Product Development and Innovation

• Collaborate with internal (central recruitment, marketing, admissions, pre-arrival and academic teams) and external stakeholders to innovate and expand the School’s educational offerings.
• Drive the implementation of new academic programmes and products into the university partnership in response to market demand and strategic priorities.

Compliance and Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, contractual, accreditation, and institutional requirements across School operations.
• Ensure full compliance with partner university requirements, accreditation bodies, legal obligations, and relevant sector regulation (e.g., OfS, UKVI).
• Prepare for and respond to external audits, inspections, and reviews from regulatory bodies and university partners.
• Maintain accurate records and reports for governance purposes and ensure robust reporting to the Managing Director.
• Work with the central compliance team to coordinate risk management and data protection practices.

Team Leadership and Development

• Lead, motivate, and develop a high-performing team across academic, administrative, and support functions.
• Foster a culture of inclusivity, performance, and professional growth.
• Identify and address staff training needs ensuring staff retention and progression.

Person specification

A dynamic and experienced leader with a proven track record of strategic and operational management in a complex educational environment. You will demonstrate strong leadership, commercial, communication, and stakeholder engagement skills, along with a commitment to academic and operational excellence as well as organisational development. The role requires a collaborative, resilient, and solutions-focused approach, capable of balancing hands-on school leadership with divisional oversight.

Statutory requirements

• Eligibility to live and work in the UK without restriction
• Willingness to undergo an Access NI check, or an overseas equivalent where applicable

Qualifications

• A first degree (Honours) or equivalent professional qualification, or substantial relevant experience demonstrating graduate-level capability
• A postgraduate qualification in education, management, or relevant discipline
• A recognised teaching qualification such as a PGCertEd (HE), or equivalent; or Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) or SFHEA (Desirable)
• Relevant professional qualification(s) aligned to education or management practice (Desirable)
• Evidence of up-to-date safeguarding training appropriate to the role and responsibilities (Desirable)

Experience and knowledge

• Proven senior leadership experience within the higher or further education sector
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams across academic and support functions
• Experience of working in partnership with UK universities or transnational education providers
• Experience overseeing compliance with academic and regulatory frameworks (e.g., OfS, UKVI, QAA)
• Working knowledge of HR procedures consistent with the needs of a school.
• Experience of budget management; forecasting, and overall P&L Ownership
• Strong working knowledge of UKVI regulations and compliance requirements relevant to international student recruitment and visa sponsorship (Desirable)
• Proven contribution to sales, marketing, or student recruitment initiatives within an educational context (Desirable)
• Experience working within a commercially driven or private education provider environment (Desirable)

Skills

• Exceptional leadership, team development, and motivational skills
• Strong understanding of UK higher education policy, academic quality assurance, and student outcomes
• Skilled in building and sustaining strategic relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• High-level problem-solving and decision-making capability in complex environments
• Ability to work well under pressure in a fast-paced target-driven service-focused environment.
• Ability to lead performance improvement across the institution and division
• Adopt an innovative approach to finding solutions and adding value
• Knowledge of safeguarding, data protection (including GDPR), and risk management practices
• Demonstrable commercial acumen, with the ability to balance educational priorities with business objectives (Desirable)
• Familiarity with international student recruitment processes and progression pathway models within higher education (Desirable

Personal qualities

• Empathy with international students and an understanding of their needs
• Resilient, adaptable, and outcomes-driven with a strong sense of accountability
• Commitment to equality, diversity, inclusion, and student success
• Integrity and a highly professional approach to work
• Able to build strong relationships with people internally and externally at all levels of seniority.
• Willingness to travel between sites and work flexibly as needed

This job description is provided as a guide to the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive description of duties and responsibilities and may be subject to periodic revision.

Oxford International is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and Access NI, as this job involves working with children. This role meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders(NI) Order 1978.

Oxford International is an equal-opportunity employer. Every applicant and employee has the same opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, veteran status, or religion belief or political opinion.

We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.