Job Purpose:
The Operations Manager provides operational management to existing business partnerships with Rest of World (RoW). It delivers effective advice, guidance and support of operational processes with partners to enhance program delivery and student experience. It is part of the BAU team.
This role works seamlessly with the Academic Manager and the Quality and Progression Manager for existing business partnerships, with oversight from the Partner Liaison and Operations Director to enable the working model to operate effectively.
It facilitates and reviews partnership operations regularly to ensure delivery standards are achieved, and the partner is fully supported.
Key Responsibilities:
Operational Excellence:
· Leads operational excellence for existing partnerships as part of the BAU team to enable the working model to operate effectively, whilst collaborating with the Academic Manager and the Quality and Progression Manager.
- Maintains ongoing operational advice, guidance and support of operational processes with partners to enhance program delivery and student experience. This includes ongoing training and refresh training for partner staff: Handbooks, class arrangement, class delivery, technical support, student progression, and student welfare.
- Contributes to continuous improvement of BAU operations.
- Develops and implements plans and programs to improve operational excellence.
Partnerships, Relationship Management and Communication:
· Builds and maintains effective working partnership relationships with partners.
· Is the first point of contact for existing partner institutions, addressing inquiries and concerns of BAU matters.
· Maintains a constructive relationship with partners and resolves operational issues respectfully.
· Collaborates with partners to identify areas for program improvement.
· Builds and maintains strong and effective internal and external relationships with stakeholders to promote Study Group’s profile.
- Establishes and maintains effective internal working relationships, credibility and with colleagues.
- Presents with credibility, engages varied audiences and tests levels of understanding.
- Translates technical and complex information concisely.
- Speaks and writes fluently and persuasively, adjusting style and approach to optimize outcomes.
Business and Data Insights, and Technology
· Contributes to the business performance, achieving deliverables, and monitoring partner performance.
· Uses data insights to identify trends and monitor performance.
· Utilises technology to enable partners, their teams and students to enable them to achieve international pathways education outcomes.
Compliance, Quality Assurance and Progression
· Supports the compliance, quality assurance and progression for partner delivery.
· Liaises with the Compliance, Quality Assurance and Progression Associate Director on operational issues of quality assurance standards and regulatory requirements, and to support compliance activities, such as audit the school for facilities, quality, teaching, academic integrity on-site etc.
· Meets with partners regularly to advise, guide and monitor.
· Supports all aspects of partner delivery and facilitates a sound student experience and strong student outcomes.
· Supports periodic audits by internal departments and external authorities.
· Safeguarding of students and ensures that safe and healthy work practices are followed and that partnership policies and procedures, relevant work standards and statutory obligations are complied with.
Continuous Improvement
· Contributes to a culture of continuous improvement and enable identify and implement improvements across operations, systems, processes and methodology.
Organisational Compliance:
The position holder must comply with, role model and hold people accountable to Study Group policies and applicable laws including those in relation, but not limited to: Workplace Health and Safety; Anti-Discrimination and Harassment, Anti-Bribery and Anti-Corruption and those specifically relevant to the position and authority of the role.
Additionally, this role will:
· Contributes to Quality and Compliance reporting as required.
· Supports systems and processes that are in place to meet regulations and requirements.
· Supports the implementation of an operational risk management plan.
· Cooperates with internal audits and contributes to improvements and developments in system, process and policy to keep abreast of regulatory changes.
· Cooperates with external audits and liaise with relevant bodies.
SELECTION CRITERIA:
Qualifications & Training
· Essential: Relevant undergraduate degree in education, business administration or similar.
· Desirable: Postgraduate qualification in business administration, education or similar.
Experience Required:
· Demonstrated management experience in the international or pathway, or education sector, university, or a related commercial sector.
· Experience of partnership relationships at senior leadership and middle management levels within organisations.
· Experienced partnership relationship leader or manager.
· Good knowledge of operational frameworks, compliance needs in the partner’s country (e.g. China, SE Asia) and preferably of those relevant from the UK.
· Demonstrated political awareness and skilled in navigating complex organisations, with gravitas and interpersonal relationship strengths.
· Good understanding of international perspectives on education.
· Alignment with corporate values and principles of #one team.
Knowledge/Skills:
· Business level language skills in English and Chinese essential, and other languages may be considered.
· Operational excellence skills and experience, and sound planning skills.
· Able to consult with colleagues and stakeholders.
· Basic project management skills
· Good organizational skills and time management
· Commercial acumen and able to analyse data, draw findings and trends.
· Professional level communication skills, speaking, presenting and writing fluently, with the ability to flex to different audiences.
· Skilled in managing conflict and bringing to closure contentious issues.
· Sound negotiation skills and able to advocate on behalf of an organization.
· Good relationship building skills with proven ability to develop and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
· Good understanding of education quality assurance and compliance frameworks and their application.
· Proven organisational, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
· Understanding of the broader operational and cultural nature of large tertiary organisations in partner countries such as China, SE Asia and the wider political environment.
· Motivated, self-directed, committed to continuous improvement, positive and enthusiastic
· Capable of understanding educational products and stakeholder needs such as the community, business, and professional.
· Broad knowledge of the international context of higher education and the business, government and industry context in which students/graduates will study, eg. China, UK, SE Asia, ANZ, USA.
