Senior Lecturer in Games and Visual Arts

Job description

Job Description: ACM is a specialist music education provider with approximately 2,200 students on a range of FE and HE programmes in Music Performance, Creative Artist, Production, Technical Services and Business. Our creative and dynamic environment blends academic excellence and professionalism alongside leading-edge industry thinking and business innovation. ACM’s Vision: ACM will incubate potential and talent, supporting the personalised development needs of our students to facilitate a structured path from education to employment. We provide a safe and supported space where creative talent and imagination can flourish in a caring environment. Barriers to learning are identified through a holistic and person-centered approach to unlock the potential of the individual, enabling personal growth through professional and academic development. Our core aim is for our students to enjoy lifelong sustainable careers underpinned by applied learning and a specialist, cutting-edge curriculum. Therefore, our vision is to not only be the leader in applied, industry-connected, creative arts education but to also be the leader in care and support for mental health and other traditional barriers to learning, thereby driving up the standards expected within higher and further education. ACM’s Mission: To provide an immersive student experience, with a curriculum which is connected to the industry in real-time, based on a learning by doing ethos. Our core aim is to build confidence and self awareness, providing students with the skills necessary to recognise and take opportunities. Ultimately our mission is to enable students to fulfill their potential and enjoy a sustainable career within the creative arts industry. ROLE PURPOSE: You will teach music, game or related disciplines to students studying within the Academy of Contemporary Music. You will have completed a postgraduate qualification in a related area and have a considerable industry/academic profile. You will have extensive teaching using a range of techniques (e.g. including small and large group work, utilising blended learning techniques). Your duties will be to lead on the creation of content of modules related to your specialism, to lead and teach modules related to your specialism, as well as contribute to other project modules within the Academy. MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES : To help with clarity, prior to the start of each academic year, you will be given a more specific responsibility set with associated KPIs as part of your annual review process. Knowledge Exchange, Research and Scholarship The exact nature of your knowledge exchange, research and scholarship activities will be agreed at the start of each academic year with your line manager. ● To supervise student projects at a pathway level including field trips and, where appropriate, placements ● Build the reputation of the Academy through scholarly and industry related practice ● Lead on the knowledge exchange projects across the institution ● Lead on the completion of grant funding with support from executive colleagues ● Lead and manage pathway wide projects involving multiple stakeholders ● As a senior member of the academic team you’ll be expected to mentor and lead early career staff. Programme Delivery, Design and Development ● Undertake teaching delivery and assessment and marking activities, as appropriate. ● Support the Pathway Leader to ensure modules are appropriately staffed and resourced, assisting Faculty Operations and HR colleagues in resolving matters of absence and depping that occur, in compliance with ACM’s related policies and procedures in this area. ● Ensure the programme is delivered appropriately to support a continuous student experience ● Ensure that academic and professional standards are upheld by students and staff on programme, liaising with colleagues where intervening action is required. ● Ensure all students and staff receive appropriate support to succeed in their programme. ● Support the development and implementation of ACM’s teaching and learning strategy particularly the use of Canvas ● Ensure the content for the programme, and the areas that you are responsible for, is up-to-date and relevant. ● Collaborate with the Marking and Assessment Standards team to ensure assessment methodology for modules is appropriate and that all tutors are working as per ACM’s requirements in this area. ● Work with key stakeholders to embed industry opportunity into the curriculum design. ● Support the Pathway Leader in the annual review with other staff within the pathway of course delivery, facilities, equipment, software, student feedback etc across modules pertaining to the pathway Quality Assurance and Reporting ● Support the Pathway Leader to analyse a range of data available to evaluate the student experience and implement any appropriate attainment and retention objectives. ● Attend a weekly pathway meeting to update on the delivery of the pathway, identifying items of particular impact and/or risk. ● Support the pathway leader as appropriate to complete the annual monitoring report for the