The Scottish Graduate School for Arts & Humanities (SGSAH) is seeking to second an academic colleague to the role of Deputy Director. 

Context 

SGSAH is the world’s first national graduate school for the Arts and Humanities, and it remains the only such graduate school in the world, a fact of which we are immensely proud. At the heart of our organisation is a commitment to collaboration across and beyond the HEI sector for the benefit of all of our doctoral researchers. We want our current PhD candidates to have an unsurpassed training experience and our unique partnership model to be attractive to potential, future doctoral researchers. Our partnership extends to relationships with key funders including the Scottish Funding Council (SFC) and the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC).  

SGSAH manages the AHRC Doctoral Training Partnership for Scotland. To date we have awarded over 600 studentships across our 10 DTP HEI members, investing over £18M in PhD funding. Success in the AHRC DTP2 competition means we have had a similar amount of funding to award from 2019-2025. National co-ordination enabled by SGSAH allows us to be visible and informed advocates for the value of arts and humanities research and of our doctoral researchers’ diverse skills and expertise.   

There is currently a rapid change in the doctoral funding landscape, but SGSAH and its member HEIs are committed to continuing the collective training and development that is offered. The reappointment of a Deputy Director (replacing Professor Craig Martin), alongside SGSAH’s Director (Professor Claire Squires), and EDI Lead (Dr Anindya Raychaudhuri), retains SGSAH’s academic leadership at 1.2FTE in total. 

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director across a range of activities, with academics and doctoral researchers across SGSAH’S 17 HEI members, across our AHRC DTP2 and SFC2 remit, and with stakeholders and funders, while contributing to strategic planning and policy processes. It is envisaged that the Deputy Director will have a particular responsibility for overseeing the Discipline+ Catalysts, as well as at least one other area of SGSAH’s operations such as (but not limited to): internationalisation; training and cohort development, including transitions beyond DTP2; and interdisciplinarity. 

Eligibility 

To be considered for the role of Deputy Director you must: 

• Hold an appointment at Senior Lecturer, Reader/Associate Professor or Professorial level (or equivalent) in an arts or humanities subject at any of our seventeen member HEIs (Aberdeen, Abertay, Dundee, Edinburgh, Edinburgh Napier, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Glasgow School of Art, Heriot Watt, Queen Margaret, RCS, RGU, St Andrews, Stirling, Strathclyde, UHI, UWS) 
• Be able to commit on average 0.2FTE to the role 

In addition, to avoid conflict of interest (the Deputy Director will be representing and acting on behalf of SGSAH, not an HEI), the Deputy Director should not be a member of SGSAH’s Executive or Board at the point of taking up the role. 

Role 

The Deputy Director will work closely with the Director to support the successful delivery of SGSAH activities. Duties are likely to include: 

• Overseeing the Discipline+ Catalysts 
• Deputising for the Director as required  
• Planning, attending and hosting SGSAH training events 
• Working with academics and doctoral researchers across SGSAH’s 17 HEI members (in addition to supporting the Discipline+ Catalysts this includes KE Hubs, DTP2 Leadership Programme etc.)  
• Representing SGSAH to various stakeholders, including funders (SFC and AHRC) 
• Attending meetings, including DTP Competition Panel review meetings 
• Drafting, contributing to and reviewing policies, papers, funding applications, communications and reports 
• Contributing to strategic planning and review processes 
• Focused work on a particular area or areas of SGSAH’s operations, potentially drawn from internationalisation; training and cohort development; interdisciplinarity. 

Experience 

Essential 

• Excellent knowledge of the PGR landscape through the strategic delivery of PGR support and provision 
• Active support of and engagement with SGSAH’s aims and activities, or a similar DTP elsewhere 
• Experience of PhD supervision 
• Track record of world-leading research, as appropriate to the applicant’s appointment level (Senior Lecturer, Reader/Associate Professor or Professor) 

Skills 

• Excellent oral and written communication skills 
• Excellent presentation skills 

• Excellent project and time management skills 
• Collaboration skills 
• Highly effective interpersonal skills 
• Ability to work as a team member, be self-motivated and work strategically. 

Remuneration 

The Deputy Director’s employing HEI will receive £10,000 p.a. towards backfill. Travel costs related to SGSAH activity will be met by SGSAH. 

Terms 

The Deputy Director will report to the Director. The appointment will be for two years in the first instance, with a probationary period of six months. The appointed candidate will start on 1 July 2024, or as soon as possible thereafter. 

Location 

The Deputy Director may work remotely, but will have access to a hot desk in SGSAH’s offices at the University of Glasgow. Formal meetings with the Director are likely to be held at least fortnightly (these could be via phone or video link). SGSAH events and meetings are held across Scotland and so travel will be required. 

Application process  

• If you are interested in the role of Deputy Director of SGSAH please submit to applications@sgsah.ac.uk by 11.45pm BST on Wednesday 17 April 2024. 
• A covering letter outlining your interest in the role, the experience you will bring to it and demonstrating how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. You should also note in the letter that you have confirmation from your line manager that they support your release on a secondment basis to this role (3 pages max.) 
• A CV, which should include academic leadership experience, PhD engagement, and research publications/outputs (10 pages max.) 
• Contact details for your line manager at your HEI, and one other senior colleague (from your own HEI or elsewhere) who is able to comment on your work in the PGR sphere. Please ensure that these referees are aware you are making this application. 
• A committee comprised of the Director, and members of SGSAH’s Executive and Board will review applications. Shortlisted candidates will be invited for interview on the morning of Tuesday 7 May 2024. 
• The Director, Professor Claire Squires, is available to discuss the role with potential applicants (director@sgsah.ac.uk). 

First published: 13 March 2024