OfS Registration Consultant

Pathway Group; West Midlands; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Pathway Group is seeking an experienced higher education consultant to lead an OfS registration project from initial review through submission and handover. You will combine senior regulatory expertise with practical delivery: map requirements to evidence, draft and coordinate submission documents, and establish governance and quality arrangements with input from finance, legal and academic colleagues.

The role requires independence, strong stakeholder engagement, and a proven ability to drive

Qualifications

• Senior regulatory experience in UK higher education is required.
• Ability to translate regulatory expectations into clear policies and evidence.
• Proven track record delivering complex regulatory projects on time.

Responsibilities

• Assess readiness and plan registration activity, including evidence mapping and risk logs.
• Draft and coordinate submission documents, quality plans and supporting evidence.
• Establish governance, academic processes and monitoring arrangements.
• Coordinate specialist input across finance, legal and academic teams.
• Organise internal sign-off, OfS communications and assessment preparation.
• Complete handover with editable documents and ongoing compliance calendar.

Skills

OfS registration experience

Regulatory delivery

Stakeholder engagement

Policy drafting

Project management

Job description

We are seeking an experienced higher education consultant to take ownership of an Office for Students (OfS) registration project from initial review through application, assessment, the final decision and handover.

Please double check you have the right level of experience and qualifications by reading the full overview of this opportunity below.

You will combine senior regulatory expertise with practical delivery: establish what is required, write and coordinate the evidence, resolve gaps and keep the project moving. You should be comfortable working independently with directors, governors, academic colleagues and specialist advisers.

The assignment

• Assess readiness and set the plan. Confirm the registration route, review the provider's current position and map requirements to evidence. Produce a prioritised action plan, delivery timetable, resource estimate and risk log.
• Build the application. Draft and coordinate submission documents, quality plans, policies and supporting evidence. Maintain a controlled evidence register and resolve gaps, inconsistencies and missing approvals before submission.
• Establish credible governance and quality arrangements. Develop practical academic governance, programme approval, assessment, monitoring and student support processes. Ensure documentation reflects how the provider will operate and meet applicable conditions.
• Coordinate specialist evidence. Work with finance, legal and academic colleagues on business planning, financial sustainability, fair treatment of students, access and participation, fraud prevention and key-person suitability, according to the application requirements.
• Manage submission and assessment. Organise internal sign-off and submission, coordinate OfS correspondence and information requests, and prepare relevant leaders for interviews or assessment activity. Maintain follow-through until the regulator's decision.
• Complete the handover. Train internal owners, transfer editable documents and the full evidence record, and agree an ongoing compliance calendar, outstanding-action log and responsibilities following the decision.

Essential Experience

• Personally led, or held substantial delivery responsibility for, at least one successful OfS provider registration. Applicants must explain their own contribution and the outcome, and provide a reference able to verify it.
• Current knowledge of OfS initial registration conditions, application requirements and the ongoing obligations a provider must be ready to meet.
• Senior experience in UK higher education quality, regulation, registry, governance or consultancy, with evidence of implementing workable systems.
• Strong drafting and analytical skills, including translating regulatory expectations into clear policies, evidence and recommendations.
• A record of completing complex projects, managing dependencies and constructively challenging senior stakeholders when evidence or readiness is insufficient.
• Capacity to work flexibly while remaining available for agreed deadlines, assessment meetings and follow-up requests.

Useful Additional Experience

Experience with independent training providers entering higher education, new or alternative HE providers, validation partnerships, apprenticeships, HTQs or widening participation. Relevant postgraduate study, professional qualifications or equivalent senior experience are welcome.

Deliverables and working arrangements

• An agreed readiness assessment and costed delivery plan.
• A complete, internally approved application with an indexed evidence set.
• Timely, coordinated responses throughout assessment, with progress and risks reported to the project sponsor.
• A documented handover and clear ownership of ongoing compliance.

Working days, deliverable dates and fees will be agreed at the outset and reviewed at key stages. OfS determines the registration outcome; the provider retains its regulatory accountability.