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Profile

Professor Susan Kirk

Professor of Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour; Joint Head of Leadership, Work and Organisation

Background

Profile


Dr Susan Kirk joined Newcastle University Business School in 2018 and is a Professor of Human Resource Management and Organisational Behaviour. She is the Joint Subject Group Head of the Leadership, Work and Organisation Subject Group (2024-2025) within Newcastle University Business School, Newcastle University. She is currently interim Associate Dean of Research NUBS (sabbatical cover). She is also the Research, Scholarship and Impact Co-Lead for the Subject Group. Susan graduated with an upper second class degree in Business Studies (Hons) from Nottingham Trent University (NTU) in 1992 and a Masters in Human Resource Management with merit in 1995. She has an ESRC-funded PhD in Sociology, also from NTU. Susan's areas of research interest are; mobility, talent management, identity studies and, more broadly, organisational behaviour and human resource management. She has published her work in journals such as Work, Employment and Society, Global Networks, The International Journal of Human Resource Management, Human Resource Management Review and the European Management Review.

Currently, she involved in several projects including a project exploring the global mobility of academics; research examining identity, place and mobility in the Derbyshire Peak District and a project exploring hybrid identities of Advanced Clinical Practitioners with a colleague at University College London and Gdansk University. 


Roles and Responsibilities


As a Joint Subject Group Head, Susan is responsible for all people management issues within the SG including performance, reward, recruitment and selection and development. She is currently interim Associate Dean of Research within NUBS (sabbatical cover) and is responsible for all research and impact related activities within the School.


As the Research, Scholarship and Impact Co-Lead, Susan provides academic leadership for her colleagues with respect to all aspects of research, scholarship and impact.


Susan is also the Co-Lead for the Transport, Society and Place theme in the Transport and Mobility Newcastle Centre of Research Excellence.


Susan is a member of the editorial board for Work, Employment and Society and The International Human Resource Management Journal.


She is a reviewer for a number of leading, peer-reviewed journals and international conferences, where she has also been a stream convenor. S


Susan is a member of the British Sociological Association (BSA), the British Universities Industrial Relations Association (BUIRA) and the British Academy of Management (BAM). She was the Co-Track Chair for the Human Resource Management Special Interest Group of the British Academy of Management (BAM) (2016-2019) and she is now the Secretary for the SiG.


She is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA).


Previous Positions


2018-2019 N200 Degree Programme Director, Newcastle University Business School, NCL.

2016-2018  Deputy Chair of the University Research Degrees Committee reporting to Head of Doctoral School and Senior Pro-VC Research, Nottingham Trent University (NTU).

2014-2018  Doctoral Programmes Director (Doctorate in Business Administration), NTU.

2010-2016 Divisional Quality Representative - HRM Department, NTU

2005-2007  Course Leader MSc Human Resource Management, NTU.

1998-2003  Course Leader Certificate in Personnel Practice (CPP), Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, NTU.

1996-1998  Joint Course Leader Certificate in Management, MBA, NTU.

1993-1995  Lecturer in Organisational Behaviour & Human Resource Management, NTU.


Memberships

Member of the British Sociological Association (BSA) 2022-

Certified Management and Business Educator, The Chartered Institute of Business Schools 2022-

Member of the British Academy of Management (BAM) 2015-

Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD) 1994-

Member of British Universities Industrial Relations Association (BUIRA) 1996-

Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) 2002-

Elected Member of the Executive Leadership Team of the Women’s Council of the International Leadership Association (ILA) 2019-2022

Member of the International Leadership Association 2019-2022

Member of the International Leadership Association Research Group 2019-2022

Secretary British Academy of Management HRM Special Interest Group 2019-

Track Co-Chair British Academy of Management HRM Special Interest Group 2016-2019

Member of the University of Surrey Centre for Management Learning 2014-2018

Member of the Association of Business Schools DBA Steering Group 2015-2018

Member of the Institute of Directors 2014-2016


 


Research

Current Work


2024-25 – Published policy document Attracting and Retaining Workers in the Derbyshire Peak District. Based on research from NICRE funded project. Part of an on-going project into place, identity and rural areas.


