Job description

The post will run from 1st November 2023 until 31st October 2026  

About King’s Business School

King’s Business School (KBS) is a leading, highly-ranked business school with global reach situated in the heart of London. We undertake ground-breaking research to improve the way people do business and we engage with organisations around the world to create real value for society. There are presently 140 academic staff across the School, with a full range of undergraduate, masters and PhD programmes and a growing focus on executive education.  

About Centre for Sustainable Business and MaPNet  

We have secured significant funding to support the development of the new Centre for Sustainable Business (CSB), an inclusive, forward-thinking hub dedicated to driving meaningful change. CSB embodies a collaborative approach, working together with a broad array of stakeholders - from academia, industry, public sector, and civil society - to foster innovative solutions that address the pressing sustainability challenges of our time. We believe that interdisciplinary research and collaboration are key to shaping a more sustainable and equitable business landscape. By intertwining the insights of diverse disciplines, we strive to generate transformative ideas and policies that not only redefine business practices but also contribute to the global sustainability agenda. CSB is more than a research centre; it's a catalyst for change, inspiring the convergence of business, society, and the environment in the pursuit of a sustainable future.  Building leadership capacity is central to this change.   

The Centre houses our Meaning and Purpose Network (MaPNet), a network of employers partnering with KBS academics with an interest in issues of meaning and purpose at work; MaPNet’s aim is to ‘build more ethical, inclusive and sustainable futures for organisations through partnership and knowledge sharing.’    

About the role 

We are now seeking a Post-Doctoral Research Associate with an interest in the way companies and individuals use a sense of purpose to drive change. The selected candidate will play a key role in continuing to shape and develop our research work and publishing findings in high-quality journals. 

Collaborative impact: The postholder will work with our dynamic network of members and academic team to shape and drive our research agenda. This will include carrying out research related to purposeful leadership in organisations; working with our network members to foster real-world impact from this research; working on the development of relevant grant applications; and contributing to the development of our external communications -ranging from publications for academic and business audiences to executive education – on the topic.  

Bridging worlds: We are looking for a PhD graduate who has an interest in topics related to meaning and purpose as enablers of change, with excellent written and verbal communication and organisational skills. The postholder will be working at the interface between academia and practice, and so will need to have a good understanding of the needs and priorities of these groups. The role may involve occasional travel to gather data from organisations and present findings at academic conferences. 

Learning opportunities: The postholder will be located in the Centre for Sustainable Business on our Strand Campus. There is a vibrant research community within KBS and the postholder will be invited to engage in group discussions, enlightening seminars, and other events. 

This post will be offered on an a fixed-term contract for 3 years from 1st November 2023 

This is a full-time post - 100% full time equivalent

Key responsibilities 

• To carry out research that will lead to new insights about purposeful leadership – particularly in the context of a just transition to a low-carbon economy
• To research and write a) articles in high quality academic journals b) thought-pieces and case-studies for practitioners on topics relating to purpose and leadership
• To work with the MaPNet academic and professional services team to engage actively in the MaPNet network.
• Where relevant, to extend these links still further to foster collaborations with other research groups
• To contribute to outreach and public engagement activities, where relevant, and work to raise the profile of the Centre for Sustainable Business within King’s and externally.
• To take an active role in writing funding applications
• To undertake a range of duties as an active member of the Centre for Sustainable business

The above list of responsibilities may not be exhaustive, and the post holder will be required to undertake such tasks and responsibilities as may reasonably be expected within the scope and grading of the post.

Skills, knowledge, and experience

Essential criteria

1.     PhD degree in a relevant subject area 

2.     Knowledge of the literature on aspects of meaningful work and organisational purpose 

3.     Experience in writing for an academic audience, demonstrated by relevant publications 

4.     Experience in writing for a non-academic audience 

5.     Experience in verbal presentations to non-academic audiences 

6.     Strong organisational skills 

7.     Strong inter-personal skills 

8.     Effective team-player able to work to deadlines 

Desirable criteria

1.      Experience in writing winning grant applications 

2.      Established track record of research on corporate purpose 

3.      Experience in creating research with practitioners (for example: engaged scholarship methods)