Head of Pre-Entry Standards

Birmingham City University; Birmingham; Hybrid; GBP 52,000 - 61,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave

Hybrid working

Career development

Wellbeing support

Job summary

Birmingham City University is seeking a Head of Pre-Entry Standards to lead English language pathways, assessment and preparatory provision for international student recruitment and success. You will shape entry requirements, internal testing and quality assurance, while aligning with university priorities and regulatory demands.

The role requires a degree in TESOL or related field with substantial leadership experience in higher education English language provision, and a track record in

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent professional qualification in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, English Language Teaching, Education or a related discipline, with significant experience leading English language provision.
• Experience of developing English language entry requirements, assessment policies and quality assurance processes.
• Experience of leading and managing teams, including recruitment, performance management and budget management.

Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and enhancement of English language pathways and pre-entry assessment.
• Develop and oversee University-wide English language entry requirements and quality assurance processes.
• Provide institutional leadership on English language standards and compliance with audits and regulatory activity.
• Lead and manage staff, budgets and resources across English language pathways.
• Collaborate with Schools, professional services and international partners to align provision with recruitment objectives.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Staff development

Communication

Education

TESOL or related degree

Job description

Department Admissions and Enquiries Location Joseph Priestley Building Salary £52,462 to £60,842per annum Permanent Post Type Full Time Release Date 24 September 2026 Closing Date 23.59 hours BST on Thursday 01 October 2026 Reference M126029

Please note: this opportunity is only available to current employees of the University

At Birmingham City University, we are a diverse and inclusive learning community of over 31,400 students from more than 120 countries. We aim to become an exemplar anchor institution, creating and sharing knowledge for a better and more inclusive society. We are committed to providing a transformational educational experience, supporting world-class research, and fostering a collaborative and supportive working environment for our staff.

Recognised as one of the UK’s Top 250 employers (Financial Times & Statista), we pride ourselves on being a place where colleagues feel valued, supported, and able to grow their careers while contributing to the success of our students and communities.

Our student demographic reflects the rich cultural and ethnic diversity of Birmingham itself, with a significant proportion of students from minoritised ethnic backgrounds and the majority of our home students coming from the West Midlands. This diversity is a strength, and it calls for a workforce that is equipped to challenge deficit narratives and thinking — those assumptions that position students from underrepresented groups as lacking rather than recognising their assets, strengths and potential.

By embracing this perspective, we aim to create an environment where all students and colleagues can thrive, and where our work contributes positively to the social, cultural and economic life of Birmingham and beyond.

Role Summary

We are seeking a Head of Pre-Entry Standards to provide strategic and operational leadership for English language pathways, assessment and preparatory provision that support international student recruitment, transition and success.

In this role, you will lead the development and continuous improvement of English language entry requirements, internal assessment and preparatory and transition provision, ensuring these are high quality, compliant and aligned with University priorities. You will provide institutional leadership on English language standards, working closely with Schools, professional services, senior colleagues and international partners to ensure a coherent approach to English language assessment and support.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the strategic development and enhancement of English language pathways, pre-entry assessment and preparatory/transition provision, ensuring they meet the needs of international students and receiving programmes.
• Develop and oversee University-wide English language entry requirements, internal testing and quality assurance processes, ensuring assessment is valid, reliable, consistent and fit for purpose.
• Provide institutional leadership on English language standards and compliance, representing the University in relevant audits, reviews and regulatory or accreditation activity.
• Lead and manage staff, budgets and resources across English language pathways, while using data, evaluation and sector intelligence to inform strategic decisions and drive continuous improvement.
• Degree or equivalent professional qualification in TESOL, Applied Linguistics, English Language Teaching, Education or a related discipline, with significant experience leading English language provision, assessment or pre-entry programmes within higher education.
• Demonstrable experience of developing and implementing English language entry requirements, assessment policies and quality assurance processes, with a strong understanding of testing principles including validity, reliability, standardisation and moderation.
• Experience of developing or overseeing internal English language assessments or tests used to support admissions, placement or progression decisions.
• Experience of leading and managing teams, including recruitment, performance management, staff development, budget management and resource planning.
• Excellent communication, influencing and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to provide authoritative advice, interpret complex information and align English language provision with international recruitment objectives, academic standards and regulatory requirements.
• Experience of managing pre-sessional English programmes and/or international pathway provision.
• Experience of external audit, accreditation, compliance review or inspection activity, particularly in relation to English language standards or international student provision.
• Experience of working with international partners, transnational education (TNE) or overseas delivery.

Further Information

If you are excited by the opportunity to help shape the future of our Marketing, Recruitment and Communications Department, we would love to hear from you.

• Work–life balance – Generous leave and hybrid working (role dependent).
• Career development – Opportunities to grow, develop and progress your career.
• Reward and wellbeing – Competitive pay, pension, wellbeing support and staff benefits.
• Inclusive culture – A supportive, diverse environment where everyone belongs.

This role may be eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker visa route, subject to meeting the relevant criteria. For further information, please visit: https://www.gov.uk/skilled-worker-visa

At BCU, we welcome applications that clearly demonstrate how your skills and experience meet the requirements of the role. AI tools may be used to support you in preparing your application, but the information you provide must be accurate, authentic and based on your own experience. Applications that rely too heavily on AI, appear generic or do not provide specific evidence against the role criteria are less likely to progress to the next stage of the recruitment process. For more information, please refer to our candidate guidance;

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion

We are committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and to an environment that supports lawful free speech and academic freedom. We will continuously review and improve our policies, practices, and procedures to ensure that we are promoting these in all aspects of our operations. We believe that by working together, combining our many different backgrounds and life experiences, we will empower each other to reach our full potential.

Disability Confident Employer

Birmingham City University is proud to be a Disability Confident Committed Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive and accessible recruitment process. Disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview.

The appointed candidate will normally be employed through our subsidiary company, BCU Support Services Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Birmingham City University. Appointees with prior LGPS membership who wish to re-enter the scheme may do so and will be employed directly by the University.