My client, a well-established and growing higher education provider, is seeking to appoint a Head of Operations – Academic to lead academic, quality, and institutional operations during a period of strategic growth. This is a senior leadership role with a clearly defined pathway to Director level, based on performance and impact.
Responsibilities Providing values‑led leadership across academic, quality, and institutional operations teams, driving accountability, clarity, and high performance
Leading programme development, validation, and expansion, with a particular focus on Allied Health and postgraduate provision aligned to market demand
Overseeing academic governance and quality assurance, ensuring full compliance with regulatory and awarding body requirements
Strengthening institutional operations and student‑facing processes to deliver a consistent, high‑quality learner experience
Using academic data, learner outcomes, and performance metrics to inform decision‑making and identify opportunities and risks
Working cross‑functionally with Finance, Admissions, Marketing, and Student Services to ensure alignment and shared ownership of academic direction
Championing digital transformation across academic and operational systems to improve efficiency and effectiveness
Representing the organisation externally at sector forums, conferences, and partner meetings
Embedding and modelling behaviours that support a collaborative, student‑centred culture
Candidate Qualifications An experienced academic leader with a strong belief in the transformative power of education
Strategically minded with the operational capability to translate vision into delivery
Confident navigating the Irish higher education landscape, including regulatory and awarding body frameworks
A strong communicator with the ability to build trust and credibility across teams and stakeholders
A mentor and people leader who supports teams to achieve high standards and continuous improvement
Ambitious, with a clear desire and readiness to progress into a Director‑level role
Requirements A Master's degree (essential); Doctorate or senior leadership qualification (desirable)
Minimum 5 years' experience in academic leadership, including programme development and quality assurance
Strong knowledge of the Irish higher education system and compliance environment
Experience within private higher education (desirable)
Financial awareness and operational capability
A proven track record of improving quality, performance, or learner outcomes
A structured, values‑led leadership style
Benefits A senior leadership role with a defined progression route to Director level
Opportunity to shape academic strategy and institutional operations during a period of growth
High levels of influence and autonomy
A collaborative, values‑driven culture with a strong focus on learner impact
Hybrid working
For a confidential discussion and more information on the role, please contact Sarra Hadi
sarra.hadi@collinsmcnicholas.ie
090-6478104
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