Job Location:
Milton Keynes, Remote/Hybrid
Department:
Student Policy, Compliance and Casework
Weekly Working Hours:
37
Contract Type:
Permanent
Change your career, change lives
The Open University is the UK’s largest university, a world leader in flexible part‑time education combining a mission to widen access to higher education with research excellence, transforming lives through education. Find out more about us and our mission by watching this short video (you will be taken to YouTube by clicking this link).
About the Role
As Manager, Policy Compliance, the role holder will work within Student Support, in Academic Services, and provide leadership, supervision, and support to members of the Student Policy & Compliance Services Team. The main functions of this role are to ensure Student Policy is compliant with university policy, UK law, and the requirements of relevant external bodies such as the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) obligations under consumer protection law. The role focuses on the compliance of student policy and contractual documentation based on user needs, business requirements, and student feedback. The role holder will support ensuring that student policy remains compliant with both internal and external requirements, and will also support ensuring that strategic decisions and change activities across the university take account of any applicable compliance risks, mitigating them where appropriate.
Key Responsibilities
* Collaborate with colleagues in Student Support, across Academic Services, OUVP, CIO portfolio, PVC Students, Faculties, and others to ensure that the University’s student support provision is compliant with University Policy, the requirements of HE regulatory bodies, UK law, and quality frameworks including Matrix and QAA.
* Coordinate policy change projects.
* Support the Assistant Director, Student Policy & Compliance Services in matters related to policy and compliance.
* Assist in the proactive management of changes to policy, curriculum, and legislation, taking a risk‑based approach to analysing the impact for students and reporting to appropriate Senior Staff.
* Ensure that all changes to policies and the curriculum are recorded so that students can easily track all the changes that have affected their study.
* Provide expertise within projects and other developments that relate to student policy and compliance, offering advice on risk management, direction, and information where there are compliance requirements.
* Provide line management for staff who assist in the work above, including career development and pastoral support.
About You
* Strong data analysis skills and the ability to conduct advanced data analysis to assess risk, inform policy decisions, and ensure compliance with regulatory requirements.
* Advanced reporting skills and the ability to develop comprehensive reports that clearly communicate findings and recommendations to stakeholders.
* Highly developed problem‑solving skills and the ability to address complex compliance issues with innovative, pragmatic, and effective solutions.
* Strong ability to support thorough investigations into compliance breaches and develop strategies to prevent future occurrences.
* Possess experience in leading and managing teams to ensure compliance with recognised standards.
* Exhibit an analytical mind, capable of lateral thinking to solve problems, make sound, evidence‑based decisions, and work confidently on own initiative within tight time constraints.
* Display highly developed interpersonal skills, excellent communication and presentation abilities, with the capacity to influence, establish credibility, and assert authority.
* Ability to build and maintain effective, genuine, and open long‑term relationships with external and internal stakeholders, working cooperatively across institutional boundaries to improve compliance with policy and service to students.
* Demonstrate proven organisational skills, with the ability to prioritise, use tact and judgement, and adapt flexibly to changing requirements.
* Ability to carry out the role in a way that is consistent with equality legislation and University policies.
* Strong commitment to excellence in working with a diverse student population.
* Detailed consumer law knowledge and the ability to apply in‑depth understanding of external requirements (e.g. Competition & Markets Authority) to a range of audiences to mitigate risk and/or ensure organisational compliance and protect consumer rights.
What’s in it for you?
At The Open University, we offer a range of benefits to recognise and reward great work, alongside policies and flexible working that contribute towards a great work‑life balance. Get all the details of the benefits we offer by visiting our Staff Benefits page (clicking this link will open a new window).
We are open to discussions about flexible working. Whether it’s a job share, part time, compressed hours or another working arrangement, please reach out to us to discuss what works best for you.
Work location
The role is contractually aligned to our Milton Keynes office, but a hybrid working pattern can be adopted. You are expected to attend the office at least once per month and as business needs require.
Equity, diversity and inclusion
The Open University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion which is reflected in our mission to be open to people, places, methods and ideas. We aim to foster a diverse and inclusive environment so that all in our OU community can reach their potential. We recognise that different people bring different perspectives, ideas, knowledge, and culture, and that this difference brings great strength. We strive to recruit, retain and develop the careers of a diverse pool of students and staff, and particularly encourage applications from all underrepresented groups. We also aspire to make The Open University a supportive workplace for all through our policies, services and staff networks.
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