Principal Lecturer/ Deputy Director Doctorate in Clinical PsychologyNHS

Job summary

The Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology is seeking an experienced academic leader to join the senior leadership team of our highly regarded Doctorate in Clinical Psychology (DClinPsychol). This is an influential role with the opportunity to lead the academic operation of the programme, develop its curriculum and help shape an excellent and inclusive learning experience for future clinical psychologists.

You will work in partnership with the Programme Director, academic and professional services colleagues, trainees and external contributors to support innovation, academic quality and the effective delivery of a complex doctoral programme. We welcome applications from registered clinical psychologists with relevant academic leadership experience and from experienced academics with a strong record of programme leadership in higher education.

The DClinPsychol has a strong and distinctive values base, aligned with NHS values and the professional standards of the HCPC and BPS. We are committed to developing reflective, compassionate and socially responsive clinical psychologists through training that values inclusion, collaboration and the meaningful involvement of trainees and people with lived experience.

It is expected that the majority of your working time will be spent on campus and most likely to be on a Thursday and Friday when most teaching and trainee engagement takes place.

Main duties of the job

As Principal Lecturer and Deputy Director for the DClinPsychol, you will provide strategic and operational leadership for the academic components of the programme. Working closely with the Programme Director and senior programme team, you will oversee the planning, coordination, delivery, quality assurance and continuing development of the taught curriculum and associated assessment processes.

You will play a central role in ensuring that the programme provides a coherent, inclusive and high-quality academic experience. Your responsibilities will include curriculum planning, coordination of teaching contributions, oversight of assessment and academic standards, academic quality assurance, and leadership of relevant programme staff and working groups. You will also contribute to programme strategy, governance and enhancement, and deputise for the Programme Director in relation to academic matters.

We welcome applications from registered clinical psychologists with relevant academic leadership experience and from experienced academics in psychology, health, education or a closely related discipline who have led complex programmes in higher education. Registration as a clinical psychologist is not essential.

The successful candidate will, however, need to demonstrate a strong understanding of professional education and the ability to work in close partnership with clinically qualified colleagues, trainees, professional services staff and external stakeholders.

Job description

To provide strategic and operational leadership for the academic components of the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, ensuring the effective planning, coordination, delivery, quality assurance and continuing development of the programmes curriculum, assessment and associated academic processes.

Working closely with the Programme Director and senior programme team, and depending on experience, the postholder may lead the academic management of the programme, line-manage designated academic staff, deputise for the Programme Director in relation to academic matters, and contribute to the strategic development of the Salomons Institute for Applied Psychology, the School and the wider University.

The role may be undertaken by a registered clinical psychologist or by an experienced academic leader from psychology, health, education or a closely related discipline. Responsibilities requiring clinical psychology registration or clinically qualified professional judgement will remain with appropriately registered members of the programme leadership team.

The post focuses primarily on academic programme leadership. Clinical placement governance, decisions concerning clinical competence and risk, and other functions requiring registration as a clinical psychologist will be led by appropriately qualified and registered members of the programme team.

A postholder who is a registered clinical psychologist may undertake agreed clinical-professional responsibilities, but these are not essential requirements of the role.

Main Duties

• Support strategic and operational leadership for the academic components of the Doctorate in Clinical Psychology, ensuring that the curriculum is coherent, inclusive, current and effectively integrated with the programmes research, clinical practice and professional development components.
• Take a lead in the annual planning, coordination and monitoring of academic delivery across all cohorts, including the teaching calendar, allocation of academic responsibilities, coordination of internal and external contributors, and timely resolution of delivery risks.
• Support the design, operation and quality assurance of the programmes assessment and examination processes, ensuring that assessment, marking, moderation, feedback, progression and Board of Examiners arrangements meet University requirements and relevant external standards.
• Support programme monitoring, review and academic enhancement, drawing on trainee and expert-by-experience contributions, academic performance data, external examiner reports and other evidence to identify priorities and oversee the implementation and evaluation of improvement plans.
• Support, manage and develop designated members of the programme team, establishing clear expectations, supporting effective workload planning and promoting high-quality, inclusive and collaborative academic practice.
• Maintain oversight of core programme documentation and contribute to programme approval, periodic review, professional accreditation and other quality-assurance processes, working in partnership with clinically qualified colleagues where professional or regulatory judgement is required.
• Contribute to teaching, assessment, doctoral supervision and relevant scholarly activity in areas consistent with the postholders expertise and agreed workload, supporting an evidence-informed academic culture across the programme.
• Act as a senior member of the programme leadership team, deputising for the Programme Director in relation to academic matters, contributing to strategic planning and risk management, and representing the programme within the Institute, School, University and relevant external networks.

About us

The Salomons Institute is located in central Tunbridge Wells, within a ten-minute walk of the railway station, and benefits from excellent administrative, digital and library support. You will join a committed and collegiate team with the ambition and expertise to take the programme forward.

Canterbury Christ Church University truly welcomes fresh perspectives and new voices. We want you to bring the real you to work, so we are committed to building a genuinely inclusive working environment where everyone is welcomed and where everyone can have a true sense of belonging. Our spirit of community will help us to eliminate discrimination and will enable us all to thrive in a culture that is underpinned by fairness and justice. We therefore seek people to join us who will proactively support and shape this aim and contribute in their own unique way. If this is you, then we are waiting to hear from you. #yourCCCU

Our University is deeply committed to shaping sustainable futures as a key part of its mission and values. If you share this passion, we encourage you to join us in making CCCU a more socially and environmentally conscious, sustainable place to study and work