Centre and Academic Manager

The role of Centre and Academic Manager is to embody our values and take ownership of their school, creating an environment where students will have the experience of a lifetime whilst they are studying with us. The Centre and Academic Manager will be a multi-talented, flexible and adaptable all-rounder who is able to manage all aspects of Student Services, Facilities, Sales, Marketing, Human Resources, Academics and Finance and IT at their school (with continued support from Head Office).

The Centre and Academic Manager will also establish the best possible margin whilst delivering a quality product and line manage the Student Services team ensure procedures in school are carried out in line with company practice, acting as the guardian of product quality, student experience and growth for their English Path school.

Key Responsibilities

• Ensure that all staff at their school always put students satisfaction first.
• Ensure that students are provided with an overall quality service, where expectations are not only met but regularly exceeded.
• Ensure that prevailing quality standards are achieved and always exceeded.
• To ensure that any student issues are tackled and solved in a positive way with the least possible delay guaranteeing that the interests of the schools are always protected but ensuring that the client is dealt with in a professional and effective manner.
• Work closely with the Business Development Manager/person responsible for building relationships, curriculums and assessment for University and College partnerships.

Operations:

• To analyse any negative trends in operations, quality or finance and select effective courses of action to remedy them.
• To keep up to date on the latest market trends and monitor local and national competition, in terms of pricing, brochures, services, new developments, accommodation offerings and salaries.
• Be a spokesperson and ambassador for their school when liaising with relevant stakeholders.
• To ensure that all staff have effective and productive IT equipment and systems.
• To ensure the school always has excellent facilities and those facilities are an attractive environment for students to study and live in.
• To ensure that all applicable laws, corporate standards and guidelines are adhered to at all times to safeguard the interests of the company.
• To maintain complete confidentiality of internal company information.
• To assist the Global Head of Young Learners and Global Head of Academics with managing any Young Learner camps and year-round closed groups operations, if applicable, in an effective and efficient manner.
• To manage and take part in the Emergency phone rota system.
• Occasional out-of-hours and weekend work as and if required, time off in lieu given.

Student Services

• To continually review student feedback and ensure that it meets and exceeds targets.
• Create a student-centered service team that puts students first at all times.
• To line manage the Student Services team as well as any other non-academic staff.
• To oversee the successful running of the social programme.
• Oversee English Path's Neighborhood friends scheme and ensure students and staff take an active role in the community and all community events.
• Ensure all post arrival records are kept up to date on CLASS.
• Ensure Student services are monitoring and tracking student visa applications and cancellations.
• Oversee operational aspects of the academic department such as classrooms, book orders and stationary.
• Prepare weekly/monthly numbers and report to Global Head of Academics weekly.
• Deal with student complaints with the support of the Student Services team and shorten, amend courses, input holiday as necessary on CLASS.
• Help maintain class averages at optimal levels.
• Keep the coursebook stock take up-to-date and manage budget ensuring to avoid making a loss.
• Lead on ensuring EP Riyadh is compliant and up to date with accreditation standards.
• Supports team by meeting with ad hoc walk-in enquiries/prospective students to check levels/discuss courses as required.
• Providing support, assistance, and training to teaching staff on a range of different teaching strategies and effective classroom management strategies to meet the needs of a large range of learning styles.
• Providing continued academic support and guidance to students including tutorials and study clinics; ensures the tutorials take place and are followed through by their teacher in a systematic way; offering every support to the student in his/her academic aims. Ensures that feedback from the tutorial sessions is disseminated to all relevant parties in a timely manner.
• Coordinates placement, progress and exit testing.
• Assisting with planning, preparing, and delivering induction sessions.
• Support other departments as needed e.g., cooperate with the sales team etc., represent and promote the department favourably at every opportunity as directed.
• Oversee Library and Computers, offering provision of digital and physical self-study materials to students after class. Develops self-access materials including reference materials, library books and offers advice on using materials to improve students English language.
• Resources development: ordering materials which are appropriate to the teachers and students needs on year-round courses.
• Meet publishing representatives as necessary.
• Liaises with Exam centres to help co-ordinate examination entries and certificates.
• Liaises with Accommodation staff and other administrative staff on students pastoral care, where necessary.
• Attends conferences and training days, mutually agreed upon with the GHoA.
• Regularly check that classrooms have sufficient furniture, displays, heating, air conditioning and all technology is working.
• Ensures teachers are up to date with administrative procedures including registers and progress reporting.
• Ensures teachers produce Weekly Plans and Records of Work and that these are filed and referred to systematically to avoid repetition of work.
• Arranges teaching cover when teachers are absent from work; ensuring that teachers have instructions available on what is to be taught in their absence using the Record of Work. Briefs the cover teacher accurately to ensure students have continuity of class content.
• All timetable and scheduling of teachers for EP Riyadh.
• Carries out emergency classroom teaching when required, according to the number of enrolments at the school and projects being undertaken.
• Writing and maintaining teacher handbook for EP Riyadh.

Teacher Training

• Leading EP Riyadh's CPD programme in relation to classroom methodology and best practice regarding teaching.
• Updating existing material and contributing to the ongoing innovative process of development of new programmes.
• Responsible for the allocations of teachers to classes/courses.
• Ensuring the centre runs smoothly, providing administrative and / or academic support to the centre staff as needed.
• Carries out online interviews and pre-course tests of prospective students to assess language level for visa application purposes (if required) and exam courses.

Sales and Marketing

• To be responsible for maximising local direct sales and carrying out any local marketing activity with support from Head Office.
• To support the Sales Team with up-to-date information and marketing materials as needed with support from the Marketing team.
• To represent EP at local education fairs and other local marketing activities.
• To identify and take advantage of opportunities that will assist in the growth in business.
• To review the financial performance of the school with relevant senior management on a monthly basis.
• To manage accommodation provision and take any corrective action to reverse material negative variances.
• To be partially responsible for the successful financial performance of the school.

Safeguarding and Welfare Responsibilities

The Centre Manager is the Designated Safeguarding Lead. As the designated person within the school this brings primary responsibility for putting into place procedures to safeguard students at risk, where relevant and for managing concerns about students at risk.

What we are looking for:

• Eligibility to work and live in the country.
• Proven ability to work within a team and autonomously.
• High level of proficiency in English.
• Fluency in at least one foreign language.
• Strong phone presence and experience.
• Excellent verbal and written communications skills.
• Strong listening and presentation skills.
• Ability to multi-task, prioritise, and manage time effectively.
• Experience in International Education or English Language sector.
• Experience with cross-cultural or international business relationships.
• Able to deliver and address persuasive presentations to a wide range of audiences.
• An understanding of cultural sensitivity, tact and diplomacy with the ability to remain calm in difficult situations.
• Evidence of working collaboratively with colleagues, where shared insights, priorities and activities have been developed and contributed to a plan or strategy.
• Actively seeking and acting upon feedback to improve as a professional.

Education

• Degree - Essential

Experience

• Knowledge of student visa regulations desirable.
• Previous customer service roles essential, ideally in the travel and tourism sector.
• Excellent English language knowledge and an in-depth understanding of teaching methodology in a multi-lingual environment essential.
• Structured and creative approach to lesson planning.
• A desire to continue to develop professionally and help support and develop less experienced teachers.
• Experience providing support and feedback.
• Ability to work with classroom technology with ease and creativity.