Operations Director

The Council of the Inns of Court (COIC) is a charity with the object of advancing education in the administration and practice of the law, by promoting high standards of advocacy and by enforcing professional standards of conduct amongst barristers. COIC advances the former through the activities of the Inns of Court College of Advocacy (the ICCA) and the latter through the work of the Bar Tribunals and Adjudication Service (BTAS).

The Bar Course

The ICCA has developed a radically different Bar Course – the essential qualification required for a career as a barrister – with the aim of increasing flexibility, accessibility, affordability and sustaining high standards in the delivery of Bar training.

The ICCA delivers a not-for-profit two-part Bar Course which features innovative admissions policies to attract a diverse cohort of students. Features of the course are the high-quality materials and a flexible approach to learning, with the knowledge-based content delivered entirely online prior to students commencing the face-to-face skills course.

The Role

Reporting to the Director of COIC, the ICCA seeks to appoint an Operations Director to ensure the efficient and effective delivery of all the ICCA’s operational responsibilities, including by:

• Leadership of the ICCA’s registry, operations, events and data & reporting functions;
• Ensuring the academic delivery of the ICCA Bar Course is enabled by high quality administrative support ;
• Monitoring of the ICCA’s income and expenditure;
• Development of the ICCA’s operational planning and priorities, and delivery of continued service improvement; 

Key Responsibilities:

A senior manager possessing excellent operational leadership skills, the postholder is expected to:

1. Lead and manage the ICCA’s administrative staff team, ensuring they are developed and deployed to best meet the ICCA’s operational priorities; including:

• • Oversight of the Registry team, whose responsibilities include admissions, student records, timetabling, data and reporting, assessments and results, etc;
  • Oversight of the Operations team, whose responsibilities include events, fee income, CPD training, and supporting the ICCA’s website & digital systems.

2. Management of future student number forecasting (for up to five years in advance), using this to:

• • Identify required future teaching space and staff levels;
  • Recommend future student fee levels, and numbers to be admitted to the Bar Course;
  • Completion of mandatory finance returns (such as to the Office for Students).    

3. Responsibility for the ICCA’s income and expenditure (amounting to over £3M in 2024), including budgeting, monitoring and forecasting.

4. Ensure finance, risk and audit priorities are understood and communicated as necessary; working with colleagues and committees to ensure key issues are visible and understood, and actions are taken in response.

5. Working collaboratively with senior managers across the ICCA, respond to issues arising and work to resolve these in full accordance with applicable policies and procedures.

6. Support the development of strategic and operational planning and priorities for the ICCA.

7. Co-ordination of, and where necessary oversight of, other one-off or project work being undertaken in the ICCA (such as IT and infrastructure improvements, etc).

8. Any other reasonable duties as required. 

Person Specification:

Demonstrable experience of working at a senior level in a complex administrative or operations role.

1. Sound leadership, planning and people skills. An empathetic and collaborative approach, coupled with the willingness to take difficult decisions and actions when necessary;
2. Exceptional problem-solving skills and the ability to analyse complex issues in a systematic and calm manner,
3. A proven track record of implementing and delivering significant operational and policy improvements. The ability to drive forward change in order to achieve organisational objectives is essential.
4. Ability to support the COIC Director and the ICCA Dean in making contributions to the organisation’s development and embedding its core values and policies within all it does.
5. A confident and credible presenter with strong communication and interpersonal skills, including tact and diplomacy;
6. A flexible approach, including the willingness to attend early morning and evening meetings as required.

The Contract

COIC is seeking to appoint the Operations Director on a permanent contract.  There will be a six-month probationary period.

• Salary £80,000 per annum
• 25 days paid holiday plus bank holidays
• Death in Service Benefit
• 15% Defined Pension Contribution by the employer (after 6 months)
• Private Health Insurance (after completion of probation)
• Flexible/hybrid working

Location: The ICCA is currently based at 33 Chancery Lane, London, WC2A 1EN.

COIC values equality and diversity and is committed to ensuring its processes and procedures are fair, transparent and free from unlawful discrimination.

This is open until 10.00am on Monday 9 September. 

For a full job description and person specification and details of how to apply, please click the above “Apply” button.