Associate Professor (Contextual Safeguarding)

Working at Durham University   

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The Department 

For over a decade, the Contextual Safeguarding Programme at Durham University (previously at the University of Bedfordshire) has been at the forefront of reforming safeguarding systems, to promote the welfare of young people in places where they spend their time. The Contextual Safeguarding Programme is part of Durham’s Sociology Department whose members, postgraduate researchers, and students collectively develop ‘sociological imagination’ and apply it to contemporary processes and issues. These include social inequality and its implications for social mobility, education and health; violence, abuse, and the role of help-seeking and state responses. The Department was ranked 1st for Criminology in the Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide 2024 and ranked 4th for impact in REF 2021. 

In September 2025 the Contextual Safeguarding programme will formally be established as an interdisciplinary research centre - the Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding (GCCS). The GCCS, led by Durham’s Sociology Department, Business School and School of Education, will bring together departments across the four faculties of the University to: transform how societies understand and deliver services that safeguard young people beyond their homes; create systems that look beyond the capacity of parents to protect children; and build sustainable partnerships in which safeguarding is truly everybody's business. This is not a Centre simply focused on researching and improving existing safeguarding practices; it is instead committed to a radical transformation in how safeguarding is conceptualised, studied, and practiced, and by whom. The Centre will achieve this by building a critical interdisciplinary effort to cement an emergent field of research. It will implement that research in collaboration with others to reform policy and legal frameworks, and the organisational practices, that govern the provision and evaluation of services around the world. It will scale that implementation through commercial partnerships with industries beyond traditional safeguarding partnerships; providing various routes to learn about Contextual Safeguarding that transcends sector boundaries. To establish the GCCS a number of new academic and professional support service roles are being recruited, to join the existing programme team. 

To assist in this process, the Department of Sociology at Durham University seeks to appoint three talented individual to the role of Associate Professor – each on a 0.5 FTE basis. Each postholder will hold leadership responsibility for one of the three GCCS Workstreams, in collaboration with either Law, Business or Education departments. One of the Associate Professors (Sociology) will lead on the development of the research strategy and associated workstream, one on the implementation strategy and associated workstream, and the third will hold Deputy Director responsibility for the GCCS, including leading on the GCCS dissemination strategy. All three roles, regardless of their leadership responsibility, will play an active role in the development and management of research projects within the GCCS, representing the GCCS via external engagements and citizenship roles, contributing to postgraduate and CPD learning opportunities that will contribute to the GCCS sustainability plan, and mentoring/supervising centre staff.   

We welcome applications from those with research and teaching interests in the field of Contextual Safeguarding specifically, as applied to social work, voluntary sector or education settings; and are particularly eager to hear from applicants with public-facing reputations associated to Contextual Safeguarding and with extensive experience of using the concept in multiple research and teaching activities.  

The Associate Professors, like other GCCS staff, will not be required to spend extensive amounts of time in Durham, given that many centre activities are taking place in multiple locations and online. Due to the reach and scope of the Contextual Safeguarding programme many GCCS members work to a hybrid working model, with research underway in various part of the UK as well as via online data collection methods. Travel for research and citizenship duties are relatively frequent, and are reimbursed. Travel to Durham for compulsory departmental meetings on a termly basis (twice a term), will not be reimbursed with Durham being the place of employment for these posts. 

This post offers an exciting opportunity to make a major contribution to the development of internationally excellent research and teaching while allowing you unrivalled opportunities to progress and embed your career in an exciting and progressive institution. For more information, please visit our Department pages at Department of Sociology - Durham University   

Associate Professors at Durham 

Associate Professors on the Education and Research track are encouraged to focus on research and teaching but are also expected to engage in wider citizenship to enhance their own development, support their department and discipline, and contribute to the wider student experience.  

Academic colleagues are supported to publish internationally excellent research in high impact outputs including (monographs and journal articles), in their area of interest with a focus on quality rather than quantity. We will fully support your research needs including practical help such as resources to attend conferences and to fund research activity, as well as a generous research leave policy and a designated mentor. Sitting alongside world class research; teaching quality and innovation is critical to ensure a first-class learning environment and curricula for all our students.

Durham University is also committed to ensuring outstanding teaching quality, stimulating learning environments, and innovative curricula for all our students. You will be supported to develop your teaching expertise and skills.  

We are confident that our recruitment process allows us to attract and select the best international talent to Durham. We therefore offer a reduced probation period of 1 year for our Associate Professors and thereafter, subject to satisfactory performance, your position will be confirmed as permanent.

Applicants must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Contextual Safeguarding specifically, as applied to social work, voluntary sector or education settings, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.

We strive to provide a working and teaching environment that is inclusive and welcoming and where everyone is treated fairly with dignity and respect. Candidates will be expected to demonstrate these key principles as part of the assessment process. 

