Associate Director (Global Operations)

About us

UCL is a radically different university. Founded in 1826 in the heart of London, we were the first in England to welcome students of any religion and the first to admit women to university education. Today, we are a world-leading, research-intensive institution with over 50,000 students, 17,000 staff, and an annual turnover exceeding £1 billion. UCL is consistently ranked among the top ten universities globally.

This is an exciting opportunity to join UCL’s Global Engagement team, part of the Office of the Vice-Provost (Research, Innovation & Global Engagement) (RIGE). The team supports UCL’s international partnerships and helps to deliver impact through global collaborations. It comprises professionals with expertise in partnership development, global communications, geo-political analysis, and strategic operations.

About the role

We are seeking an exceptional individual for the newly created post of Associate Director (Global Operations), offered on a two-year fixed-term contract. Reporting to the Director of Global Engagement, this senior role will be pivotal in shaping and delivering UCL’s next phase of global partnership activity.

Since 2015, UCL has implemented its Global Engagement Strategy (GES), with a strong focus on impact through partnership. Having established a robust network of academic collaborations across the world, we are now prioritising a small number of strategic partnerships to develop large-scale, institution-level initiatives. These may involve co-developing physical overseas presences with international partners, aimed at advancing shared academic goals in research, education, and innovation.

The Associate Director (Global Operations) will lead the development and operational delivery of these complex and high-profile initiatives, initially focusing on projects in China and India. This includes working closely with senior stakeholders across UCL and with international partners to develop and secure approval for business cases, establish governance frameworks, and oversee operational setup for potential in-country presences.

The role also involves managing legal frameworks, staffing and secondments, financial planning, compliance, and communications. It requires a highly strategic thinker with outstanding leadership, project management, and stakeholder engagement capabilities, alongside a strong grasp of the opportunities and challenges inherent in international academic collaboration.

About you

You will be a strategic and collaborative leader with a strong track record of delivering complex international projects in large or matrix organisations. You’ll bring a deep understanding of the global higher education landscape and the ways in which globalisation influences institutional priorities.

Your excellent interpersonal and communication skills will enable you to build credibility at all levels, influence diverse stakeholders, and foster productive cross-functional teams. Experience in establishing overseas campuses, centres, or operational presences - ideally involving coordination across legal, financial, HR, and academic domains - is highly desirable.

You will possess sound judgement, emotional intelligence, and the ability to lead negotiations, manage risk, and produce persuasive, commercially astute business cases. A confident facilitator and motivator, you will be comfortable overseeing delivery across multiple workstreams, and working in partnership to realise UCL’s global ambitions.

Customer advert reference: B09-01231

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