College Director 

Location: Edinburgh

Working hours: 40 hours per week

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: Competitive

Who we are: Oxford International

Oxford International Education Group is a private education company committed to creating life-enhancing experiences for students worldwide. Since 1991, we have grown into a global force in international education, helping more than 50,000 students every year further their learning.

We offer academic English courses at schools in the UK and North America and routes to Higher Education through partnerships with universities across the UK, Europe, and the United States. Today, more than 40 UK institutions use our technology suite. In recent years we have spearheaded digital innovation and growth through our Digital Institute, which delivers online and hybrid academic and vocational courses taught by accredited and experienced teachers.

Our educational portfolio is diverse and is centred around providing opportunity for international students to build academic qualifications, skills, and intercultural experiences. We deliver our products digitally, in face-to-face locations across the world, or even in hybrid mode. Our portfolio ranges from simple tests of English Language capability, through to shorter industry specific courses, right through to year-long International Foundation Courses preparing students for progression to full a degree course at prestigious universities across the English speaking world.

We are quality focused, with a strong desire to lead in our market sectors. We are dedicated, enthusiastic and like-minded, with a genuine interest in what we do. Our values are at the heart of our business and have been since we started 29 years ago – they are the secret of our success. As such, care, passion, creativity and integrity are qualities we look for in our staff and are as important as the knowledge, experience and expertise you bring.

Job purpose

The College Director fulfils the key leadership role in ensuring a learning and teaching environment which provides the College’s students with the best opportunity to be successful and proceed with confidence to the next stage of their education within the wider university community.

Main duties and responsibilities

College Management

• Day-to-day management of the College in line with relevant sections in the Operations Manual agreed with the University
• Leading and managing a team of teaching and administrative staff
• Communicating regularly with staff, including the holding of regular staff briefings and meetings
• Provision of and regular up-dating of a Staff Handbook
• Ensuring that the College provides a lively, supportive and focused environment in which students can pursue their study goals
• Producing and maintaining the Statement of Safety Organisation (SOSO) for the College
• Ensuring that the outcomes, responsibilities and standards set out in the Service Level Agreement (SLA) are achieved and that the procedures in the College Operations Manual are followed 
• Scheduling classes in an appropriate and cost-effective manner Monitoring the delivery of the programmes as validated by the university
• Ensuring that the assessment of students is conducted appropriately and in line with the regulations of the university as applied to the College
• Conducting observations of teaching staff as appropriate and an annual appraisal of all staff
• Identifying staff training and development needs and meeting these with the support of both Oxford International and the University

Resources

• Ensuring with appropriate staff at OIEG and University that the College has the resources required for effective delivery of its programmes and supporting its students
• Ensuring engagement with the University’s virtual learning environment and the building of materials associated with the University and the other College Programmes
• Working with the University room booking system to ensure term by term that there are suitable spaces available for the delivery of the College’s programmes
• Liaison with relevant University and Faculty staff to ensure that students have sufficient access to specialised teaching spaces to cover the practical elements in their modules

Reporting

• Membership of the Joint Management Board (JMB) and the provision of regular written reports to JMB on the progress of the College
• Attendance, as required, at meetings of the Steering Board
• Provision to OIEG and the University of an annual, reflective report containing both quantitative data and qualitative comments on the previous year at the College, together with a note of key areas for development and improvement during the year ahead
• Regular scheduled meetings with the University Co-ordinator, the senior University liaison with the College
• Regular scheduled meetings with the OIEG Academic Development Director
• Regular meetings with OIEG Director of Operations, Tutors, OIEG and University Recruitment, Admissions and Communications staff and other University and OIEG staff members as required

Staffing

• Monitoring staffing requirements, both teaching and administrative, mid-term at the latest for the term ahead
• Advertising in a timely fashion through the University website, and, both locally and nationally in the press and on-line, for required members of staff
• Shortlisting, interviewing and appointing members of staff in line with HR procedures of OIEG and as agreed with the University
• Ensuring that new staff have an adequate induction programme before they start their teaching or administrative duties. This involves ensuring that they have the initial and on-going support required for the performance of these duties to the highest possible standard
• Building, in time, a senior team to support in the management of the Centre

Students

• Provision of and regular updating of a student handbook
• Provision of pre-arrival and on-arrival information for students and leading a student induction programme per major intake, involving students in University induction events as appropriate
• Ensuring the monitoring of student progress and the identification of those who are struggling so that they can be offered support as quickly and effectively as possible
• Ensuring the monitoring of student attendance and its recording and reporting as appropriate. Also that action is taken to support students whose attendance is poor
• Provision of student welfare services within the College and ensuring students are informed and have access to student services provided by the University
• Ensuring compliance with a Safeguarding Policy protecting the interests of under-18s and vulnerable adults and with the Prevent initiative deterring the radicalization of students
• Encouraging student engagement with University’s activities and services
• Liaison with both OIEG Head Office and appropriate University staff where issues of student conduct, in and out of classes, and within and outside the College are concerned

Assessment

• Ensuring that assessments are scheduled sensibly throughout each term to make sure students find the schedule manageable
• Oversee the work of the Examinations Officer to ensure the proper conduct of formal examinations in line with University regulations, as applied to the College
• Participation in the Examination Boards at the end of each term and providing support to the Examination Boards in terms of examination data and any other information relevant to the previous round of examinations
• Ensuring that due time and attention are given to Pleas for Special Consideration and Student Appeals
• Ensuring that such reports on student progress are sent in a timely fashion at the end of each term to parents, guardian or sponsors as agreed with the individual students

External

• Providing the ‘face’ and official mouthpiece of the College to the outside world
• Preparation for and full co-operation with any inspection of the College by QAA or other external organisations
• Ensuring that visitors, such as educational agents, receive a warm welcome to the College
• Working with the marketing teams at OIEG and University to ensure that student success is recorded and celebrated, student events are reported and such ‘good news’ stories as will help promote the College
• Working with the public relations staff employed by or consulted by OIEG and the University in managing any crises or undesirable events that might occur in the College or connected with its work, staff or students

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.

How to apply

Applications should be made by sending CV, cover letter and salary expectations to joinus@oxfordinternational.com

For more information on Oxford International

Please visit our corporate site: https://www.oxfordinternationaleducationgroup.com/

Or, you can also visit our divisional websites: https://oidigitalinstitute.com/ & https://www.oxfordinternational.com/

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 the Disclosure and Barring Service, as this job involves working with children. This role meets the requirements in respect of exempted questions under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

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, or veteran status.