Key responsibilities: 

• To fulfil one of three Sociology leadership roles within the Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding: research workstream, implementation workstream, or Deputy Director.

• Pursue research, often through supervision of others, that is world-leading in terms of originality, significance and rigour, commensurate with the Department’s continuing emphasis on international excellence. 

• Make a significant contribution to the development of successful research project/ fellowship proposals in pursuit of sustaining the Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding, identifying suitable national and international funding opportunities to support research and end-user engagement. 

• Deliver excellent teaching offering lectures, seminars and tutorials, in the first four years with a focus on Contextual Safeguarding learning, across undergraduate and taught postgraduate levels; including designing a PG qualification in Contextual Safeguarding and associated CPD opportunities.

• Contribute significantly to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching, including the design of excellent learning environments and curricula. 

• Contribute to enhancing the quality of the research environment in the Department, the wider University and beyond.  Contribute to establishing the Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding ,  leading associated research groups, and practice and policy networks within and beyond the University, and engaging in the mentoring of early career researchers.

•  Attract and provide excellent supervision to research students, and to enhance the Department’s commitment to its vibrant and international postgraduate culture.  

• Contribute significantly to the administrative functioning and collegial environment of the Department and wider University, undertaking leadership activities which support the functioning of the Department and wider University. 

• Fully engage in, champion and enhance the values of the Department; 

• Carry out such other duties as specified by the Head of Department.

Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion 

Equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key component of the University’s Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our Purpose and Values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It’s important to us that all colleagues undertake activities that are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI.  

We welcome and encourage applications from those who are currently under-represented in our work force, including people with disabilities and from racially minoritised ethnic groups.  

If you have taken a career break or periods of leave that may have impacted on the volume and recency of your research outputs and other activities, such as maternity, adoption or parental leave, you may wish to disclose this in your application. The selection committee will take this into account when evaluating your application.  

The University has been awarded the Disability Confident Leader status. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role.  

Person Specification 

Candidates must demonstrate research excellence in the field of Contextual Safeguarding, with the ability to teach our students to an exceptional standard and to fully engage in the services, citizenship and values of the University.  

Research  

Candidates must have the capacity for and be progressing towards the independent development of internationally excellent research that produces high-quality outcomes, including some work that is recognised as world-class or that has world-class potential.   

Essential Research Criteria

1.    Qualifications - a good first degree and a PhD in Sociology, Social Work, Criminology, Psychology, Geography, Youth Work or a related subject.

2.    Outputs - that are consistently recognised as internationally excellent, with at least one output regarded as world class.  Candidates are asked to submit two research papers with their application (as outlined in the How to Apply section below).  Candidates may additionally choose to submit evidence such as external peer review of their outputs. 

3.    Personal Research Plan - evidence of a personal research plan which supports and enhances the Contextual Safeguarding programme’s research strategy and the objectives of the Global Centre for Contextual Safeguarding. (Case for support for the GCCS can be provided to applicants upon request.)

Education 

Candidates must demonstrate significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching with a demonstrable contribution to the design of excellent learning environments & curricula, including curriculum development, that enable students to achieve their potential.

Essential Education Criteria

1.    Quality - making a significant contribution to the development and delivery of high-quality teaching at a nationally competitive level. Contribution to training, educating and mentoring other teachers in the department and/or the University in relationship to learning and teaching. (Candidates may choose to provide student evaluation scores and/or peer reviews of teaching.) 

2.    Innovation – evidence of successful new programme development and innovate in the teaching methods for the design / delivery of high-quality teaching at a nationally competitive level including lectures, small group learning and/or using technology or other techniques to enhance learning and/or assessment. 

3.    Strategic – Significant contribution to the design and delivery of excellent teaching activities and the creation of learning environments that enable students to achieve their potential.

Service, Citizenship and Values 

Active engagement in the administrative and citizenship requirements of the Department. Positive contributions to the University’s Purpose and Values and to fostering a respectful environment, as well as demonstrating a commitment to equality, diversity, and inclusion.

Essential Service, Citizenship and Values criteria

1.    Citizenship contribution – a significant contribution to the collegial work and environment of an academic Department, Faculty or University. (Candidates may choose to evidence departmental or University roles, Faculty or University level committees or projects, mentoring activity, pastoral and academic support of students, engagement with widening participation, proactive support of the work of professional services colleagues, contributions to departmental programme management and/or strategic development, contribution to equality and diversity initiatives and membership or engagement with external bodies.)

2.    Leadership – evidence of leadership roles or a significant contribution to leadership activities that support the administrative functioning of an academic Department, Faculty or University and / or which support the development of the relevant discipline.  (Candidates may choose to detail any leadership roles which they have undertaken, preferably in an academic context.)

3.    Communication – candidates must have excellent oral and written communication skills with the ability to engage with a range of students and colleagues across a variety of forums.

