UCL
Director of Operations (Education and Student Experience)
Get notified of more jobs like this · No spam, ever
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About us
UCL is embarking on an exciting new chapter for education and student experience. As our portfolio grows, we are bringing together education strategy, policy, and quality with Student & Registry Services and Student Recruitment & Admissions - creating a significant new portfolio spanning the student journey from recruitment and admissions through to education, support, and progression.
We are now looking for an exceptional Director of Operations to work alongside the Vice-Provost (Education & Student Experience) as a senior professional partner and provide the operational leadership, strategic coordination, and business management needed to bring this ambitious portfolio together.
This is a high-profile role with genuine institutional influence. You will provide the Vice-Provost with the insight, grip, and coordination needed to navigate a complex portfolio, while working closely with Executive Directors, Pro-Vice-Provosts, academic leaders, and professional services colleagues across UCL.
About the role
A role at the heart of change
You will help create a more integrated, coherent, and resilient operating model across the expanded portfolio. A key priority will be supporting the integration of Student & Registry Services and Student Recruitment & Admissions, helping to establish one coherent student journey and one planning cycle.
You will:
- Provide senior operational leadership and business management for the Office of the Vice-Provost.
- Plan, track, and evaluate the delivery of UCL's Education Strategy.
- Own portfolio finance, budgets, and management information, ensuring the Vice-Provost has the insight needed to make informed decisions.
- Lead workforce and people planning and coordinate portfolio planning submissions.
- Oversee portfolio risk management and strengthen management and assurance reporting.
- Prepare and brief the Vice-Provost for key institutional committees, including UMC, Education Committee, Financial Performance and Planning Committee, and Recruitment and Admissions Committee.
- Act as a senior point of contact across UCL, representing the Vice-Provost and portfolio in university-wide decision-making, committees, boards, and initiatives.
- Coordinate business operations across the Office, SRS, and SRA, encouraging collaboration and the sharing of best practice.
- Identify opportunities to build a more resilient operating model and make better use of existing capability.
- Lead or coordinate major cross-portfolio projects, transitions, and strategic initiatives, including the integration of SRS and SRA.
- Support the Vice-Provost as a senior sponsor and stakeholder for transformation and change programmes, providing an independent view of delivery confidence, benefits, and cost.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Importantly, this is not simply a business management role. You will be a trusted senior partner to the Vice-Provost, helping turn strategy into delivery and connecting people, information, governance, and priorities across a complex and evolving portfolio.
About you
You will bring substantial senior professional services leadership experience gained within a large and complex organisation, together with a strong track record of business management, governance, financial, and workforce planning.
You will have experience of:
- Leading significant budgets and workforce planning at scale.
- Leading change and integration across organisational boundaries and reporting lines.
- Providing high-level operational and business support to a senior leader or executive.
- Navigating governance, planning, and business management within a complex organisation.
- Bringing diverse teams together around a coherent operating model and shared priorities.
You will be a confident and credible partner to Executive Directors and senior academic leaders, able to operate with authority while building strong relationships across organisational boundaries.
Excellent communication skills are essential. You will be comfortable distilling complex information, briefing senior audiences and committees, exercising sound judgement and discretion, and influencing people to achieve outcomes.
Experience within higher education would be advantageous, particularly knowledge of the higher education operating and regulatory environment, including the Office for Students' conditions of registration. Experience of student administration, registry, student recruitment, or admissions would also be desirable.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
What we offer
- 41 days' holiday (27 days annual leave, 8 bank holidays, 6 closure days)
- Option to purchase 5 additional days' annual leave
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme, season ticket loan, and immigration loan
- Relocation support for eligible posts
- On-site nursery and gym
- Enhanced maternity, paternity, and adoption pay
- Staff Support Service (employee assistance programme)
- Discounted medical insurance
Full details: UCL Rewards and Benefits
We will consider applications to work on a part-time, flexible, and job share basis wherever possible.
This role meets the requirements for a Skilled Worker certificate of sponsorship or Global Talent visa under UK Visas and Immigration legislation. UCL welcomes applications from international applicants who require a visa.
For some roles, UCL will consider hybrid working. This can be between 20-80% onsite working. Where this happens, there is an expectation that individuals can be asked to work onsite as required up to 100% of a week.
UCL Terms and Conditions of Service:
- Research and Professional Services Staff
- Academic Staff
Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
As London's Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.
We particularly encourage applications from candidates underrepresented in UCL's workforce, including those from Black, Asian, and ethnic minority backgrounds, disabled people, and - for Grade 9 and 10 roles - women.
Read more: UCL Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.
Applicants should also familiarise themselves with UCL's policies on:
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Location