Interim Head of Student Fees and Funding

Robertson Bell; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 150,000 - 200,000; Part time

Job summary

A leading Higher Education provider in the UK is seeking an experienced Interim Head of Student Fees and Funding to lead critical finance teams across multiple campuses. In this role, you will ensure compliance with student funding regulations while managing diverse operational teams during a period of cultural change. This opportunity offers significant impact within a commercially ambitious organization that values structured improvements and strong leadership.

Benefits

Travel and accommodation costs covered

Logistical support for campus visits

Qualifications

• Strong understanding of SLC regulation and compliance.
• Proven ability to lead and motivate diverse teams.
• Experience working in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Comfortable working across multiple campuses.

Responsibilities

• Lead a finance team ensuring student funding compliance.
• Oversee debt collection for self-funded students.
• Manage analytical team for income allocation and reporting.
• Mentor team leads during cultural change.
• Implement audit recommendations and improve processes.

Skills

Understanding of Higher Education funding

Ability to lead large operational teams

Experience in student finance operations

Skills in credit control and income management

Experience managing audit recommendations

Job description

Interim Head of Student Fees and Funding

Do you have a deep understanding of Student Loans Company (SLC) regulations and how they impact student funding in Higher Education? Are you confident leading and motivating large, diverse teams across multiple locations? Can you bring structure and leadership to a fast-paced, high-pressure environment?

My client, a privately owned Higher Education provider with a national presence, is seeking a Interim Head of Student Fees and Funding to join on an initial three-to-six month contract. This is a broad leadership role that oversees three key teams across campuses around the country.

Key responsibilities include:

• Leading a student finance team responsible for ensuring students are appropriately funded through the SLC, with strong compliance around eligibility, enrolment, and regulation.
• Overseeing a debt collection function focused on self-funded students and managing challenging credit control scenarios with professionalism and empathy.
• Managing a small analytical team responsible for income allocation, intercompany transactions, forecasting, and reporting.
• Mentoring and supporting team leads and junior staff, particularly during a period of cultural change and low morale.
• Implementing audit recommendations following a recent system go-live and improving documentation and internal process controls.

This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact leadership role within a fast-growing organisation that is both commercially ambitious and tightly regulated. With a large number of students across multiple partner institutions, this organisation plays a unique role in the sector, delivering academic prowess with a complex funding model.

The successful candidate will be based across several campuses around the country and therefore this advert is being posted in numerous locations – all will be considered. All travel and accommodation costs will be fully covered, and you'll be supported logistically to spend meaningful time with teams in each location.

To be considered, please meet the following criteria:

• Strong understanding of Higher Education funding, particularly around SLC regulation and compliance
• Proven ability to lead, motivate and retain large, multi-site operational teams
• Hands-on experience in student finance operations, credit control, and income management
• Able to work in a demanding, privately owned environment where decisions move quickly and change is constant
• Experience managing through audit recommendations and embedding structured improvements
• Must be comfortable working on site across campuses, with travel and expenses covered

This is an urgent requirement and interviews will be scheduled as suitable applications are received. If you're a strong people leader with a Higher Education funding background, apply now to discuss further.