Desirable Criteria –

The desirable criteria for this post (for which candidates should provide evidence of some if not all criteria) are: 

1.    Research Leadership – significant contribution to establishing and leading research, policy or research-implementation groups within and beyond the candidate’s institution, a recognised contribution to the development of the relevant research field, and engagement in the mentoring of early career researchers.  Significant contribution to the development of successful research project / fellowship proposals.  (Candidates may choose to include information about research group leadership, mentoring of research colleagues, invitations to external events, engagement with international networks or projects.)

2.    PhD Supervision – the successful recruitment and excellent supervision of PhD students. 

3.    Research Impact - evidence of a significant contribution to the development of research that has a demonstrable impact beyond the Candidate’s institution.  

4.    Income Generation - significant evidence of engagement in the development of successful research projects and quality research grant proposals.  

5.    Experience of leadership and strategic thinking relevant to one at least one of three responsibilities being recruited to:  

(a) Research capacity: planning and monitoring supervision arrangements for, and development, of an interdisciplinary team of academic and research staff, and PGR scholarships; development of a research strategy to integrate existing CS projects into the GCCS and its overarching objectives; lead monitoring of research income strand across consultancy and grant research-generated income, oversight of all funder reporting mechanisms and coordination of centre efforts to identify and allocate new research projects/ideas to identified funding streams and bidding teams to commence a series of pilot studies. 

(b) Implementation: coordination of all facets of implementation, including: building an practice incubator (a hub) in the North-East to act as a regional beacon of expertise for scaling interagency adoption of CS across the UK and internationally; forging implementation partnerships with key national and multi-national industry representatives; collaboration with business lead in the social science venture lab to build the GCCS consultancy arm; and implementation an action plan with DU’s safeguarding board to embed a CS approach across the university.

(c) Deputy Director: oversight of core centre structures including administrative team, via Grade 8 Business Manager, centre budget, and outward facing dissemination levers including website and training offers; co-development and delivery of a GCCS learning strategy including: integration of CS into curriculum across participating departments; design and delivery of a tiered CPD offer and associated income generation plan; and coordination of strategic learning partners via UK advisory panel and annual legal roundtables.

Contact Information 

Department contact for academic-related enquiries 

Prof Carlene Firmin, Professor of Social Work, carlene.e.firmin@durham.ac.uk

Contact information for technical difficulties when submitting your application 

If you encounter technical difficulties when using the online application form, we prefer you send enquiries by email.  Please send your name along with a brief description of the problem you’re experiencing to e.recruitment@durham.ac.uk  

Alternatively, you may call 0191 334 6801 from the UK, or +44 191 334 6801 from outside the UK. This number operates during the hours of 09.00 and 17.00 Monday to Friday, UK time.  We will normally respond within one working day (Monday to Friday, excluding UK public holidays).  

University contact for general queries about the recruitment process 

How to Apply  

We prefer to receive applications online.    

Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Job Applicants/Potential Job Applicants - Durham University  which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data.

What to Submit   

All applicants are asked to submit: 

• A CV
• A covering letter which details your experience, strengths and potential in the requirements set out above
• A personal research plan (maximum two A4 pages)
• Two of your most significant pieces of written work.  Where possible your written work should have been published or submitted since 2021, however work prior to 2021 may be submitted where candidates have had career breaks.

Where possible we request that you provide accessible web links to your publications, which the hiring Department will use to access your work. The application form contains fields in which to enter each of the web links. 

Please note we are unable to access publications behind a paywall.  

In the event you are unable to provide accessible links to online hosting of your work, publications should be uploaded as PDFs as part of your application in our recruitment system.

Please ensure that your PDFs are not larger than 5MB. Your work may be read by colleagues from across the Department and evaluated against the current REF criteria; 

All application documents should be uploaded with your name and document type as PDF files. 

We will notify you on the status of your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system.  Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to ensure you receive all emails.  

Referees 

You should provide 3 academic referees they should not (if possible) include your PhD supervisor(s).  The majority should be from a University other than your own (save for early career applicants applying for their first post). 

References will be requested for candidates who have been shortlisted and will be made available to the panel during the interview process. 

As part of your application, you will be asked whether you give your consent to your academic references being sought should you be invited to attend an interview. We will only request references where permission has been granted.  

Next Steps 

All applications will be considered; our usual practice is for colleagues across the Department to read the submitted work of long-listed candidates.   

Short-listed candidates will be invited to the University, either virtually or in-person and will have the opportunity to meet key members of the Department.  The assessment for the post will normally include a presentation to staff and students in the Department followed by an interview and we anticipate that the assessments and interviews will take place over two days in or around 1st and 2nd of September 2025. 

In the event that you are unable to attend in person on the date offered, it may not be possible to offer you an interview on an alternative date. 

Applicant Guidance  

For further guidance on your application please see HERE