EF (Education First) Isle of Wight is seeking a Homestay Manager to take ownership of our year-round homestay operation, build a thriving local host community and play an important role in one of the most valuable parts of the international student experience.
Position Details
- September / October start date
- 40 hours per week
- Schedule; Monday to Friday
If you are passionate about creating a safe, welcoming and high-quality experience for international students, building strong community relationships and taking ownership of a year-round operation, we encourage you to apply.
Careers at EF | Open the world with us
At EF Education First, we believe the world is better when people strive to understand one another. With 600+ schools and offices in 50 countries, we offer immersive programs in language, travel, cultural exchange, and academics, turning dreams into global opportunities. Join us in our shared mission of opening the world through education.
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Your Role
The Homestay Manager is a key year-round operational role with significant responsibility for operational delivery, safeguarding and the student experience. You will take ownership of the destination's homestay operation, including recruiting and supporting hosts, planning accommodation capacity and placing students in safe, welcoming and suitable homes.
This is much more than an accommodation coordination role. You will take ownership of local host recruitment, build strong relationships with the local community and work as part of the destination management team throughout the year. You will make important operational decisions and ensure the destination has the right accommodation capacity in place. During the summer, you will manage a busy customer-facing operation, overseeing placements, supporting students and hosts, and managing complex situations when they arise.
The role offers broad operational experience and the opportunity to take on wider responsibility within EF.
Key Responsibilities
- Take ownership of the destination's homestay operation and its performance throughout the year.
- Turn student forecasts and booking patterns into clear host recruitment, capacity and allocation plans.
- Develop and deliver a local host recruitment and retention plan through community outreach, referrals, events, partnerships and online channels.
- Build strong relationships with new and returning hosts, ensuring they feel informed, supported and valued.
- Take ownership of the host recruitment process and ensure a strong pipeline of suitable hosts is in place to meet the destination's accommodation needs.
- Oversee host applications, screening, home visits, checks, approvals and record keeping.
- Ensure accommodation meets EF's quality and safeguarding requirements and address concerns promptly.
- Match and allocate students to suitable hosts, considering age, welfare needs, dietary requirements, allergies, transport and other relevant information.
- Maintain accurate student, host, placement and arrival information across internal systems.
- Work closely with Welfare, Transport, Student Services, Finance, international sales offices and the wider Operations team.
- Work within the budget and commercial parameters agreed by the Operations Manager, keeping them informed of progress, risks and capacity gaps.
- Lead the day-to-day homestay operation during the summer and act as a senior point of contact for hosts and students.
- Oversee late placements, accommodation changes and emergency moves, making calm and timely decisions.
- Lead the response to complaints, welfare concerns and recurring quality issues, escalating serious matters appropriately.
- Monitor feedback, drive improvements and contribute to the post-summer review and planning for the following year.
Requirements
- Has experience managing an operational service with responsibility for quality and delivery.
- Enjoys building strong relationships and creating a positive, reliable and high-quality service.
- Is confident building relationships and engaging with members of the local community.
- Has strong customer-service skills and can handle sensitive or challenging conversations professionally.
- Is highly organised and able to manage recruitment, compliance, allocations and competing deadlines.
- Has excellent attention to detail, particularly when working with safeguarding information and student needs.
- Makes sound decisions and remains calm, positive and credible under pressure.
- Is comfortable working hands-on and taking responsibility for delivery when required.
- Works collaboratively, uses systems confidently and is passionate about creating a safe and welcoming student experience.
- All offers subject to an enhanced DBS check and two references
- Must have the legal right to work in the UK at the commencement of employment
Why you will love working with EF
- Continuous professional development
- Work in a truly international environment
- Exposure to international business operations and the wider EF world
- Regular social events
- Ambition is nurtured and fast-tracked career enhancement opportunities are provided
- Staff are encouraged to innovate, take ownership of their ideas and bring them to fruition
- Employee Assistance Program
- Access to EF Hello language learning
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EF is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and adults and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. References will be followed up and will ask specifically whether there is any reason that the applicant should not be engaged in situations where they have responsibility for, or substantial access to, persons under 18. Upon interview all gaps in CVs must be explained satisfactorily and proof of identity and, where applicable, qualifications will be required. Appropriate suitability checks will be required prior to confirmation of appointment.
EF is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and we are committed to inclusion and belonging across race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, identity, parental status, experience, and everything else that makes you unique. #LI-PB1
About UsSkills Required
- Experience managing an operational service with responsibility for quality and delivery
- Strong relationship-building and service-quality skills
- Ability to engage confidently with members of the local community
- Strong customer-service skills and ability to handle sensitive or challenging conversations professionally
- Highly organized and able to manage recruitment, compliance, allocations, and competing deadlines
- Excellent attention to detail when handling safeguarding information and student needs
- Sound decision-making and ability to remain calm under pressure
- Willingness to work hands-on and take responsibility for delivery
- Collaborative working style, confidence using systems, and commitment to a safe student experience
- Enhanced DBS check
- Two references
- Legal right to work in the UK at commencement of employment
What We Do
A career at EF is something different. You’ll think boldly, own your job, and create a career you are proud of—and have fun doing it. When you join EF, you will join a global community of creative minds, innovators, and change-makers. Since 1965, we've created programs that help people see new places, experience new cultures, and learn about the world and themselves. People are at the heart of everything we do, and it all begins with the talented and collaborative EFers who bring our mission-opening the world through education- to life across 55 countries and counting.
