Joint announcement
Kate Symons - 17/10/24
Job Description
Academic Theme Leads – Food and Finance
Job Title: Academic Theme Lead – Scotland Beyond Net Zero (SBNZ)
Department / School: N/A – this role will work across the SBNZ network of universities.
Reports To: N/A – This role will maintain their current line management arrangements. Applicants should seek approval from their line manager to take on this role for two days per month for 12 months prior to applying, and confirm in their statement that this approval is in place.
Grade: N/A – This role will maintain their current grade.
Contract type: This person will maintain their current employment arrangements, but will expected to be in post for at least 12 months from appointment to this theme lead role.
Suggested time commitment: Two volunteered days per month. Note these are unpaid posts for academics already employed in one of Scotland Beyond Net Zero member universities.
Roles available: We wish to appoint two theme leads for the theme of Food and two theme leads for the theme of Finance – four theme leads in total.
Deadline for application: 5pm Monday 25th November 2004 by email to sbnz@ed.ac.uk. The email subject line must include ‘SBNZ academic lead application’.
Job Purpose
A twelve-month appointment, the Scotland Beyond Net Zero (SBNZ) Theme Leads Food/Finance will provide leadership on academic and external partner engagement, and research and innovation in the relevant theme. This will include leading activities across SBNZ member universities on the theme of food or finance in relation to climate and net zero, acting as a champion for SBNZ and helping develop research and engagement activity in the chosen theme. The SBNZ Theme Leads will develop a strategic view on how to increase collaboration between member universities and external partners on the theme of food or finance, and develop activities to deliver this. This could include showcasing current high-impact work across the network, developing future research and innovation on a specific challenge, and/or developing strong external collaborations with industry, community, or government. Activities could include but are not limited to workshops, sandpits, thought leadership pieces, and community and industry engagement activities.
The SBNZ Theme Leads will provide direction and expertise on what are the key challenges and networks of relevance to food or finance, and design and implement a programme of work in that theme which supports the SBNZ vision and mission. There will be two Theme Leads on food and two on finance, so a key part of this role will be working with the other SBNZ Theme Leads to develop and implement your ideas across the network. This role therefore represents an excellent opportunity to utilise and further develop your university and external networks in Scotland, by leading across Scottish Higher Education.
About Scotland Beyond Net Zero
Scotland Beyond Net Zero was launched in January 2024 by the Universities of Edinburgh and Glasgow to catalyse and marshal research and innovation to support Scotland’s net zero goals. We have since expanded the initiative by welcoming 11 more institutions:
– University of Aberdeen
– University of Dundee
– Edinburgh Napier University
– Glasgow Caledonian University
– Heriot-Watt University
– University of the Highlands and Islands
– Robert Gordon University
– University of St Andrews
– University of Stirling
– University of Strathclyde
– University of the West of Scotland
SBNZ membership is open to all universities and research organisations in Scotland that host a substantial portfolio of research on climate in relation to one or more of our priority themes (built environment, energy, food, finance, natural systems and transport). Academics from all listed institutions are eligible to apply for these posts.
SBNZ members commit to:
- Marshal and amplify their data, research and innovation to underpin the technologies, infrastructures and societal change required to meet and accelerate Scotland’s climate and sustainability ambitions.
- Work in close partnership with external partners including the Scottish Government, the UK Government, local authorities, industry, the third sector and communities to identify challenges, priorities and solutions to achieve our goals.
- Highlight and catalyse greater collaboration across Scottish research organisations and industry to ensure Scottish R&D punches above its weight, positioning Scotland as world-leading in driving research in climate change and sustainability.
Since the launch in January, our activities have included:
- Mapping research and articulating priority themes.
- Growing the partnership beyond founding members, and deciding processes and committees for governing SBNZ,
- Building collaborations and networks with external partners,
- Establishing resources and assets including recruiting the SBNZ partnership manager, and launching the website,
- Initiating key exemplar projects to support partnerships and collaborative activities.
