Complaints & Appeals Manager

University Academy 92; Manchester; On-site; GBP 24,000 - 40,000; Part time

Job summary

UA92 is seeking a Complaints and Appeals Manager to lead the day-to-day delivery of the complaints and academic appeals function at UA92 Manchester, ensuring fairness, consistency and timely outcomes for students.

You will analyse data to identify themes, guide policy development, and provide guidance and training across colleagues, balancing robust governance with student-centered decisions.

Qualifications

• Significant experience managing complex complaints and/or academic appeals.
• Familiarity with UK higher education regulatory environment, including OIA Good Practice Framework and OfS requirements.
• Ability to review policies, analyse data and produce meaningful reports.
• Excellent written and spoken communication with students and colleagues.
• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional qualification.
• Commitment to fairness and inclusion in decision-making.

Responsibilities

• Lead the day-to-day delivery of UA92's complaints and appeals function.
• Ensure cases are handled fairly, consistently and within agreed timescales.
• Analyse cases to identify themes, risks and root causes.
• Develop and maintain policies and casework frameworks.
• Provide guidance and training to colleagues across UA92.
• Communicate complex information clearly to students and external bodies.

Skills

Complex complaints

Academic appeals

Data analysis

Policy review

Stakeholder communication

Education

Degree or equivalent professional qualification

Job description

Complaints and Appeals Manager

UA92 was founded with a clear purpose: to make higher education more accessible and create opportunities for people who may not always have seen university as being for them.

Co-founded by the Class of ’92 and Lancaster University, we were built to do things differently. Social mobility, widening participation and inclusion are not add-ons to what we do; they are part of why UA92 exists. We want our students to succeed, whatever their starting point, and that means creating an experience where they are listened to, treated fairly and supported throughout their journey.

As UA92 continues to grow, the way we respond when things do not go to plan matters just as much as when they do. We are looking for a Complaints and Appeals Manager who understands that behind every case is a student, while also recognising the importance of fairness, consistency and sound academic governance.

The role

You will lead the day-to-day delivery of UA92's complaints and academic appeals function, making sure cases are handled fairly, consistently and within agreed timescales. You will work with a high degree of autonomy, managing complex and sometimes sensitive cases and applying sound professional judgement to reach clear, defensible outcomes.

You will use complaints and appeals data to spot themes, risks and root causes, turning that insight into practical recommendations that improve our processes and, ultimately, the student experience. You will contribute to the development of our policies and casework frameworks, maintain robust and auditable processes and provide colleagues across UA92 with the guidance and training they need to apply our regulations consistently.

You will also be an important point of expertise across UA92, working with academic and professional services colleagues and communicating directly with students and external bodies. Whether you are drafting an outcome letter, advising a colleague or presenting institutional insight, you will need to make complex information clear, considered and accessible.

What you'll bring

We are looking for someone who knows this area well. You will bring significant experience of managing complex complaints and/or academic appeals, including sensitive or higher-risk cases where your decisions need to be fair, well-reasoned and capable of standing up to scrutiny.

You will understand the regulatory environment surrounding complaints and appeals in UK higher education, including the OIA Good Practice Framework and OfSrequirements, alongside a strong understanding of procedural fairness, academic governance and quality assurance.

Just as importantly, you will know how to turn that knowledge into good practice. You will be comfortable reviewing policies and processes, analysing data, producing meaningful reports and using what the evidence tells you to make things better.

You will need to communicate exceptionally well. Some conversations will be straightforward; others will not. You will be able to explain complex decisions clearly and sensitively, build credibility with students and colleagues, and influence people across different teams without relying on hierarchy.

You will be educated to degree level, hold an equivalent professional qualification, or be able to demonstrate equivalent relevant experience.

Above all, how you work matters. We want someone who cares about getting things right, is prepared to challenge and improve how things are done and understands that fairness and inclusion should be visible in the decisions we make as well as the values we talk about.

The particulars

Role: Complaints and Appeals Manager
Salary: £40,000 FTE / £24,000 pro rata
Contract: Permanent
FTE: 0.6 – 22.5 hours per week
Working pattern: Hours and days negotiable
Reports to: Head of Academic Quality
Location: UA92, Manchester campuses

Job Spec: Click here

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

UA92 is committed to building a diverse and inclusive community where everyone has the opportunity to fulfil their potential. We actively encourage applications from individuals from underrepresented backgrounds and those with non-traditional career paths. Additionally, we welcome candidates who have an understanding of inclusion.

Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. UA92 cannot sponsor visas for this role.