Associate Professor in Social Work

The Role
Are you an experienced social work academic committed to building transformative partnerships that enhance education, research, and practice? We are seeking an Associate Professor in Social Work to lead and expand our external engagement across social care, health, and community sectors. This is an exciting opportunity to contribute to Kingston University’s Town House Strategy, by strengthening and expanding collaboration with local authorities, the NHS, voluntary and community organisations, and service user groups. You will play a key role in developing sustainable partnerships that support practice learning, co-produced teaching, and impactful research aligned to sector needs. The post holder will contribute to high-quality teaching and curriculum innovation, embedding Kingston’s Future Skills approach to prepare “sought-after” graduates. You will also lead knowledge exchange activity that delivers real-world impact, supporting workforce development and addressing local and regional priorities within social work and social care.

An enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance with barred list check is required for the role.

The Person
You will be an established academic or experienced practitioner with a strong commitment to partnership working, innovation, and impact in social work. You will bring a strong track record (or clear trajectory) in research, knowledge exchange, or professional engagement. You will demonstrate significant experience of building and sustaining partnerships across statutory, voluntary, and community sectors and the ability to translate collaboration into tangible outcomes, including student opportunities, workforce development, and applied research. You will have excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to inclusive and collaborative working. We are seeking a proactive and outward-facing individual who can connect academic activity with practice, contribute to civic engagement, and support Kingston’s ambition to create meaningful societal impact through partnership and co-production.

The faculty supports new members of staff to gain appropriate qualifications and are keen to support ongoing academic and professional development.

Further Information
This is a full-time, permanent position with a starting salary of £60,996 per annum.

Interviews are expected to be held on Thursday, 16 July 2026.

For informal enquiries, please contact Mrs Susan Watson, Head of Department of Social Work & Social Care.

Bring your true self, expertise, and passion to Kingston where we are continuing to strive to build a university where authentic inclusion and belonging is at its heart. Every one of our staff and students’ identities, backgrounds and diverse experiences makes us who we are - so harness and embrace yours by applying today. We welcome applications from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ communities and those with disabilities.

We are a place-based organisation, proud of our location in Kingston and the civic role we play in our community. Our campuses inspire collaborative, innovative and creative communities. Being present on campus is important to us because it helps us to create a sense of belonging for both our staff and students. Therefore, staff are expected to be on campus for the majority of their working week.

Candidates must be able to demonstrate their eligibility to work in the UK in accordance with the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006. Where required, this may include entry clearance or continued leave to remain under the Points Based Immigration Scheme.

To apply click on the ‘Apply’ button. If, for accessibility reasons, you need to apply in an alternative format, please email jobs@kingston.ac.uk or call the HR Shared Services team on 020 8417 3118.

Advert information