2024-2025 – Published toolkit Attracting and Retaining Workers in Rural Areas: A Toolkit for Employers. Based on research from NICRE funded project. Part of an on-going project into place, identity and rural areas.


2023 –25 - Research Project: Enhancing PGR Research Culture Project 'Using innovative theatre-based facilitation to foster a creative and inclusive research culture'.


2022 - Provided the research data that underpinned a successful £15 million Levelling Up Bid for the regeneration of Ashbourne in Derbyshire with Professor Carley Foster, University of Derby. https://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/your-council/news-and-social-media/latest-news/green-light-for-15m-ashbourne-project#h1.

 

2021 – Research Project: Identity, Mobility and Place. A study of The Peak District with Professor Carley Foster, University of Derby.

 

2021- on-going Research Project: Global Mobility and Academics with Dr Tracy Scurry, Professor Karin Sanders (University of New South Wales), Professor Greg Bamber (University of Melbourne) and Professor Mark Smith (University of Stellenbosch).


2021 – Research Project: Fostering a Positive Research Culture, Newcastle University Business School.


2021 -Research project: Hybrid identities and Liminality: A Study of Advanced Clinical Practitioners with Professor Julie Davies, University College London and Dr Joanna Szulc,

Gdansk University. 


Main Expertise


 I am an interpretivist researcher who is fascinated by how individuals make sense of their working lives. Accordingly I have conducted research on a range of topics, including:

  • Mobility
  • Talent management
  • Identity
  • Ethics


I am part of the LWO Human Resource Management, Work and Employment Research Community and a member of the British Academy of Management Human Resource Management Special Interest Group.


Other Expertise


I am a practitioner Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and have considerable experience and expertise in consultancy work for both public and private sector organisations.


Funding Received

Source of funds: Society for the Advancement of Management Studies (SAMS). Project title: Building the Future of the Management Studies: Developing a Creative and Inclusive International Doctoral Student Community through Use of Theatre-based Interventions. In partnership with the Northern Advance Research Training Partnership (NARTI).

Source of funds: QR Enhancing Research Culture Fund. Project Title: Fostering a creative, collaborative and inclusive PGR research culture: use of theatre-based intervention to construct PGR individual and collective identity.

Source of funds: National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (UKRI). Project Title: Exploring Identity, Place & Worker Attraction & Retention in Rural

Businesses.

Source of funds: HaSS Faculty Preparation Bid. Project Title: The Hidden Mobility of Academics

Source of funds: QR Enhancing Research Culture Fund. Project Title: Developing inclusive research and scholarship cultures through a

coaching/mentoring culture


Postgraduate Supervision


Doctoral Completions (12 students)


2025 PhD - 2025 PhD - The Psychological Contracts of Hybrid Physicians: A Qualitative Study in The Saudi Arabian Public Health System.

2023 PhD - Developing Culturally Intelligent Students from within the Classroom

2022 DBA - Workforce Localisation and Business Competitiveness in the Gulf Countries: Case Study of a Multinational Bank in the United Arab Emirates

2022 PhD - Investigating Formation of Social Capital Benefits for Value Creation and Strategy Enhancement: The Case of SMEs in the UK’s Construction Industry

2020 DBA – Exploring the Relationships Between HCNs and Italian Expatriates in Nigeria: A Social Exchange Perspective

2018 MPhil - Management development of solicitors in Ireland

2017 PhD – Social Capital in Jordan: The Impact of Wasta on Employee Selection in Banks Operating in Jordan

2017 DBA - Reputation and Risk in Higher Education Institutions

2016 DBA – Motivating workplace creativity in the Chinese context

2007 –DBA Team performance management in the Irish healthcare sector

2006 DBA Managing teams in the retail sector

2005 DBA An ethical tool for decision making


Esteem Indicators

Organising committee member for the Work, Employment and Society Conference, 2025.

Invited presenter at the Enterprise Research Council (ERC), 2024.

Established a steering committee with the Office for Health Inequalities and Disparities (OHID) and representatives for mobility and transport in the North-East Mayoral Combined Authority (NEMCA) to work on collaborative projects and initiatives linked to mobility, transport and health, 2024-.

