Academic Director

Start Date: ASAP

Salary: Competitive

Who we are: Oxford International

Oxford International Education Group is a renowned institution dedicated to providing exceptional educational experiences to international students. With a global presence and a commitment to academic excellence, we strive to empower students to achieve their full potential and thrive in a dynamic, interconnected world. We are proud of our culture and have recently been officially certified as a Great Place to Work ©!

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 College teaching team

• As the leader of the team of the College teaching team, the Academic Director is expected to teach up to 10 hours a week
• Communicating regularly with the members of the College 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 College teaching team 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 the College teaching team 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 ENUIC’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 College teaching team

Person Specification

Legal status

• Appropriate DBS disclosure
• Eligibility to work in and travel freely in the UK

Qualifications     

Master’s degree in a Business related area to the work of the College

• Teaching qualification (Highly Desirable)
• Advance HE Fellowship (formally HEA) (Highly Desirable)
• Qualification linked to academic management (Desirable)

Experience

Relevant recent experience of teaching international students in the UK

• Confident in use of latest technological teaching aids
• Curriculum/course development
• Team leadership/some managerial responsibilities in an educational Experience of working in an International College or similar (Highly Desirable)
• Experience of contributing to/running CPD sessions (Highly Desirable)
• Teaching in a further or higher education environment (Desirable)
• Experience as an examinations officer or similar (Desirable)

Qualities

Empathy with international students and an awareness of their needs/challenges they face

• Commitment to safeguarding and welfare of students
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Understanding of the higher education environment (Highly Desirable)

Oxford International Education Group 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.

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.