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- Tasks: Lead regulatory operations and ensure high-quality assessments in higher education.
- Company: Join the Office for Students, the independent regulator of higher education in England.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, flexible working, and a comprehensive pension scheme.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on students' lives and shape the future of higher education.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership skills and experience in regulatory judgement and complex decision-making.
- Other info: Diverse and inclusive workplace with excellent career development opportunities.
The predicted salary is between 99412 - 104163 £ per year.
Location: Bristol
Fixed term: 12 months
Salary: £99,412 - £104,163
We are the independent regulator of higher education in England. We aim to ensure that every student, whatever their background, has a fulfilling experience of higher education that enriches their lives and careers.
The higher education sector in England is complex and diverse and the OfS’s approach to regulation recognises this. Our strategy signals a shift from an organisation in a start-up phase to an established regulator that understands its regulatory tools and how best to use them to shape incentives across the sector we regulate. We work to ensure that students in England enjoy higher education provision that is high quality; that their access to opportunity, success and progression is not limited by background, location or characteristics; and that providers are well and sustainably led.
We are looking to fill a vital role within our Regulation directorate as part of our senior team. This is one of a number of agile roles leading our frontline regulation with a broad remit. They have responsibility for a significant portfolio of work across conditions of registration, quality, equality, skills and pathways and funding.
The current portfolios we are focused on are:
- Quality assessment and degree awarding powers: This senior role provides strategic leadership for our work assessing the quality of providers seeking registration and for those applying for degree awarding powers. You will guide teams responsible for delivering robust and high-quality assessments, as well as engage with providers and a range of external stakeholders. This is an opportunity to shape regulatory practice at a national level - ensuring that providers meet the high standards students and the public expect and enabling informed, evidence-based decisions at the heart of the OfS’s regulatory mission.
Further information on our work in these areas can be found here: Quality and standards assessments for providers applying to register - Office for Students and Degree awarding powers - Office for Students.
If you would like an informal conversation about the role, please get in touch with our Recruitment team (Recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk) to arrange.
You will be people focused, committed to our mission of driving positive outcomes for students, and able to work at pace within complex and ambiguous environments. Regardless of the focus of your portfolio, you will be an experienced leader of people and able to demonstrate an ability to motivate, develop and deliver exceptional results through people across an organisation. You will be comfortable making complex risk-based decisions, often in novel circumstances, and will be able to quickly grasp the regulatory and legal frameworks under which the OfS carries out its duties. You will understand the role and value of a regulator and, regardless of your professional background, show an understanding of how effective regulation works in practice. How we do things is as important to us as what we do, and your approach will be grounded in our strategic attitudes - being ambitious, collaborative, vigilant, and vocal.
Person specification – essential criteria:
- Demonstrable good regulatory judgement, including in relation to risk, and ability to work creatively with qualified lawyers.
- Demonstrable ability to design and implement effective regulation on the basis of a legal framework.
- Demonstrable ability to reach and convey impartial, reliable and legally-robust judgements on the basis of complex and imperfect information, and in novel circumstances.
- Demonstrable intellectual credibility, analytical capability with the ability to think strategically and take a broad view of issues, events and activities and understand their likely impact or wider implications.
- Demonstrable ability to work comfortably with high levels of complexity and ambiguity.
- Demonstrable ability to lead regulatory operations to deliver significant regulatory interventions at pace, including across professional functions.
- Demonstrable ability to develop, lead and manage a team of expert regulators in a complex and ambiguous environment to make reliable judgements about regulatory risk.
- Demonstrable ability to develop quickly a comprehensive and sophisticated technical knowledge and understanding of the areas in which the OfS regulates individual providers.
Shortlisting will be carried out using criteria 2, 3, 4, 7 and 8 within the Person specification. Applicants should ensure they address these points fully in their application.
Person specification – desirable criteria:
- Experience in the higher education sector, or of leading assessment, investigation or inspection processes.
- Experience of developing evidence-based policy and/or the mechanisms to support implementation of new and evolving policy.
Working for us: The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do. We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex and sexual orientation.
Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that it can enable people to work more effectively. A set of organisation-wide principles shape our approach to flexible and hybrid working, which our teams then use as guidance on how they deliver their business goals. This would usually mean working from the office for two to three days in a typical week. To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants, flexible working, for example job share and part time working, apply to this role.
In addition, our Total Reward Framework offers a range of benefits to suit your way of life. These include comprehensive learning and development, annual leave starting at 25 days’ per year (plus public holidays), access to the highly regarded Civil Service pension scheme and a variety of health benefits.
To find more about the OfS and our work, visit Home - Office for Students.
We are committed to ensuring our recruitment process is accessible to everyone. If you require any reasonable adjustments to support you through the application stage, please contact us at recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk and we will be happy to help.
Closing date for applications: Noon Monday 13 April
Interviews: From 5 May
For information: the OfS does not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence.
Head of Regulatory Function employer: Office for Students
Contact Detail:
Office for Students Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Regulatory Function
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the higher education sector, especially those who work in regulatory roles. A casual chat can lead to valuable insights and even job leads.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by understanding the OfS's mission and values. Show us how your experience aligns with our goals of ensuring high-quality education for all students.
✨Tip Number 3
Don’t just focus on your qualifications; highlight your leadership skills and ability to navigate complex situations. We want to see how you can motivate teams and drive results.
✨Tip Number 4
Apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves, and you’ll be one step closer to joining our mission!
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Regulatory Function
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to highlight how your experience aligns with the specific requirements of the Head of Regulatory Function role. Use keywords from the job description to show that you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: Since this is a senior role, it's crucial to demonstrate your leadership capabilities. Share examples of how you've motivated and developed teams in complex environments, as this will resonate well with us.
Address the Essential Criteria: Pay close attention to the essential criteria listed in the person specification. Make sure you address each point clearly in your application, as this is how we'll shortlist candidates.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply through our website for a smoother process. It’s the best way to ensure your application gets the attention it deserves, and you'll find all the necessary details there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Office for Students
✨Know Your Regulatory Stuff
Make sure you brush up on the regulatory frameworks relevant to higher education. Understand how they impact the OfS's mission and be ready to discuss how your experience aligns with these regulations.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare examples that highlight your ability to lead teams in complex environments. Think about times when you've motivated others or delivered results under pressure, as this role requires strong leadership capabilities.
✨Be Ready for Complex Scenarios
Expect questions that test your judgement in ambiguous situations. Practice articulating your thought process when faced with complex information, and how you would make reliable decisions based on that.
✨Emphasise Collaboration and Communication
The OfS values collaboration, so be prepared to discuss how you've worked effectively with diverse stakeholders. Highlight your communication skills and how you ensure everyone is on the same page during regulatory processes.