Junior and Year-Round Groups Director

Description

Job Purpose

The Director of Junior & Year-Round Group Programs, North America is responsible for the strategic leadership, operational management, and commercial success of Oxford International’s Junior and Year-Round Group (YRG) programs across North America. The role ensures the delivery of safe, high-quality, financially sustainable, and student-centred programs while maintaining compliance with all regulatory and organizational requirements.

The Director provides leadership across program development, operations, quality assurance, financial performance, people management, and stakeholder engagement, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and operational excellence. Working collaboratively with internal teams, agents, educational partners, and clients, the role is accountable for driving program growth, enhancing the student experience, and protecting the Oxford International brand.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership & Strategy

• Lead the strategic direction and growth of Junior and Year-Round Group Programs across North America
• Develop annual business plans, operational objectives and performance measures
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation across all programmes

Operational Management

• Oversee the planning, delivery and evaluation of residential and group programmes
• Ensure programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and in accordance with Oxford International standards
• Identify and secure suitable programme locations and oversee operational readiness

Financial Management

• Develop and manage programme budgets
• Monitor financial performance, forecasting and profitability
• Prepare regular operational and financial reports

People Leadership

• Recruit, develop and lead high-performing teams
• Manage performance, coaching, succession planning and employee relations
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration and continuous learning

Quality, Compliance & Risk

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory, safeguarding, health and safety and company requirements
• Monitor quality assurance and implement improvements
• Manage operational risk and business continuity

Stakeholder & Business Development

• Build strong relationships with clients, agents, educational partners and internal stakeholders
• Support sales, marketing and programme growth initiatives
• Represent Oxford International professionally with external partners

Student Experience

• Ensure an exceptional student experience from arrival through departure
• Oversee accommodation, activities, orientation and welfare services
• Respond appropriately to complaints and continuously improve service delivery

Sales & Business Development

• Support the Global Recruitment Team in promoting junior and Year-Round Group programmes, contributing to recruitment initiatives and enrolment growth
• Collaborate with sales and commercial teams to support market development opportunities, promotional campaigns, and recruitment activities in priority markets as business needs evolve.

Curriculum Leadership

• Lead and update local and North America curriculum in collaboration with senior academic staff
• Communicate curriculum changes to staff and leadership
• Stay informed on ELT trends and pedagogy (e.g. CEFR, GSE)

Qualities and attributes

• Dynamic and experienced educational leader with a strong background in school/camp operations, academic management, and curriculum development
• Leading academic programs, updating and implementing curriculum and supervising instructors across multiple departments

Person Specifications

Legal status

• Eligibility to work in Canada
• Clear criminal record check
• Valid driver’s license (Desirable)

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Education, Business, Hospitality, Tourism, Management or a related discipline, or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Postgraduate qualification in Education, Business, Leadership or Management (Desirable)
• Project Management qualification (Desirable)

Experience and knowledge

• Significant experience leading educational, youth, language or international student programmes
• Demonstrated experience managing operational budgets and financial performance
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams
• Experience managing multiple projects and operational priorities simultaneously
• Knowledge of safeguarding, health & safety and risk management practices
• Experience developing policies, processes, and quality assurance frameworks
• Experience working with international students, educational partners and/or agencies
• Experience within the international education sector (Desirable)
• Experience managing residential junior programmes (Desirable)
• Knowledge of Canadian and US regulatory requirements relating to international education (Desirable)
• Experience working across multiple regions and time zones (Desirable)

Skills and Abilities

• Strong leadership and people-management skills
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate strategy into operational delivery
• Strong financial, analytical and reporting skills
• Excellent organizational and project management skills
• Ability to influence and build relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Effective problem-solving and decision-making skills
• High level of proficiency in Microsoft Office and business systems
• Demonstrated ability to work flexibility and effectively under pressure during peak operational periods while maintaining high standards of service delivery
• Experience using CRM, student management or learning management systems (Desirable)
• Data analysis and business intelligence skills (Desirable)
• Commercial & Sales Excellence (Desirable)

Personal qualities

• Student and customer focused
• Demonstrates integrity, professionalism and sound judgement
• Collaborative and inclusive leadership style
• Resilient and adaptable in a fast-paced environment
• Proactive, accountable and results-oriented
• Committed to continuous improvement and innovation
• Leads by example and models OI values
• Passion for international education and cultural diversity (Desirable)
• Continuous learner with a growth mindset (Desirable)

Additional Requirements

• Flexibility is required during peak programme periods and operational events. This may include evenings, weekends, public holidays and travel to programme locations to support successful delivery.
• During the peak summer programme period, the Director is expected to provide increased operational leadership and support, which will require flexibility to work outside standard business hours, including evenings, weekends and public holidays
• Regular travel within North America is required to support programme planning, site visits and operational delivery. Occasional international travel may also be required.
• As a senior operational leader, the Director may be required to respond to urgent operational matters outside normal working hours to ensure the safety, wellbeing and success of students, staff and programmes

Disclaimer

This job description is provided as a guide to the role. It is not intended to be an exhaustive description of duties and responsibilities and may be subject to periodic revision.

As part of our recruitment process, we use AI-enabled technology to assist with tasks such as application screening and process administration. These tools are designed to support fairness and consistency, and human reviewers make all final decisions.

Oxford International is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. Recruitment checks, including checks with past employees, are undertaken in accordance with our Recruitment and Selection policy.

Oxford International is an equal opportunity employer. Every applicant and employee has the same opportunities regardless of race, colour, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status

If you require accommodations at any point during the application or hiring process, please contact nahr@oxfordinternational.com


We reserve the right to close this vacancy earlier than the advertised closing date should we receive a high volume of suitable applications. We therefore encourage interested candidates to apply as early as possible.


Oxford International Education Group is a renowned institution dedicated to providing exceptional educational experiences to international students. With a global presence and a commitment to academic excellence, we strive to empower students to achieve their full potential and thrive in a dynamic, interconnected world. We are proud of our culture and have recently been officially certified as a Great Place to Work ©!