- Launching the SBNZ seed fund across eight participating members. The seed fund has awarded eight projects across the membership.
Following this ‘start-up’ phase, we are seeking to foster greater engagement with academics across the membership.
Main responsibilities
- Develop a strategic view on how to develop the theme of food/ finance across SBNZ’s member universities. Use this strategic view to develop programme of work which is relevant to research challenges in the theme, and which helps deliver the SBNZ network’s mission and vision.
- As a first activity, we will expect the two Theme Leads for food, and the two Theme Leads for Finance to develop a joint plan on proposed strategy and activities (one plan per theme), and submit these plans to a meeting of the Steering Group and Governing Board for discussion.
- Work with other Theme Leads, academics and professional services colleagues, and external partners to highlight and develop SBNZ’s research and innovation in the relevant theme.
- Work with the SBNZ Senior Research Partnership Manager to design and deliver a programme of work to promote and advance the theme across the SBNZ network and externally.
- Represent SBNZ across the network of universities and externally (for example with high-level stakeholders, such as governments and industry), to champion the work of SBNZ and its members in the relevant theme.
- Build and maintain external strategic relationships and partnerships for SBNZ including with third sector and business and communities, in particular those partnerships which will help develop co-created research and innovation in the relevant theme.
Key contacts and relationships
These include but are not limited to:
- The SBNZ Governing Board (comprised of Vice Principals with responsibility for research and innovation from member institutions).
- The SBNZ Steering Group (comprised of academic leads, one per member institution).
- The SBNZ Senior Research Partnership Manager.
- Relevant academics and professional services colleagues across the SBNZ network (not only within the appointee’s own institution).
- Other SBNZ Theme Leads.
Person profile
The Theme Leads will be able to:
- Design and lead a specific programme of work to promote SBNZ mission and vision in the relevant theme in collaboration with the other Theme Lead and supported by the SBNZ Senior Research Partnership Manager.
- Champion SBNZ’s work across member universities and externally in relation to the theme, in particular focussing on ways to develop collaboration between universities and external partners.
- Provide leadership on research and innovation.
- Report to the SBNZ Governing Board by attending at least one meeting to report on activities across the SBNZ membership.
We expect the Theme Leads to have the following skills and attributes:
- Recognised as consistently producing world-class research relevant to the theme of food/ finance in relation to climate, sustainability and net zero in Scotland.
- Either already has a strong network, or potential or interest in establishing a network across Scotland.Able to provide evidence of effective influencing and leadership skills.
- Well-developed leadership skills and an ability to shape and articulate a compelling vision for research, innovation and partnerships in relation to the relevant theme and climate research.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with ability to build trust and credibility at all levels.
- Able to work collaboratively and creatively across different universities and partners, in a way which is collegiate, which respects differing levels of resource and approaches, and which is focussed on achieving Scotland’s drive to net zero.
Support available
- The SBNZ Theme leads will have access to a small funding pot to support activities such as workshops, travel and external engagement.
- Some activities can also be supported by the SBNZ Senior Partnership Manager where appropriate (e.g. help with convening events, co-ordinating external engagement). The Theme Lead will also be expected to marshal internal resources to deliver their plans.
How to apply
- Please provide a CV, and a short statement (the statement should be no more than two pages) which sets out your suitability and plan in relation to the above. Please email this application to sbnz@ed.ac.uk by 5pm on Monday 25th November.
- Applicants should clearly state which theme they are applying for (food or finance in this round).
- Applicants should seek approval from their line manager to take on this role for two days per month for 12 months prior to applying, and confirm in their statement that this approval is in place. Please consult your line manager at an early stage if you are hoping to apply in case this approval requires time to process in your institution.
- If you have any questions, please consult your local academic lead for SBNZ or the SBNZ Senior Research Partnership Manger, Dr Kate Symons, k.symons@ed.ac.uk.
