Academic Director (Global Essay Prize & unDebating Championship) in Oxford

The John Locke Institute is an independent educational organisation dedicated to inspiring and equipping exceptional students for academic and intellectual success. Through our prestigious summer schools, essay competitions, and residential courses in Oxford, Princeton, Georgetown, Singapore, Nanjing, Dubai, and Hong Kong, we cultivate a rigorous learning environment that fosters critical thinking, intellectual humility, and open‑minded discourse. Our programmes bring together talented students and distinguished faculty, offering a unique platform for academic challenge and personal growth. By engaging with complex ideas and refining their reasoning skills, students develop the confidence to excel in their academic and professional journeys.

Position Summary

The John Locke Institute is looking to appoint an exceptional Academic Director to lead the Institute’s academic programmes and oversee our two student competitions: the Global Essay Prize and the unDebating Championship. Academic Directors are responsible for the leadership of the Institute’s summer schools and intellectual life. Under the strategic direction of the Senior Academic Director, they design curricula, oversee faculty and preceptors, uphold the Institute’s distinctive pedagogical standards, and ensure the intellectual rigour of our teaching.

The Academic Director serves as Senior Programme Director (Academic Host) at four academic residential programmes per year, in addition to teaching at other programmes led by different Academic Directors. As Senior Programme Director, you will serve as the senior member of a three-person leadership team at each summer school, working alongside the Events Manager and Residential Director. In addition, this Academic Director takes direct responsibility for the John Locke Institute’s Global Essay Prize and the John Locke Institute’s unDebating Championship.

Key Responsibilities

• Academic Leadership at Summer Schools
  • Lead the academic programme as Programme Director at four summer schools annually.
  • Create detailed timetables for summer schools, coordinating lecture titles, descriptions, and pre‑reading.
  • Liaise with faculty on biographies, safeguarding training, contracts, payments, travel, and hospitality.
  • Introduce faculty, set the intellectual tone at the summer school, and ensure seminars and precepts meet the Institute’s standards.
  • Deliver the welcome lecture, valedictory lecture, and some of the precepts (small discussion groups).
  • Oversee the grading of students, ensuring consistent and accurate assessment.
• Faculty, Preceptors, and Pedagogy
  • Recruit, train, and supervise guest lecturers, preceptors (graduate students and early‑career academics), and interns.
  • Observe and assess preceptors' teaching, and ensure they contribute to both pre‑programme and post‑programme online seminars.
  • Enforce the Institute’s distinctive pedagogical house style.
  • Gather structured feedback from students and faculty, and liaise with Marketing and Admissions to act on it.
• Admissions
  • Conduct admissions interviews, modelling the Institute’s intellectual tone and expectations.
  • Liaise with the Admissions Team to secure the very best candidates, irrespective of family means.
• Teaching, Content, and Research
  • Teach at eight to ten summer schools per year (lectures, seminars, precepts, tutorials).
  • Contribute to research projects, including commissioning and editing policy papers.
• Director of the John Locke Institute’s Global Essay Prize
  • Oversee the world’s leading essay competition, protecting its integrity whilst expanding its scope.
  • Recruit and coordinate with examiners, managing the examination process with timely results.
  • Suggest annual essay questions in collaboration with subject experts.
  • Interview shortlisted candidates to verify authenticity of submissions.
  • Coordinate with the Academic Administrator to manage logistics, communications, and winner announcements.
  • Develop strategies to expand the competition's reach while maintaining rigorous standards.
• Director of the John Locke Institute’s unDebating Championship
  • Establish and manage the Institute's competitive debating competition.
  • Recruit judges and train them in the Institute's distinctive approach to debate.
  • Set debate topics that reflect current policy debates and intellectual challenges.
  • Develop scoring criteria that reflect the Institute's commitment to rigorous argumentation and intellectual humility.
  • Work with the Academic Administrator to manage registrations, communications, and event logistics across international locations.
  • Build partnerships with schools and institutions to expand participation.

Qualifications & Experience

• Exceptional academic credentials in philosophy, politics, economics, history, law, or a related discipline (doctorate preferred).
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching and mentoring outstanding students.

Skills & Attributes for Success

• Strong editorial judgment, intellectual range, and clarity of written expression.
• Diplomatic, confident, and persuasive; able to uphold high standards while nurturing young talent.
• Willingness to travel internationally and work intensively during summer periods.

What We Offer

• Work from Anywhere: Work from anywhere in the world (except the British Virgin Islands).
• Travel to some of our residential programmes in locations such as Oxford, Cambridge, Boston, Princeton, Washington DC, Dubai, Singapore and Hong Kong.
• Inspiring Work: Engage with bright students and leading academics from top universities worldwide.
• Mission‑Driven Work: Be part of an organization dedicated to inspiring the next generation of thinkers.
• Supportive Team: Work alongside a highly talented and motivated team dedicated to your success.
• Creative Freedom: Your ideas and initiatives are valued—we encourage innovation.