Enhancing Research Staff Careers

1. Enhancing Research Staff Careers Research Staff Development at the University of Bristol Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

2. Me • Background in Research • Career route • Current role – Head of Academic Staff Development Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

3. University of Bristol • Russell Group research-intensive • 83% research world-leading or internationally excellent in REF 2014 • 6 faculties split into 25 Schools • 15,400 undergraduates* • 2250 postgraduates* • 6199† staff (2846 academic) * 2013/14 figures † January 2015 figures Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

4. Academic Staff Development • Based in HR – working with staff • Mission: to enhance excellence across the range of academic practice by developing individuals and championing development provision across the University. • Full range of academic practice for academics in all roles: • Research skills, leadership development, learning and teaching, professional skills, career development, specific research staff support • One full-time post working with research staff plus some of my time and some admin time bris.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/academic Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

5. 22 September 2015 Challenges for research staff • Fixed term grant funding • Career progression • Recognition and value • How do we manage some of these issues at Bristol? Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

6. Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

7. 22 September 2015 Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

8. Progression and promotion • Progressionis the procedure giving individuals in progressable roles the expectation of being moved to the next role profile level provided performance is acceptable.  • Promotion is the procedure giving an individual the opportunity to move within their pathway to a new role profile level on the basis of peer reviewed achievement. • Involves providing evidence of the relevant level(s) of excellence required for the pathway/profile in question. Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

9. Fixed-term contracts • Most pathway 2 staff will be put onto open-ended contracts from later this year • Redundancy procedure altered to support this after feedback • Could this change culture? • Could this support progression? Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

10. Research staff voice • Reps • Working party • Involvement in reward, FTC review, raising issues around recognition of teaching responsibilities, progression and promotion etc. Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

11. Benefits and challenges • Role profiles give more clarity for appointments and for progression • RS named as Academic Staff and a recognised pathway to develop in role • Culture of “contract researchers” etc still there so terminology not embedded • Funding still has big impact for pathway 2 in terms of progressability • Ambiguity over actual role developing and more responsibility vs not being progressable • RS working party looking at this • Open-ended contracts to majority of P2 supports this • Hasn’t supported the change in culture hoped • Expectation management Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

12. Benefits and challenges • Value to the researcher • Power dynamic between PI and Researcher • Giving opportunities and supporting progression • Less impact from line manager on P1 and less fear of speaking out • Pros and cons for P1 vs P2 • P1 have automatic right to progression but if not performing, capability. P2 can stay. • A number of issues for P3 • Removal of retirement has reduced opportunity of new roles to apply for (although once on P1, can move up) Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

13. What does my team do? Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

14. Skills training Reward and Recognition Policy Development Induction Leavers Transitions Cultural Change Comms and Marketing Advice and Guidance Enabling self-direction Online Resources Widening Horizons Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

15. Business Engagement and Research Impact: Who, How and What  • Collaborating successfully with others on projects • Public engagement • Engaging with policy- makers • Book Writing  • Intro to Human Tissue Act • Developing your research strategy • Getting People Talking  • Planning your social media strategy • Statistics refreshers • Moving on from academia • Keeping your research project on track • Working towards a lectureship • Interview skills • Cultivating Leadership – Understanding and Leading Yourself and Others • Social Media Series • Presenting with confidence and flair   • Navigating People Management • Introduction to Grant Applications • Quality Papers  • How to prepare a good research bid • Influencing Policy • Information Overload (x 3 speed reading, notetaking and memory skills) • Personal Impact and effective networking • Influencing Others • Regular Productive Academic writing Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

16. CREATE Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

17. “It provided an opportunity to share professional and personal histories with peers and to learn about very diverse research in science, engineering and the humanities…..from the local region.” “I have particularly benefitted from the sessions on engaging research-with policy, with the media and with the public. I have already begun to profit from these skills, building new policy links since the Crucible and putting the media training into practice in a series of recent radio interviews.” “I think meeting 30 other people across a range of disciplines has been very interesting. It has encouraged me to look for and actively pursue interdisciplinary collaborations.” Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development

18. Alison.Leggett@bristol.ac.uk bris.ac.uk/staffdevelopment/academic bris.ac.uk/researchstaff southwestcrucible.org renkei-researcher-schools.org Dr Alison Leggett, Head of Academic Staff Development