Why work here

Competitive salaries

We offer an attractive pay structure via the national pay spine, including provision for annual increments within grades and annual pay awards negotiated at a national level, as well as being a Real Living Wage accredited employer.  View our salary scales and clinical-academic salary scales.

Our annual review process allows for the consideration of cases for promotion and accelerated incremental progression.

Annual leave and closure days

Our generous annual leave provision amounts to 26 days for those on support staff contracts and 30 days for those on professional, management, specialist administration contracts (pro-rata for part-time staff), with academic and research staff able to take annual leave at equivalent levels by local arrangement.

Additionally, staff benefit from six university closure days providing guaranteed time off at Christmas through to New Year for most staff groups, with the eight bank holidays on top of this.

Staff can also ‘purchase’ up to 10 days’ additional annual leave per year via salary sacrifice, and can apply for a part-paid career break.

Hours of work

We have low base contract hours (35 hours per week for support, professional, management, specialist administration staff, unspecified for academic and research staff).

Pensions

We have competitive pension schemes according to staff category, including generous employer contributions (21.1% in USS; 13.4% in ULPF) and provisions for ill health retirement and death in service.

Sick pay

We provide for occupational sick pay significantly in excess of statutory baselines.

Relocation package

A relocation package is available for certain roles, see our relocation pages for more information.

Staff discounts

University staff can sign up to our staff discount scheme providing exclusive discounts, including; online shopping, travel, electronics and digital learning.

Staff members can also purchase an NUS TOTUM card, providing access to a wide range of student discounts.

University facilities and schemes

Staff members benefit from free access to University Libraries and software such as Microsoft Office, Public Transport Loan and Cycle to Work schemes, discounted membership to our Sports Centre, and preferential access to a an Ofsted registered childcare centre on campus.
 

A family-friendly university

We offer a range of generous policies, far outstripping statutory requirements that compares favourably with other organisations, including policies on maternity leave (providing for eight weeks’ full pay and 16 weeks’ half pay in addition to statutory maternity pay); paternity leave; shared parental leave; adoption and surrogacy leave; fostering leave: and fertility treatment support.

Work/life balance

We recognise the demands of family life and are committed to supporting members of staff to achieve an optimal balance between work and home life, including via our flexible working policy.

Hybrid working

We recognise the benefits of embracing a hybrid working model and have implemented a blended approach, subject to operational requirements.

Employee Assistance Programme

Staff have access to free services via the Employee Assistance Programme, including counselling support, legal advice and financial advice.

Health and safety and occupational health

We have an in-house safety office and occupational health service, providing expert advice on health at work.

Wellbeing hub

An online wellbeing hub contains resources on mental and physical health as well as information on the supportive services available.

Inclusive campus

We are committed to promoting inclusivity in our physical and virtual environment.

The Academy

We place a high priority on staff development: Our Leadership, Organisational, Professional and Academic Development Academy (The Academy) is responsible for an extensive development offer, covering the four broad areas of leadership and management, research, education and professional practice.

Researcher and teacher development

We are a signatory to the Researcher Development Concordat, aiming to improve the employment and support for researchers and research careers in UK higher education, and have been awarded the HR Excellence in Research Badge in recognition of this. We also offer a range of development opportunities for colleagues who teach at all stages of their careers.

Online training

We offer extensive online training provisions including the professional development toolkit, wellbeing resources and free access to LinkedIn Learning.

Mentoring

We coordinate a mentoring network to support staff to grow and develop in their role and beyond.

Situated in the Knowledge Quarter in the City of Liverpool, the University campus is a vibrant place, with its beautiful, listed buildings, green spaces, ultra-modern institutes, teaching laboratories and residences.

Our city campus hosts a range of shops, banks, cafés and pubs, as well as the Guild of Students. The campus also hosts our Sports Centre and swimming pool, University libraries, and a number of cultural attractions, such as the Victoria Gallery and Museum, the Garstang Museum of Archaeology, the Liverpool Confucius Institute, and the Special Collections and Archives section in the library.

Values

The University’s values and ethics principles, developed in conjunction with staff, set out our commitment to creating a culture of openness, transparency, and respect, where staff work together for the future success of the University.

Staff awards

Our annual staff awards celebratory dinner event recognises the hard work and dedication of both individuals and teams across the University. Our annual long service awards event celebrates the dedication of long-serving members of staff.

Equality, diversity and inclusion

We hold an institutional Silver Athena Swan Award recognising work undertaken to address gender inequality in careers in science, as well as a number of departmental Athena Swan Awards.

We are also a member of the Stonewall Diversity Champions programme, demonstrating our commitment to ensuring our LGBTQIA+ employees are supported in the working environment, and a Disability Confident Employer, recognising our commitment to recruiting, retaining and developing disabled staff.

Faith facilities

The University is committed to supporting the faith needs of staff and students by providing dedicated faith facilities.

Staff networks

We have a range of staff networks and groups fostering a sense of community among groups sharing common interests. These networks include:

• Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Staff Network
• Carers Network
• Disabled Staff Network
• Female Early Career Researcher Network
• LGBTQIA+ Staff Network
• Mentoring Network
• Parents Network
• Research Staff Association
• Menopause Support Network
• Cancer Support Network

Civic engagement

We are committed to making a difference to society locally, nationally and internationally. Staff are supported in contributing to this through such initiatives as our Public service leave policy, providing time off for those undertaking such roles as school governors and magistrates, and our volunteering framework Liv to Give, which provides up to three days per year for staff to use on volunteering activities. 

Russell Group

The University of Liverpool is a member of the Russell Group – a group of 24 leading UK universities with a focus on conducting world-class research and delivering excellent teaching in order to build a better future for the UK and address global challenges.

Research excellence

We consistently rank amongst the top universities in the UK for research excellence, with the majority of research rated 4* (world-leading) or 3* (internationally excellent) (REF 2021). We also consistently rank highly in recognised publications, both nationally and globally, such as the Center for World University Rankings, 2020-2021.

City attractions

We are located in the heart of the thriving and world-famous City of Liverpool, boasting numerous attractions such as theatres, restaurants, museums, and the Liverpool ONE shopping centre. Liverpool was granted the prestigious title of European Capital of Culture in 2008.

Natural beauty

Liverpool offers all the benefits of a large city, but with the advantage of easy, commutable access to areas of great natural beauty, including coastal locations and numerous country parks across the city and in the Wirral peninsula, and beyond into Cheshire, Lancashire and North Wales.

Sport

Liverpool has two leading Premier League football clubs, Everton FC and Liverpool FC, as well as being the proud host of the Grand National at Aintree Racecourse. It also boasts two internationally acclaimed golf courses, Royal Birkdale and Royal Liverpool both having played host to the British Open golf competition.

Activities

For information on activities to do with family and friends in Liverpool, visit our city life and family activities page.

Welcoming

Liverpool was voted the fourth friendliest city in the world in 2021.

Travel and commuting

Liverpool is conveniently situated 45 minutes from Chester, one hour from Manchester, two and a half hours from London by train and the city’s Liverpool John Lennon Airport, one of the Europe's fastest growing airports, connects to many destinations worldwide. The region also has a good network of public transport links across the area.

To find out more about how to get to Liverpool, go to Visiting the University.