Head of Regulatory Portfolio
Salary: £82,082-£86,006plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension
Fixed term contract : 12 months
Location :Bristol
About us
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 theOfS’sapproach to regulation recognises this.Ourstrategy 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 sectorweregulate.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,locationor characteristics; and that providers are well and sustainably led.
About the role
As part of our continuing regulatorywork,we arelookingfora‘Head ofPortfolio’role within ourregulationdirectorate. This roleis one of a number of agile roles responsible for deliveringourcore regulatory workfor a particular aspect of the regulatory system.
As a Head of Regulatory Portfolio, youcan expect to be leading a teamdelivering case work,monitoringand leading the assessment ofcompliance of providers,and developing ourregulatoryapproaches. The post holder will have lead responsibility for a portfolio of assessments leading to the potential award of Degree Awarding Powers (DAPs). You will take responsibility for team and case progress, managing risks and timely completion of assessments and ensuring the quality of reports. You will also be a member of the senior management team that leads policy development, planning and delivery across our quality-related work strands.
About you
Key to success in this role will be your ability to understand and interpret complex regulatory and legal frameworks, regardless ofwhether or notyou havepreviousexperience working in a regulator,in order toreach fair, evidence-based judgements on complex issues.You will be equally adept at quicklyadapting to working within higher education and able to learn and understand the key issues and challenges facing the sector.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 todemonstratean ability to motivate, develop and deliver exceptional results through people across an organisation. 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, andyour approach will be grounded in our strategic attitudes - being ambitious, collaborative, vigilant, and vocal.
We are interested in hearing from candidates with experience of working in relevant roles in the higher education sector, as wellasthose whohave experience of other regulators or regulated environments.We are particularly interested in hearing from candidates withpreviousexperience inassessing quality and standards withinhigher education.
Person specification – essential criteria
- Demonstrable ability to understand and interpret complex regulatory and/or legal frameworks to develop strategic and operational approaches.
- Demonstrable ability to develop case strategy and reach and convey impartial, risk-based,reliableandlegallyrobustjudgementson the basis ofcomplex and imperfect information, and in novel and ambiguous circumstances.
- Demonstrable ability to develop quickly a comprehensive technical knowledge and understanding of the areas in which theOfSregulates individual providers.
- Demonstrable intellectual credibility, analytical capability with the ability to take a broad view of issues, events and activities and understandtheirlikely impactor wider implications.
- Demonstrable ability to lead a team of multi-disciplinary experts to work flexibly in a complex and ambiguous environment.
Shortlisting will be carried out using criteria1, 2, 4 and 5within thisperson specification. Applicants should ensure they address these points fully in their application.
Person specification – desirable criteria
- Demonstrable ability to influence a diverse set of external stakeholders through complex and contentious issues.
- Demonstrable experience delivering organisational change to processes,cultureand delivery.
Application Process
When applying for the role, you will be requiredtosubmita CV and a covering letter. Your covering letter should be no more than 1,500 words and mustdemonstratehow your skills and experience align with the person specification criteria1, 2, 4 and 5.
Artificial Intelligence can be a useful tool to support your application, however, all examples and statements provided must be truthful, factually accurate and taken directly from your own experience. Where plagiarism has been identified (presenting the ideas and experiences of others, or generated by artificial intelligence, as your own) applications may be withdrawn_._
Working for us
TheOfSregulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives,experienceand 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,sexandsexual orientation.
Flexibility is important to theOfS, 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 twoto threedays 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.
As this is afixedterm role, weare open tosecondment arrangements fromotherregulatory or public sector bodies.For more information, please contact recruitmentteam@officeforstudents.org.uk
Reasonable adjustments
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: Friday 23 October at noon
Interviews are planned from week commencing 9th November
For information:theOfSdoes not hold a UK Visa & Immigration (UKVI) Skilled Worker Sponsor Licence.
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Head of Regulatory Portfolio employer: OFS
The Office for Students in Bristol is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment that fosters collaboration and innovation. With a strong commitment to employee development, you will have access to numerous growth opportunities while contributing to meaningful regulatory advancements in higher education. Our inclusive culture prioritises work-life balance and encourages diverse perspectives, making it a rewarding place to build your career.
