Director of the Syracuse University Abroad London Center

Syracuse University Abroad is seeking a dynamic Director for its prestigious London Center in Bloomsbury, London. Established in 1971 and now one of the largest U.S. university programs in the city, the Syracuse University London Center hosts around 600 students per year and offers 60-70 Syracuse University-approved courses taught by local faculty in nearly 40 different disciplines. The Center’s focus on high impact intercultural and experiential learning across the curriculum, embedded in the life of the U.K.’s dynamic capital city, makes this role an exciting opportunity for an experienced leader in the education abroad field.

Leading a permanent administrative team of 20 and a dedicated teaching faculty of 60 instructors, the Director oversees all aspects of the Center’s innovative academic programming, as well as the management of all Center operations, including student support, health and safety, human resources, facilities, legal compliance and budget oversight. 

The Director reports to the London Board of Trustees and the Assistant Provost/Executive Director of Syracuse University Abroad. As a member of the Syracuse Abroad leadership team, the Director is responsible for the Center’s strategic development in line with local opportunities and the goals, values and resources of Syracuse University Abroad (SUA). In a time of unprecedented growth and innovation within Syracuse Abroad, these strategic objectives include expanding participation and accessibility, civic engagement and public impact, sustainability, emerging technologies and local partnership development. 

The Center Director’s responsibilities:

Governance and leadership

• Oversees the day-to-day running of the Center on behalf of the Board of Trustees, the Center’s governing body
• Contributes to the Syracuse University Abroad (SUA) leadership team as the representative of the London Center
• Collaborates with fellow SUA directors on strategic planning, information sharing, promoting SUA, and implementing standards and best practices across centers
• Heads the Center’s leadership team consisting of Associate and Assistant Directors in all aspects of Center management
• Helps brand and promote London and the London Center with external and internal partners in alignment with SUA and University goals

Academic Excellence and Student Success

• Leads staff and faculty in developing awareness of evolving student needs (academic, social, mental health) and best practices in addressing them
• Maintains a collaborative, supportive culture fostering scholarly and pedagogical excellence
• Ensures the robust recruitment, retention and engagement of talented faculty
• Promotes high-impact learning across all student experiences, from housing to programming, field trips to coursework
• Works with SUA to design ways of developing and assessing intercultural competence and expanding U.S. understandings of DEIA
• Ensures robust responses to all student concerns and emergencies

Center Operations and Administration

• Provides high-level oversight and support to the Associate Director in carrying out center operations and administration
• Oversees the preparation and monitoring of the annual budgets
• Advises on job analysis and design, the organizational chart, and staff recruitment
• Collaborates in defining performance expectations, conducting performance reviews, and handling grievance and disciplinary cases
• Ensures ITS, buildings, furniture and furnishings are upgraded and maintained to a level appropriate to an educational institution and in compliance with lease and other legal obligations
• Ensures the Center updates and complies with all health and safety, and data privacy and protection policies

How to apply
Saxton Bampfylde Ltd is acting as an employment agency advisor to Syracuse University on this appointment.
Candidates should apply for this role through our website at http://www.saxbam.com/appointments using code IBKJA .
Click on the ‘apply’ button and follow the instructions to upload a CV and cover letter, and complete the online equal opportunities monitoring* form.
The closing date for applications is noon on Friday 8th March 2024.
* The equal opportunities monitoring online form will not be shared with anyone involved in assessing your application. Please complete as part of the application process.

Required Qualifications

• Ph.D. or equivalent
• At least 8 years of work experience within study abroad, international educational exchange or equivalent higher education sector
• Demonstrated senior-level leadership experience with increasing levels of responsibility, ideally within the education abroad sector  
• University teaching experience
• In-depth familiarity with U.S. higher education practices (administration, academics, institutional cultures)
• Outstanding written and verbal communication abilities to communicate effectively and appropriately with stakeholders at all organizational levels
• Proven ability to lead a team through the complexities and challenges of a constantly changing environment, including experience with successful crisis management and communications

Preferred Attributes

• Experience living, working and/or studying outside one’s home country, including professional interactions with officials and senior leaders of various types of organizations 
• Experience working with U.S. students in the abroad setting
• Prior experience supporting student health/safety/security
• Proven record of leadership and innovation in International Education
• Permission to work in the UK at the time of application 

About the Division – Syracuse University Abroad 

Syracuse University is nationally recognized for its premier, high quality, innovative education abroad programming, and is currently ranked #10 for Best Study Abroad Programs by U.S. News & WR and #7 in the Institute of International Education (IIE) Open Doors for student participation on mid-length (i.e. semester/quarter) study abroad programs, and top 20 overall. We operate six study abroad centers around the world – currently located in the EU, the UK and South America, with several centers running for 50 years or longer. Our centers abroad are supported by 35 staff in our Syracuse office working in areas of budget/finance, academics, marketing, admissions, student services, institutional relations, and administration, as well as wider campus partners and resources. There are hundreds more faculty and staff at our centers abroad. 

More about Syracuse Abroad

More about Syracuse University, a top private research university located in Syracuse, New York, U.S.A.

View Job Posting @ https://sulondon.syr.edu/about/staff/vacancies/