Immigration Compliance Manager

Aru's Research Institutes; Chelmsford; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 63,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous holiday entitlement

Occupational pension schemes

Training and development opportunities

Travel to work scheme

Competitive relocation package

Job summary

ARU seeks an Immigration Compliance Manager to lead the Compliance team across Chelmsford and Writtle campuses, ensuring Student Route sponsorship and UKVI requirements are met.

Reporting to the Head of Immigration Compliance, you will develop policies, oversee audits, student engagement, and coordinate external stakeholders, delivering training and guidance to staff.

This role requires a degree or professional qualification and extensive UKVI compliance experience in Higher Education.

Qualifications

• Substantial experience of UKVI compliance within Higher or Further Education.
• Strong understanding of immigration documentation and sponsorship requirements.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to lead compliance initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day activities of the Compliance team for Chelmsford and Writtle campuses.
• Oversee compliance operations, reporting, and audits under UKVI rules.
• Develop policies, processes, and frameworks to strengthen ARU's compliance posture.
• Deliver training and guidance to staff across faculties and professional services.

Skills

UKVI compliance experience

Stakeholder management

Policy development

Leadership

Education

Degree or professional qualification

Tools

UKVI Sponsor Management System

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join our Immigration Compliance Team as Immigration Compliance Manager, playing a key role in maintaining and enhancing Student Route compliance across our Chelmsford and Writtle campuses. Reporting to the Head of Immigration Compliance, you will lead the day-to-day activities of the Compliance team, oversee compliance operations, and act as a key point of contact for Faculties, professional services, and external stakeholders on all matters relating to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) requirements for our Chelmsford and Writtle campuses. In this varied and influential role, you will provide strategic leadership in the review, development, and implementation of compliance policies, processes, and frameworks, with a particular focus on strengthening compliance arrangements at ARU Writtle. You will manage complex compliance casework, oversee student engagement and attendance monitoring processes, lead enrolment and Right to Study workstreams, coordinate UKVI reporting requirements, and support institutional preparedness for UKVI audits. You will also deliver training and expert guidance across the University, ensuring colleagues remain informed of evolving immigration requirements and best practice.

With a degree or relevant professional qualification, you will bring substantial experience of UKVI compliance within a Higher or Further Education environment, alongside a strong understanding of immigration documentation, Student Route sponsorship requirements, and the UKVI Sponsor Management System. You will be an effective relationship builder with excellent communication skills, capable of leading compliance initiatives, managing competing priorities, and exercising sound judgement when handling complex issues. This is an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact on the University's compliance culture while supporting the success and experience of our international student community.

About ARU: ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF). ARU's research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK's Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK's leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

Informal enquiries can be made to Alex Lock, Head of Immigration Compliance, at [e-mail] Find out more about and . We have an agile working culture and offer an extensive range of benefits including generous holiday entitlement, occupational pension schemes, training and development opportunities, travel to work scheme and a competitive relocation package. Visit our page for full details. We are committed to safeguarding and promoting welfare of our staff and students and expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Applicants should be aware that ARU will carry out online searches as part of the due diligence on short listed candidates. This appointment is subject to an enhanced level children's barred list disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service. Further information can be obtained from . We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community. We have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK and will conduct Right to Work checks in line with UKVI's Right to Work policy and our own institutional policy. Furthermore, we must note:

• generous holiday entitlement
• occupational pension schemes
• training and development opportunities
• travel to work scheme
• competitive relocation package

• Applicants applying from outside the UK: At this time, ARU is unable to sponsor applicants applying from overseas for a Worker Route visa.
• Applicants already in the UK: ARU is unable to offer Worker Route visa sponsorship to applicants whose salary does not meet our minimum sponsorship threshold, which aligns with roles at Grade 6 and above.