Director of Online Education, University of Roehampton

At the University of Roehampton, we recognise that our staff are essential to our success. We therefore need to attract people with the skills required to help fulfil our goals. We know that our achievements depend upon everyone working here knowing that we all have a role to play.

We would like to thank you for the interest you have shown in working for Roehampton and we look forward to receiving your completed application form.

Dear Candidate,
I am delighted to extend this warm welcome to you on behalf of the University of Roehampton Group. I invite you to delve further into the details of our exciting new Director of Online Education role within Roehampton Education Services.
If you are a dynamic and visionary leader with a passion for advancing online education, we encourage you to seize this opportunity to make a significant impact on the future of Higher Education within the University of Roehampton group.
As an agile and commercially oriented unit within the University of Roehampton, we are dedicated to providing a top-tier educational experience, with international reach, and a focus on vocational and professional learning. Your leadership will play a vital role in expanding our online education portfolio, fostering partnerships with both internal academic schools and external stakeholders, and ensuring exceptional student outcomes that align with our broader institutional goals.
In your capacity as the Director of Online Education, you will wield significant influence in shaping online education at the University of Roehampton. Your role will be pivotal in cultivating a culture of excellence, accessibility, and innovation in our online educational offer. Working closely with the Pro Vice-Chancellor and reporting directly to the Dean of Continuing Education, you will collaborate to forge strategic partnerships, define strategic direction, and oversee operational implementation.
Your responsibilities will range from nurturing strategic partnership with an Online Program Manager (OPM) provider, to assembling a team of professionals dedicated to delivering excellence in online education. Furthermore, your strategic insight will be put to the test as you lead initiatives to maintain our competitive edge in the fast-evolving online education sector.
To thrive in this role, you will need a blend of strategic foresight, managerial expertise, and a profound understanding of online education best practices. Additionally, you must demonstrate operational rigor and a proactive, 'can-do' attitude. Your ability to communicate effectively and engage with stakeholders at all levels, coupled with your commercial acumen and ability to anticipate and manage risk effectively, will be crucial to your success.
We eagerly await your application and the opportunity to welcome you to our vibrant, entrepreneurial, and dynamic community in Roehampton Education Services. Please carefully review the job description and person specification, ensuring that your application aligns with the outlined criteria. Should you have any questions or require further information, please feel free to reach out to our executive search partner, Alumni Global, who will be delighted to provide additional insights into the role.
Professor Richard A. Keogh
Pro Vice-Chancellor
(Research and External Engagement)
The University of Roehampton has a strong and fast-growing reputation for the quality of teaching and research, and is proud to have a community of talented and committed members of staff. The University is financially sound, well-governed and well-managed, with a clear sense of purpose and values. We are more popular among students than we have ever been, with robust levels of applications that have been growing year on year. Student success in key areas, such as retention and employment, has improved significantly. We have a unique and positive sense of community and tradition based on our four Colleges, which are located on a fantastic campus in south-west London.
We have a proud heritage of providing educational opportunities for people from all walks of life, from the first women to enrol in Whitelands College in 1842, to the generations of people taught since. The educational missions of our four colleges are inspired by the values of social progress. These values inform the academic life of Roehampton today, including our teaching, our research and our engagement with communities and organisations locally, nationally and internationally. We have a strong partnership with our diverse community of students, and we provide an inclusive environment in which we encourage all our students to succeed. We already deliver excellent educational outcomes, and our graduates have among the best employment rates of any modern university in London. We also have a global community of alumni, who have a strong affinity with Roehampton and our colleges and who share their expertise and knowledge with our students. Through our professional services, colleges and students’ union, we deliver an excellent wider student experience and a supportive culture, with a strong emphasis on wellbeing and personal growth.
The University Strategy
In 2019, after consultation with staff, students and stakeholders, we introduced the 2019-2025 University enabling strategies. Our enabling strategies are built on three themes, each essential to our future success and underpinned by our existing strengths. The themes are:
- Student Education; focused on delivering outstanding teaching and learning, and an excellent student experience.
- Research and Knowledge Exchange; focused on building on our diverse research profile and increasing the impact we have on society.
- Sustainability; focused on how we will grow in an environmentally sustainable way and create the financial headroom to invest for the future, developing the infrastructure we need to deliver on our strategic aims.
You can read about our enabling strategies in depth in the useful links section
Working at the University
We are based on a beautiful 54-acre parkland campus, located in the heart of south-west London and also at Croydon College. Our staff have access to excellent facilities and a generous range of staff benefits including discounted course fees, generous annual leave allowances, flexible and generous family friendly policies, relocation allowances and various in house training for academics
Diversity and Inclusion is central to everything we do. We are actively committed to promoting and participating in good practice in the way we attract and retain staff, as we appreciate the value and benefits of a truly diverse workforce. Aligned to this, you will have the opportunity to join one of our three self-organised staff networks for Black, Asian and Minority staff, Women, and LGBTQ+ staff.
We are also proud to be a top 100 Stonewall employers as well as be a Race Equality Charter member. We are also a bronze accredited Athena Swan employer
Please click to review the job description
All applications must include:
• A full curriculum vitae/resume
• Quoting the relevant role reference number: A039180
• A covering letter highlighting the aspects of the job description and the University of Roehampton that particularly attract you to the post (Microsoft Word document)
• Contact details for three referees, these will not be contacted without your permission. (References should validate a minimum period of six years employment)
• A completed Equal Opportunities Monitoring Form (which you will be redirected to once you have submitted your application) *
Monitoring
One of Alumni Global’s and the University of Roehampton’ objectives is to ensure that its workforce is reflective of the local community and therefore we actively encourage applications from under-represented groups. So that we can successfully achieve these aims, while it is not mandatory we would encourage every applicant to complete the “Equal Opportunities Monitoring form” so that we can measure the effectiveness of our efforts. The Recruiting Manager does not have access to the Monitoring Information Sections of the application form at any stage of the process and the information provided will be kept entirely confidential.
For a confidential discussion on this role please contact:
Owen Francis, Director or Ellie Hurst, Principal Researcher, on +44 7769 295 866
Candidate adjustment
If you require any reasonable adjustments to be made as part of the recruitment process please can you advise us so that we can ensure this is accommodated.
Key Milestones:
Closing date: 10th May 2024
Final Interviews: 30th and 31st May 2024
Please ensure you have made a note of the final interview date(s). We recommend that you bookmark this microsite, as any potential updates regarding the role will be posted online.
- A generous annual leave allowance, including Christmas closure plus bank holidays
- Access to the University of Roehampton Retirement Savings Pension Plan, a defined contribution scheme, provided by Royal London
- Generous family friendly policies, including enhanced maternity and paternity pay
- Discounted Gym Membership at Nuffield Health
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Service led Hybrid working
- Access to discounted electronic goods
- Free annual flu jabs
- Eyecare Scheme
- Interest free season ticket loans
- Discounted office furniture for home set ups