Secondment opportunities for Lecturer Practitioners in Social Work

News

Posted on Monday 7 September 2026

The interdisciplinary School for Business and Society is seeking to appoint two experienced social workers to contribute to the teaching and development of undergraduate, postgraduate and post-qualifying modules on our Social Work programmes.

The School for Business and Society is based at the University of York.

The School for Business and Society at the University of York is ranked 4th in the UK for Social Work according to the Complete University Guide 2027 and ranked 11th in the UK for the quality of our social work research by the Research Excellence Framework 2021. We also placed joint 10th in the UK for ‘Student Voice’ among universities included for social work in the 2026 National Student Survey (NSS).

Polly Sykes, Head of Social Work said, "Joining our team at York means becoming part of an exceptionally collaborative and welcoming academic community that prioritises student experience. Lecturer Practitioners contribute an enormous amount to our programme, and students often comment on how much they appreciate hearing real-world examples of social work practice. We are excited to welcome experienced social workers into the School to inspire the students and help shape our social work education."

This exciting 1.5 days-per-week (30% FTE) secondment opportunity bridges frontline practice and higher education, allowing you to stay rooted in your practitioner role while shaping the next generation of social work professionals.

Earning a competitive salary matched to your substantive job up to £46,049 (pro rata), you will play a pivotal role in bringing real-world expertise into undergraduate, postgraduate and post-qualifying curricula. From designing innovative teaching materials and leading engaging lectures to supervising students, supporting placements and collaborating with local employers, you'll be at the forefront of strengthening interagency collaboration and practice-led education.

You will have a background working either with young people or in adult services, with a flexible start date as soon as you are available.

Please note this opportunity is available to social workers in North Yorkshire County Council and social workers employed by other organisations, subject to agreement with the employer (to be confirmed on application). The post holders will retain their contracts with their employer, working at the University of York for 30% FTE on a secondment basis and remaining in their substantive practitioner role for the remainder of the time.

For further information on the role, please view the job description.

To apply, please send a cover letter and your CV to the School for Business and Society's HR department - sbs-hr@york.ac.uk .

The deadline for applications is Tuesday 22 September 2026 at 9am.

For any informal enquiries, please contact Polly Sykes, Head of Social Work - polly.sykes@york.ac.uk.