environment.
• The ability to build positive relationships within a diverse community and inspire others.
• A collaborative approach to teaching, practice, and administration.
• Excellent communication skills, both written and oral.
• The ability to complete administrative tasks accurately and efficiently, with an eye for detail. 

Desirable Qualifications & Skills

• We are actively looking to recruit a Welsh language speaker, who can support embedding Welsh medium provision into our undergraduate curriculum.
• Knowledge of a variety of educational sectors and/or routes into education.
• Connections to industry, the charitable and public sectors.

Apply

With a cover letter and CV by COB 1st June to: jobs@blackmountainscollege.uk (via the 'Apply' button above)