pathway/programme incorporating and collating any feedback from module leaders. ● Actively engage with ACM’s policies and processes regarding teaching delivery ● Support the Pathway Leader to ensure any feedback from operational meetings, the annual monitoring report, NSS and external examiner(s) are considered and incorporated (as appropriate) into the continuous development of the programme. ● Participate as a member of ACM committees and working groups as required Student Acquisition ● Work with marketing and other colleagues to ensure that all students are placed on programmes pertaining to the pathway by way of a triage process that aims to match students’ interests and capabilities, as is appropriate. ● Collaborate with marketing and other colleagues to develop strategies for student recruitment to the programme. ● Support student acquisition activities as appropriate, determined by your Pathway Leader. Including but not limited to open days, auditions and student calls. PERSON SPECIFICATION Essential Qualifications ● An undergraduate qualification in a related subject ● Postgraduate qualification in a subject specialism or equivalent experience ● A teaching qualification in Higher Education or Fellowship with AdvanceHE, or a commitment to undertake qualification whilst in post Essential Experience ● Experience of teaching and supporting undergraduate students ● Experience of curriculum design and development Essential Skills ● Awareness of the current issues impacting Higher/Further Education and the role that teaching plays ● Excellent oral and written communication skills ● Excellent IT skills and knowledge Specific ‘ROUTE’ Qualifications and Experience Art and animation ● In-depth knowledge of 2D and 3D digital workflows and techniques for games and interactive media, focusing on software such as Maya, Mudbox, Blender, ZBrush, Adobe Creative Suite, Substance 3D, Unity, and Unreal Engine. ● Industry experience in game art, with comprehensive experience in creating game assets and running modules or courses, ideally at the higher education level. ● A portfolio demonstrating expertise in game art, including proficiency in 3D modelling, texturing, and environment or character art. ● Awareness of AI’s evolving role in game art creation and ability to incorporate it into teaching and creative workflows. ● Ability to guide students' creative processes, provide constructive feedback, and push for high-quality creative outcomes. ● Support student learning in game art-specific software, pipelines, and technologies. ● Experience with creating and updating modules and content to align with current industry trends and innovations, ensuring relevancy. Desirable Qualifications ● An internationally recognised output as either an academic or industry practitioner. ● Experience of teaching and supporting postgraduate students ● Experience supporting learning on an interdisciplinary programme ● Experience working for an alternative Higher Education Institution ● Senior Fellowship with AdvanceHE Personal Qualities ● Excellent communication and interpersonal skills ● An eye for detail ● Collaborative team player ● Strong organisational and reporting skills ● Ability to work under pressure and to tight deadlines ● Comfortable in a fast paced environment ● Ability to work on own initiative, prioritising and managing time effectively. All ACM staff work to the same values which are: Inclusivity To empower individuals from diverse backgrounds, to maintain accessibility, and provide an inclusive organisational culture. Supportive environments To provide environments that support personal and professional development through a holistic approach and bring the benefits of the creative arts to the wider community. Agility and innovation To provide an inspiring organisational culture that embraces innovation through openness, flexibility, creativity and self-evaluation. Connectivity To recognise the benefits of working closely with industry and others, to embrace new technologies, and to provide meaningful opportunities, in order to enhance learning. Professional and academically strong standards To provide state of the art professional environments, to inspire determination and enthusiasm, and ensure high professional and academic standards Please be aware all ACM staff must undergo a Disclosure and Barring Service Check prior to starting. This will need to be renewed once every three years. This job purpose reflects the core activities of the post. As the Department and the post holder develop, there will inevitably be some changes to the duties for which the post is responsible, and possibly to the emphasis of the post itself. ACM expects that the post holder will recognise this and will adopt a flexible approach to work. This could include undertaking relevant training where necessary. Should significant changes to the job purpose become necessary, the post-holder will be consulted and the changes reflected in a revised job purpose. ACM reserve the right to close job adverts earlier than the advertised end date where required based on volume of applications.

Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Education:

• Bachelor's (preferred)