TNE Project Manager

Role:  TNE Project Manager

Location: Nigeria, Lagos

Job type: Contract (12 months)

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst flourishing personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, making progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real changes in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognizing the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organization – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

As a TNE Project Manager this is what you’ll be doing:

We are looking for a dynamic, independent and detail-driven TNE Project Manager, assisting University of Birmingham to provide in-country leadership for the development and delivery of the University’s education partnership activity in Nigeria, focussed on successful operation and expansion of the TNE Project with University of Lagos (UNILAG) working across institutional and national boundaries.

Based in Lagos, the postholder will work closely with colleagues at UNILAG to deliver the outcomes set out in the bilateral agreement, support the effective operation and planned expansion of the partnership, and contribute to student recruitment where required.

They will translate agreed strategy into coordinated operational delivery, ensure that academic and administrative requirements are met, and help create a consistent, inclusive and high-quality experience for students and staff.

The Nigeria TNE Project Manager will lead the day-to-day management of the University’s relationship with the University of Lagos. The role combines project governance, programme administration, quality assurance, stakeholder management, student experience, recruitment support and team leadership. The postholder will provide authoritative local coordination, identify and resolve risks, and ensure timely communication and delivery across the full academic and project cycle.

About University of Birmingham

The University of Birmingham is a global top 100 university, working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research.  We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge; develops high-quality international education partnerships that bring together academic expertise, local knowledge and excellent student support.

With our ambition to be a global top 50 university, we will tackle global challenges, so that our research extends beyond regional and national boundaries to have an international impact. Our students form an international community, and we will provide them with an outstanding international experience, both at their home campuses and through high levels of mobility.

Main Responsibilities

Project leadership and governance

Translate partnership objectives into integrated project plans, milestones, responsibilities and delivery schedules; monitor progress, dependencies, risks, issues and benefits, and escalate matters when required.

Provide clear, evidence-based updates and recommendations to University and partner leadership, supporting timely decisions and continuous improvement.

Coordinate governance arrangements, including preparing agendas and papers, servicing relevant programme and joint management committees, recording decisions and ensuring agreed actions are completed.

Manage education-related projects, institutional visits and key events, maintaining accurate project documentation and a reliable forward calendar.

Partnership and stakeholder management

Act as the principal in-country operational contact between the University, UNILAG academic leads, professional services teams and relevant external stakeholders.

Build trusted working relationships across cultures and organisational boundaries; clarify roles, align expectations and ensure changes to policy, practice or delivery are communicated promptly.

Represent the project at appropriate networks, working groups and sector events, using external insight and good practice to strengthen delivery.

Academic operations and student administration

Oversee coordinated delivery of the annual teaching and learning cycle in accordance with University, partner and applicable regulatory requirements, including induction, timetabling, attendance, assessment, progression, placements where relevant and graduation.

Ensure academic staff and professional services colleagues receive accurate guidance and effective administrative support; resolve complex queries and delegate or escalate them appropriately.

Maintain and improve documented systems, procedures, service standards and business-continuity arrangements so that essential activity is delivered reliably.

Quality assurance, compliance and data

Ensure maintenance of effective quality-control and data-checking arrangements for student records, programme information, communications and shared documentation, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with applicable data-protection requirements.

Coordinate programme and module review activity, quality audits and compliance reporting; identify gaps, recommend solutions and oversee remedial action plans.

Compile, analyse and interpret information from multiple sources to produce accurate management and institutional reports within agreed deadlines.

Student experience and support

Keep student experience at the centre of project delivery, using feedback and engagement data to identify and implement practical enhancements.

Ensure students can access clear guidance on University and partner processes, including complaints, appeals, extenuating circumstances, scholarships, progression and study opportunities, referring specialist or welfare matters appropriately.

Support effective student representation and staff–student liaison arrangements, ensuring fair and transparent nomination, election, meeting and follow-up processes.

Develop links with relevant careers, alumni, student engagement, wellbeing and other services to broaden the support available to students.

Recruitment, marketing and communications

Support delivery of agreed student recruitment plans with University and partner teams, including recruitment events, applicant enquiries and appropriate student guidance.

Contribute operational insight to recruitment strategy, marketing meetings and the review of public-facing materials, ensuring information is accurate, compliant and consistent with the approved programme offer.

Team and resource management

Assess resource and capability needs; contribute to recruitment, induction, training, workload planning and cover arrangements as the project develops.

Coordinate routine operational and financial administration with relevant University and partner teams, ensuring transactions, records and approvals are handled accurately and on time.

General

Promote equality, diversity, inclusion, responsible working and excellent service in all activities.

Undertake other duties that are reasonable and appropriate to the level and nature of the role in support of the Nigeria project.

Qualifications & experience required

Essential Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent relevant professional experience.
• Substantial experience managing complex education, international partnership or comparable multi-stakeholder projects, with evidence of delivering to deadlines and agreed standards.
• Experience leading or supervising staff, including setting priorities, developing capability and managing performance sensitively.
• Strong understanding of programme administration and the academic lifecycle, with experience of quality assurance, compliance, student records or related systems.
• Ability to analyse complex information, maintain robust controls and produce concise, accurate reports and recommendations.
• Excellent written and spoken English, with the ability to communicate confidently and diplomatically with students, academic staff, professional services colleagues, senior leaders and external partners.
• Proven ability to work independently in a remotely managed, cross-cultural environment while maintaining strong collaboration with distributed teams.
• Highly developed planning, organisation, problem-solving and judgement, including the ability to manage competing priorities and respond constructively to change.
• Strong digital literacy, including confident use of Microsoft Office and experience working with complex administrative or student-record systems.
• Commitment to confidentiality, data protection, equality, diversity, inclusion and excellent service.

Desirable Requirements

• Postgraduate or professional qualification in project management, higher education administration or a related field.
• Experience of transnational education, joint or dual-degree programmes, or collaboration between UK and Nigerian higher education institutions.
• Knowledge of the Nigerian higher education environment and relevant regulatory or quality-assurance expectations.
• Experience supporting student recruitment, marketing, governance committees or operational budgets.
• Relevant Nigerian language skills or other language capability that supports local stakeholder engagement.

Working relationships

• University of Birmingham academic leads, programme leadership, College and central professional services teams.
• Senior leaders, academic colleagues and professional services teams at Nigerian partner institution(s).
• Students, applicants, alumni and student representatives.
• Relevant regulators, professional bodies, suppliers and sector networks, as required.

Additional requirements

• The role is based in Nigeria and may require regular travel within Nigeria and occasional international travel, subject to operational need and University policy.
• Some flexibility in working hours will be required to collaborate effectively across time zones and support occasional events.
• Appointment will be subject to the employing entity’s standard pre-employment checks and applicable Nigerian employment requirements.

The University of Birmingham’s shared values

• The postholder is expected to demonstrate the University’s values: Ambitious, Innovative, Open, Collaborative and Responsible.

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11
international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

We take investing in our people very seriously.

• Free subscription to the Calm App – the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
• A focus on welfare which is led by our global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally
• EAP (Employee Assistance Program) Service - dedicated services for enhanced EAP and comprehensive wellness with 24/7 helpline available through Truworth Wellness
• Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups
• Strong recognition and reward programs – including a peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual PD event
• Support for volunteering and study leave
  
• Free subscription to LinkedIn learning – with over 5000 courses and programmes at your fingertips 
• Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive. 

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