College Director Principal

About the role

Navitas is seeking a College Director Principal to lead the University of Plymouth International College (UPIC) in Plymouth. This senior position combines strategic leadership with hands‑on operational management, driving growth, quality and compliance across the college.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and monitor the college’s five‑year vision, two‑year action plan and annual business plan and budget.
• Drive student recruitment and sustainable growth in partnership with the University of Plymouth and the global Navitas network.
• Identify and develop new programmes, business opportunities and partnerships to enhance profitability.
• Oversee academic quality, ensuring alignment with the QAA Quality Code, OfS requirements and university regulations.
• Manage financial performance, including profit‑and‑loss delivery, resource planning and KPI reporting.
• Maintain and strengthen the university partnership, acting as the primary liaison across faculties and professional services.
• Ensure compliance with governance, risk and regulatory obligations such as UKVI, GDPR, DBS, HMRC, Safeguarding and Prevent.
• Lead staff performance, talent development and workforce planning.

Required profile

• Proven senior leadership experience in higher education or a comparable education business.
• Strong track record of achieving growth targets and managing large budgets.
• Deep understanding of UK higher‑education quality frameworks and regulatory requirements.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, particularly with university partners.
• Ability to balance commercial focus with an inclusive, improvement‑driven culture.

Required skills