Postdoctoral Research Fellow

University of Nottingham Ningbo China

(Principal Investigator: Prof Xiaolan Zheng)

Nottingham University Business School China Prof. Xiaolan Zheng’s research team is seeking an outstanding Postdoctoral Research Fellow to join the postdoctoral research station in business administration for the development of University of Nottingham Ningbo China research agenda.

Your Responsibility

Your key responsibilities include:

• To formulate and articulate research objectives, alongside developing proposals for both individual and collaborative projects, utilizing established methodologies and techniques to execute research effectively within the specified area;
• To analyze data meticulously, interpret findings, evaluate scholarly texts, and contribute innovative insights, while adhering to project deadlines and collaborating seamlessly with team members and partners;
• To write up research work for publication and/or contribute to the dissemination at national/international conferences, resulting in successful research outputs;
• To identify opportunities and assist in writing bids for research grant applications;
• To build relationships with both internal and external contacts in order to exchange information, to form relationships for future collaborations and identify potential sources of funds and/or opportunities for collaboration.

About You

• The candidate must have obtained a PhD in Finance or Accounting within the past three years.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills in English, including the ability to communicate with clarity on complex information. Excellent communication skills in Chinese is a plus.
• High analytical ability to analyse and illuminate data, interprets reports, evaluate and criticise texts and bring new insights.
• Ability to creatively apply relevant research approaches, models, techniques and methods.
• Ability to assess and organise resource requirements and deploy effectively.
• Ability to build relationships and collaborate with others, both internally and externally.
• Some practical experience of applying the specialist skills and approaches and techniques required for the role.

About Us

Join a unique British University in China. Join a unique British University in China. University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC) was the first Sino-foreign university to open its doors in China. Located in Ningbo, this award winning campus offering a UK-style education has grown to establish a student body of over 10,000 in just 21 years.

About Postdoctoral research station in Business Administration. Postdoctoral research station in Business Administration was approved to establish in Nov 2023. It is UNNC’s first postdoctoral research station, and its founding deeply aligns with the national strategic needs in promoting talent cultivation and innovation as well as that of UNNC. UNNC’s undergraduate programme of Business Administration was launched in 2004 and the doctoral programme in 2009. The subject has been listed among the world’s top academic subjects by Shanghai Ranking for four consecutive years. The discipline of Business Administration has also established teaching and research platforms at multiple levels and carried out in-depth industry university research cooperation with world renowned enterprises such as Microsoft and Amazon. In the future, UNNC will incorporate the development of the postdoctoral research station into the agenda of the university to provide talent support in efforts to promote scientific and technological innovation as well as economic and social development.

About the Research Team. Dr. Xiaolan Zheng is a professor of finance at the Nottingham University Business School (NUBS) China. She holds the Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation. Her research focuses on capital structure, debt structure, dividend policy, trade credit, corporate governance, banking, digital innovation, international finance, and the influence of institutions on financial decisions. She has published in the Journal of Financial and Quantitative Analysis, Review of Finance, Journal of International Business Studies, Journal of Corporate Finance, Research Policy, and Journal of Banking and Finance, among others.

Dr. Huimin Song is a Professor of Practice in Accounting and Director of the Nottingham Global Case Center (NGCC) at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China. She also serves as an expert advisor to its Sustainable Finance Expert Group for the United Nations Global Compact. With more than 20 years of industry experience, Dr. Song brings a unique combination of international and domestic expertise. She worked for 7.5 years in investment banking and accounting firms overseas, followed by 12 years of hands-on experience in financial management and cross-border mergers and acquisitions in China. Dr. Song led the development of the case series Geely’s Acquisition of Proton, which was simultaneously selected for inclusion in three top-tier global case publications—Harvard, Ivey, and CEIBS. She also served as chief editor of the “Twenty Best in Twenty Years” Corporate Sustainability Case Collection, published globally by the United Nations Global Compact.

Dr. Zhangfan Cao is an Associate Professor of Accounting at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China (UNNC). His research focuses on areas such as market-based accounting research, corporate finance and governance, supply chain finance, ESG, and the capital market. His work has appeared in leading journals, including Journal of Corporate Finance, Journal of Banking and Finance, Financial Management, British Journal of Management, Regional Studies, and International Business Review, among others.

About the Project. This project investigates the integration of non-financial factors into core corporate decision-making processes through three primary research objectives. First, this project examines how firms integrate non-financial factors into core corporate decision-making processes. It focuses on the internalization of environmental and social considerations, exploring how these forces shape resource allocation, risk management, and strategic priorities within organizations in an increasingly digitalized environment. Second, the project aims to employ rigorous empirical methods to uncover the causal mechanisms through which non-financial dimensions interact with and reshape traditional business models. By emphasizing the internal dynamics of corporate adaptation, the project examines how organizations strategically respond to evolving institutional pressures and stakeholder expectations. Third, the project seeks to generate novel insights into the real economic implications of sustainability. It contributes to a deeper understanding of modern corporate behavior by revealing how firms navigate complex trade-offs in a globalized landscape, offering a nuanced perspective on the intersection of ethics and economics.

Approximately two-thirds of this postdoctoral position's responsibilities center on developing teaching cases in sustainable finance. The successful candidate will contribute to both educational resources and scholarly publications that examine innovation and organizational dynamics within the field.

About the NGCC. The postdoctoral researcher will be based at the Nottingham Global Case Centre (NGCC). As the only center within the University of Nottingham’s three-campus system (UK, Malaysia, and China) dedicated exclusively to teaching case development, NGCC plays a pivotal role in advancing experiential learning across the university.

Operated by the School of Business at the University of Nottingham Ningbo China, NGCC has held the status of a university-level case center since its establishment. The center is committed to enhancing the quality of education across the University of Nottingham by systematically developing and integrating high-impact teaching cases that reflect cutting-edge trends and emerging challenges in global business practice. Through these efforts, NGCC continuously fosters an innovative ecosystem for case-based teaching and research.

Your Remuneration, Benefits and Support

You will be offered a fixed term contract with University of Nottingham Ningbo China for 2 years. You will be offered a minimum annual salary package of RMB272,606 with competitive benefits package. Postdoctoral Research Fellow is also able to apply RMB50,000 research funding after they start their research.  

How to Apply

Applicants should submit an application via our on-line application system before Oct 12, 2026. Only on-line applications will be accepted. Referees will be contacted prior to interview and interviews will take place in Ningbo China.

Applications should include but are not limited to the following:

• A cover letter
• An up-to-update CV includes academic and research achievement list
• A Research proposal (Please refer to the section on project summary)

Enquiries

Informal enquiries regarding the research project may be addressed to Dr. Zhangfan Cao (Zhangfan.Cao@nottingham.edu.cn ). If you are unable to apply on-line please contact the Human Resources Office, Tel: 86 574 88180000(Ext. 6548). 

Equality and Diversity

University of Nottingham Ningbo China is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff. It is our intention to ensure that job applicants and staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential, regardless of gender, race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin, age, socio-economic background, disability, religious or political beliefs, trade union membership, family circumstances, sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction.