International Placements Manager

Full Job Description

International Placements Manager

Blenheim Schools – part of Outcomes First Group

Salary: £55,000 per annum plus benefits

Contract: Permanent

Location: Home based with regular travel (driving licence and access to own vehicle required)

In 2025, Outcomes First Group were officially certified as a ‘Great Place to Work’ for the sixth year running.

Outcomes First Group is the largest independent provider of high-quality special needs education and care in the UK. We deliver research-led, personalised education that helps every child thrive.

Our vision is to empower every child with a world-class education that nurtures potential and inspires lifelong learning. Our mission is to unlock that potential through personalised learning and opportunity, and our promise is simple: we listen, work together, and hold each other accountable to make the remarkable happen.

The Role

Blenheim Schools, the all-ability schools group within Outcomes First Group, is seeking an experienced International Placements Manager to provide operational oversight, governance and compliance assurance for international student placements across its schools.

This is not a business development, admissions or growth role. Blenheim Schools supports a small cohort of international students (circa 35), and the focus of this position is on safely and compliantly managing existing placements, ensuring robust safeguarding, regulatory compliance and clear governance arrangements.

The role acts as the organisational lead for international placement compliance, working closely with schools and central teams to establish clear frameworks, provide expert guidance and deliver assurance to senior leadership.

This position is well suited to an experienced compliance, governance or operational risk professional from a regulated environment who is confident operating autonomously across multiple sites.

Key Responsibilities

International placement oversight

• Hold operational responsibility for the oversight and coordination of international student placements across Blenheim Schools
• Ensure placements are appropriately assessed, approved, monitored and reviewed in line with regulatory and safeguarding requirements
• Maintain clear visibility of placement activity, risks, dependencies and assurance gaps
• Act as the primary organisational point of contact for international placement governance

Regulatory compliance & safeguarding

• Ensure international placements meet all relevant regulatory, legal and safeguarding requirements
• Oversee safeguarding arrangements for international students in line with organisational standards
• Support schools to maintain accurate records, documentation and evidence
• Support preparation for inspection, audit or regulatory review where international placements are in scope
• Monitor changes in regulation impacting international placements and advise on required actions

Governance, policy & frameworks

• Develop, implement and maintain policies, procedures and guidance relating to international placements
• Establish clear frameworks for placement approval, onboarding, monitoring and escalation
• Ensure consistent application of frameworks while recognising differing school contexts
• Maintain clear governance and decision-making processes

Operational support & site engagement

• Provide practical advice, guidance and constructive challenge to school leaders and operational teams
• Conduct regular site visits to review placement delivery, safeguarding and compliance arrangements
• Support the management of complex placement issues, incidents or concerns
• Build capability across schools through coaching, guidance and sharing best practice

Stakeholder management & reporting

• Work collaboratively with central functions including Education, Safeguarding, Legal and Quality
• Act as the key liaison with external partners and agencies relating to international placements
• Produce regular reporting on placement activity, compliance status and risk
• Provide clear assurance updates to senior leadership

Continuous improvement

• Identify opportunities to strengthen placement governance, controls and consistency
• Support the development of proportionate, scalable processes as placement activity evolves
• Contribute to wider operational, safeguarding and compliance improvement initiatives

Experience & Skills

Essential

• Proven experience in a compliance, governance, safeguarding or operational oversight role within a regulated environment
• Strong understanding of safeguarding, regulatory compliance and risk management
• Experience operating across multiple sites or services
• Ability to work autonomously with accountability for outcomes
• Strong stakeholder management and communication skills
• High attention to detail with strong documentation and reporting capability

Desirable

• Experience within education (all-ability, independent or maintained sectors), care or similar regulated settings
• Experience supporting inspection, audit or regulatory activity
• Experience developing or implementing operational or compliance frameworks
• Familiarity with international or cross-border placement arrangements

Benefits

• Experience in standardising communications across multiple sites.
• Familiarity with education sector challenges.
• Life Assurance
• Pension scheme with contribution options
• “Your Wellbeing Matters” mental and physical health support
• Family Growth Support, including enhanced maternity and paternity leave
• Flexible benefits via Vista (discounts, Cycle to Work, Electric Car Scheme, critical illness cover and more)

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. All applicants will be subject to social media checks and successful applicants to a fully enhanced DBS.

We are an Equal Opportunities Employer.

UK applicants only. This role does not offer sponsorship.

We reserve the right to close the vacancy early if we receive a high volume of suitable applications.

Outcomes First Group is committed to carrying out a fair, thorough and efficient recruitment process in line with Keeping Children Safe in Education. Whilst we aim to keep applicants informed throughout, Outcomes First Group does not accept liability for any loss of earnings or other associated costs incurred by applicants as a result of delays or changes in the compliance process. All stages of the compliance process are subject to necessary safeguarding checks and statutory requirements, which may affect timescales.