Staff Tutor in Graphic Design

Weekly Working Hours: 37

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About the Role

This is an exciting opportunity to join The Open University as a Staff Tutor in Graphic Design 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 Graphic Design.

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) Graphic Design. 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.

The Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences (FASS)

FASS is the largest and most diverse faculty at The Open University, with some 50,000 students studying our modules with excellent completion rates and consistently outstanding student satisfaction ratings. Noted for the strength of our interdisciplinary approaches, our researchers and scholars of international standing, teach and research a very wide range of topics and themes in specific subject areas, recognised as world class or internationally excellent in the latest Research Excellence Framework (REF) in 2021, and having a direct and profound influence on our undergraduate and postgraduate teaching.

FASS is organised into four schools:

• School of Arts and Humanities
• School of Creative Industries
• School of Psychology & Counselling
• School of Social Sciences and Global Studies 

Students are supported by Student Support Teams. These teams offer specialist study support to students undertaking qualifications across the University. Members of academic staff, including academics based in all four nations of the UK, form part of these teams in sustaining and improving student progression and retention.

The Faculty works closely with major and influential organisations and institutions in the UK (most notably the BBC) and other parts of the world in a range of validated partnerships and collaborations, and is engaged in world-class, agenda-setting research tackling the most difficult challenges facing us in the 21st Century, with work in numerous subject-based and interdisciplinary research groups and projects.

With around 1800 members of staff, comprising academics, associate lecturers, support staff and full-time research students, working across the locations of the University, and combining originality and innovation in research and curriculum, FASS is a vibrant and exciting place to study and work.

To find out more about the Faculty’s teaching, learning and research, please visit: http://fass.open.ac.uk/

Key Responsibilities

The person appointed will be expected to contribute in the following ways:

• 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 Graphic Design or a related subject.
• Professional experience in graphic design as evidenced by a portfolio of work. This might include motion graphics, VFX and/or UX/UI design.
• Scholarship/research interests in an area related to graphic design, 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.
• Excellent IT skills and experience of using industry standard software in Graphic Design.
• Written and oral communication skills commensurate with an academic position.
• 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 Graphic Design 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).

Support with your application

If you have any questions, or need support or adjustments relating to your application, the recruitment process, or the role, please contact us on 01908 541111 or email careers@open.ac.uk quoting the advert reference number.

What's in it for you?

At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work life balance. Get all the details of what benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).

Flexible working

We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement. Please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.

Next steps in the Recruitment process

Interviews are likely to be held in the week commencing 6th July 2026.

Early closing date notification

While most roles will remain open until the advertised closing date, applications may be reviewed on an ongoing basis. In some cases, vacancies may close earlier if a sufficient number of suitable applications have been received and equality impacts have been appropriately considered. All roles will remain advertised for a minimum of one week before any early closure is implemented.

If you have started an application or were in the process of applying when the advert closed, we encourage you to get in touch. We are committed to understanding individual circumstances and can offer further support where needed, including reasonable adjustments for applicants with protected characteristics.

How to apply

To apply for this role, please submit the following documents:

• CV
• Supporting statement of up to 1000 words clearly demonstrating how you meet the essential criteria for the role.

You can view your progress and application communications when you are logged into our recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folders if you do not receive associated email updates.

The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.