Regional Director of Operations, Europe

Location: Remote, within IFSA’s Europe Portfolio (UK, Ireland, Spain, Italy, Czech Republic)

Salary and Benefits: Salary is commensurate with skills and experience, and geographic location. Benefits vary by country; enjoy flexible work arrangements and an appreciation for work/life balance; support for ongoing professional development.

Reports to: AVP, Global Operations (Based in the UK)

Position Overview

Do you enjoy being a part of a student’s journey of personal, academic and intercultural growth? 

Are you a life-long learner, curious about the world around you? 

Are you ready to bring your unique skills to a mission-driven organization?

If so, we would love to welcome you to our global community!

The Regional Director of Operations (RDO), Europe position serves as the key managerial leader for the IFSA Europe portfolio. Supervising a team of country-based directors (team of 5-7), the RDO, Europe will be responsible for the strategic development and leadership of all IFSA programs in our Europe region including: overseeing the team’s day-to-day program administration; providing academic and cultural support to staff; relationship management with host universities and other partners; and overseeing the development and evolution of academic curriculum and co-curriculum. This position works closely with the Associate Vice President of Global Operations (AVP-GO); VP of Academic Programs; the Academic Affairs Team; the Health, Safety and Wellbeing Team; Global Operations; RDO’s for LATAM and APAC; and other IFSA departments on all aspects of program management (Institutional Relations, Finance, Marketing, and Student Engagement).

IFSA (Institute for Study Abroad), a US-based nonprofit organization, creates global learning environments to help students gather the critical perspectives, knowledge, and skills essential for future success. We believe that a global learning experience is an essential part of a student’s learning journey.  With innovative programming and world-class support, IFSA delivers future-focused study abroad options in 19 countries and 48 cities around the globe.  Our commitments to inclusive excellence, intercultural agility, individualized learning and enduring impact  are present in every aspect of our programs.  

Learn more about IFSA at https://www.ifsa-butler.org/

In this position, your responsibilities will include:

• Leadership & General Administration
  • Contribute leadership and vision to the development of strategic priorities for the organization.
  • Serve as a primary contributor and thought leader for the regional programs, planning and execution in close partnership with other IFSA departments. Present data and data-driven recommendations to AVP-GO to support decision-making on key issues.
  • In collaboration with other Regional Directors of Operations and in consultation with the AVP-GO, work to align the IFSA student experience across the regions.
• Program Management and Development
  • Maintain the highest standards of academic and program quality across offerings.
  • Partner with internal IFSA stakeholders to evaluate continuously programs through observation, review of student evaluations each term, and discussions with local staff, students, and visitors; manage the identification and operationalization of action items arising from these evaluations.
  • Nurture host university relationships; negotiate new and renewed contracts with universities and other partners in consultation with the AVP-GO.
• Staff Management
  • Supervise country-based Directors and other resident staff as needed; provide regular feedback and coaching; conduct performance evaluations.
  • In consultation with the AVP-GO, oversee the recruitment, hiring, and training of staff and faculty.
  • Ensure all staff can articulate and carry out IFSA’s commitments; pass on training to region staff.
  • Provide leadership, crisis management, and assistance to staff during student incidents.
• Financial Management
  • Understand legal guidelines, accreditation, and liability issues for all programs within their designated region.
  • Oversee and manage within the region obligations and requirements pertaining to workspaces, classrooms and other meeting rooms for program and business needs, and student accommodation / housing in consultation with AVP-GO and the IFSA Executive leadership.
  • Ensure overhead spending is leveraging highest levels of efficacy for spend regarding fiscal responsibility, seasonal flexibility, reduction of risk to IFSA, and alignment with business and program continuity.
• Outreach & Organizational Ambassadorship
  • Oversee your team’s preparation for and hosting of site visits from U.S. universities and other academic guests and partners.
  • Lead occasional group site seminars for university representatives or recruiting teams.
  • Develop a comprehensive community relations plan in line with IFSA’s goal to foster significant exchange and interaction between IFSA students and members of all community cohorts throughout the region. 
• Marketing
  • Support the production of IFSA promotional materials by providing updates and content for catalogs, web site pages, bulletins, handbooks, arrival information, orientation information, pre-departure reading list, course syllabi, instructor CVs, and other information as requested.
• Other Duties as Assigned 

Requirements, Work Experience and Education

• Master’s Degree or Bachelor’s degree and equivalent of 15 years of professional experience required
• Significant supervisory or leadership experience, with progressively responsible higher education administration experience, strongly preferred from the international education fields
• Deep knowledge of higher education systems and environments in the region and USA
• Ability to engage with and support students with diverse lived experiences including students of color, students with hidden and physical disabilities, first-generation college students, LGBTQIA+ students, and beyond
• Strong time management skills and the ability to execute time-sensitive projects successfully
• Evidence of superior interpersonal, presentation, and writing skills, with a demonstrated ability to communicate complex concepts to audiences of various knowledge levels and backgrounds
• Ability to lead teams inclusively and effectively
• Evidence of innovation and initiative in prior work, including the ability to propose and implement strategies to support organizational priorities
• Ability to function well in complex institutional framework 
• Superior judgment when dealing with confidential information
• Must have legal right to work in the country of hire 

We know there are great candidates who won’t check all of these boxes, and we also know you might bring important perspectives, experiences and skills that we haven’t considered. If this describes you, please don’t hesitate to apply and tell us about yourself.

Physical and Work Environment  

• Working on a computer, making phone/video calls, updating systems and files.
• Flexible work schedules with some weekend hours.
• Required to navigate around the city and countryside, potentially outdoors in the heat or cold
• Additional occasional required travel may include within Europe, or to other IFSA sites around the world.
• Occasional physical activities such as arranging chairs/tables in conference room settings.
• Ability to attend regular meetings outside of local business hours, due to the global nature of our operations

To Apply 

To apply, please submit your cover letter and resume for this position via IFSA’s career page by clicking on the 'Apply' button above.

In your cover letter, please offer a compelling “Why” statement as to your suitability to the role using the job responsibilities and organizational commitments as a framework.

Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled. 

IFSA is an equal opportunity employer, and our hiring process is inclusive of all genders and gender expressions, races and ethnicities, ages, religions and sexualities as well as veterans and people with disabilities.