Academic 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 Academic Director has an important contribution to make to the success of the College and of its students.

Main duties and responsibilities

College Management

• The Academic Director will deputise for the College Director in his or her absence
• The Academic Director forms part of the senior team and can expect significant management responsibilities related to the management of the College to be delegated to him or her
• Support for the College Director in fulfilling the Collaboration and Service Level Agreements (CA and SLA) and ensuring that the College meets the requirements of the QAA, UKVI and any other inspecting bodies and the University’s internal quality audits and reviews

Team Management

• Management of the work of the team of content teachers
• As the leader of the team of content teachers, the Academic Director is expected to teach up to 10 hours a week
• Communicating regularly with the members of the content teaching team, including through the holding of regular meetings
• Ensuring that the members of the team create within their classrooms a lively, supportive and focussed environment in which students can pursue their study goals and to give a personal lead in this
• Assisting the College Director in planning for the scheduling of the content classes in an appropriate and cost-effective manner
• Monitoring the delivery of the content modules
• Ensuring that the assessment and monitoring of students’ progress is conducted robustly and regularly and that students receive a high level of detailed and supportive feedback in a timely fashion
• Supporting the College Director in conducting observations of members of the team of content teachers as required and in the annual appraisal of any full-time team members Identifying staff training and development needs and bringing these to the attention of the College Director

Resources

• Ensuring that team members have the resources, including teaching spaces, required for effective delivery of their modules within the programmes
• Leading the team in the writing of teaching plans, teaching materials, assignments and summative assessments
• Advising the College Director on the review of text books and the provision of additional general, printed and on-line resources to enhance the students’ experience of their classes
• Supporting the development of academic resources within the Library/Learning Resources Centre at the University
• Ensuring engagement with the University’s virtual learning environment and the building of materials associated with the content modules within the College-based elements of the integrated bachelor’s and master’s programmes

Reporting

• Membership of the Joint Management Board (JMB) and contribution to the College Director’s written report to JMB on the work of content teachers within the College
• Attendance, as required, at meetings of the Operations Sub-Committee and Steering Board
• Involvement, as required, in scheduled and/or informal meetings with the University Co-ordinator, Oxford international’s Director of Operations (Academic) and other University and Oxford international staff

Staffing

• Monitoring and advising the Centre Director on staffing requirements mid-term at the latest for the term ahead
• Supporting the Centre Director in the recruitment of additional or replacement teaching staff
• Contributing strongly to the induction programme for new members of staff and providing them with on-going support as members of the team
• Working with the College Director in devising and implementing a CPD programme for all BIC’s tutors

Students

• Participating in the student induction programme per major intake and stressing the importance of the content modules in their programmes
• 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

Assessment

• Ensuring that both formative and summative assessments are scheduled sensibly throughout each term to make sure students find the schedule manageable
• Supporting the scheduling and conduct of end of module and end of programme examinations and any supplementary assessments or re-takes that might be necessary
• Participating in the Examination Board at the end of each term and supporting the reporting function of the College Director with material and analysis relevant to the work of the team of content teachers

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.