Lead for Partnership Oversight

The University of Greater Manchester is committed to delivering high-quality, well-governed higher education across our expanding global network. Our Off Campus Division is seeking a strategic and authoritative Lead for Academic Partnership Oversight to spearhead the operationalisation of our quality and compliance frameworks.

The Role

As the Lead for Academic Partnership Oversight, you will be responsible for the implementation of our ATLAS Strategy (Admissions, Teaching, Learning, Assessment, and Student Support) and the GLOBE framework across our diverse portfolio. You will act as the primary architect of our oversight mechanisms, ensuring that every partnership remains in full alignment with University Academic Regulations and the stringent requirements of the Office for Students (OfS).

This is a critical leadership role that requires a practitioner capable of navigating complex commercial negotiations while maintaining an unwavering focus on academic integrity and regulatory safety.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Oversight: Develop and implement robust quality and compliance strategies that protect the value of the University’s academic awards.

• Regulatory Leadership: Lead the Division’s response to statutory requirements, ensuring all partnership activity is mapped against OfS Conditions of Registration.

• Academic Governance: Maintain oversight over essential portfolio meetings, including Examination Boards, Partnership Development Meetings (PDMs), and Academic Misconduct Panels.

• Growth & Due Diligence: Manage the operational development of new partnerships, conducting thorough due diligence and leading commercial negotiations to ensure sustainable growth.

• Operational Excellence: Oversee the performance management of academic staff, Link Tutors, and External Examiners, ensuring that "The GM Way" of delivery is embedded across all sites.

About You

• Regulatory Expertise: You are a seasoned quality and compliance practitioner with significant, recent, and practical experience in managing UK Higher Education regulatory audits. You must be able to demonstrate a proven track record of successfully navigating OfS quality and standards reviews or similar statutory inspections.

• Technical Proficiency: You possess an expert understanding of the UK Quality Code and have direct experience in drafting and defending institutional responses to regulatory bodies.

• Strategic Mindset: You can interpret complex data and detailed regulations to mitigate risk effectively, specifically utilizing threshold trigger matrices and risk registers.

• Communication & Influence: You are an excellent communicator, capable of managing senior stakeholders and influencing partners across varied cultural and commercial backgrounds.

• Qualifications: You should hold a relevant Master’s degree. A teaching qualification or HEA Fellowship is highly desirable.