Invited to review IHRM on-line learning materials for the Australian Institute of Business in Adelaide, 2024.

Part of the Research Leadership Training Consortium with Leeds University and the Northern Advanced Research Training Initiative (NARTI) providing training for research leaders

Editorial Board membership: Work, Employment and Society and the International Human Resource Management Journal.

Invited speaker at Rural England’s AGM, 2023

Invited reviewer for a funding application to the Health Improvement, Protection and Services Research Committee, Scottish Government Health Directorate, 2023.

Invited to provide the research data that underpinned a successful £15 million Levelling Up Bid for the regeneration of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, 2023. https://www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/your-council/news-and-social-media/latest-news/green-light-for-15m-ashbourne-project#h1.

Co-hosted collaborative event ‘Transport and Health: Moving in the same Direction’ with North East Public Health, North East Transport as Co-Director of the Transport, Society and Place theme of Mobility and Transport Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence, Newcastle, 2022.

Invited Speaker at University College London (UCL): ‘Emergent Hybrid Professionals in New Occupational Roles: Institutional Support in Emancipatory and Anxiety-Inducing Transitions’, London, 2022.

Presenter of Excellence in Leadership Award at the Northeast Branch of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) Awards, 2022.

Invited discussant on a panel on multidisciplinary research at the University of Southern Denmark, 2022.

Theme Co-Lead Transport, Society and Place, NCL Mobility & Transport Newcastle University Centre of Research Excellence.

Co-Lead Research, Scholarship & Impact, Leadership, Work and Organisation Subject Group 2022-2025.

Invited external panel member on research irregularity hearing in a UK HE institution – June 2021.

Member of organising panel for the International Leadership Association (ILA) Conference 2022

Member of the organising panel for a Women’s Colloquium for the International Leadership Association (ILA) – June 2021.

Member of the conference organising panel for the ILA Conference 2022 – at Portsmouth University.

Nominated Member of Newcastle University Business School (NUBS) Development Group overseeing strategic change initiative - January 2021-

Member of the Executive DBA Council (EDBAC) Election Council 2018 and 2019

Member of PhD judging panel for the Academy of Management, Human Resource International Conference, Sydney 2016.

Invited Speaker: ‘Maximising Outcomes for the DBA’, Association of Business Schools & British Academy of Management Doctorate in Business Administration Symposium, Cranfield October 2016.

Member of UK HR Division Academy of Management (AoM) research project entitled ‘International Aspects of Job design’ 2016-

Kirk, S. & Caven, V., Bauschke-Urban, C., Godfroy, S., Sagebiel, F, Showunmi, V. & Vázquez-Cupeiro, S. ‘Gendered career paths in uncertain and insecure international environments.’ Stream Convenors, Gender, Work & Organisation Conference 2016.

Member of British Academy of Management (BAM) organising committee for BAM/Centre for People, Innovation and Performance. Publishing in 4* journals event 2016.

Reviewer for British Academy of Management (BAM) Centre for People, Innovation and Performance. Publishing in 4* journals event 2015.


Industry Relevance


I have worked in industry for a number of years prior to joining academia. This includes working for Marconi Instruments, ESPA Ltd. (Grote und Hartman) and Celestion Textiles.




Teaching

Undergraduate Teaching


I am currently teaching on the Managing Change and the HRM and the Future of Work modules at UG level.


Postgraduate Teaching


I currently teach on the Global HRM module on the MSc HRM and Leading Organisational Change on the MBA.


Main Expertise


I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy and having been in academia for 30 years. I have many years of experience teaching at doctoral, PGT, UG and corporate levels. I have extensive experience of programme leadership and module and course design and quality assurance processes. I supervise students at UG, PG (taught) and doctoral levels. I have 10 doctoral completions and am currently supervising two PhD students and am interested in supervising doctoral projects relating to issues of mobility, identity, ethics and talent.


I have considerable experience as an external examiner for programmes, including:


External Examiner for the Master’s in Human Resource Management (HRM) at Cranfield University Business School (2022-)

External examiner for the Doctorate in Business Administration (DBA) at Portsmouth University (2018-2021)

External examiner for HRM modules at Anglia Ruskin University (2014-2017)

Publications