Academic Manager

Job overview

Are you a dedicated educator with a genuine passion for academic excellence and the drive to inspire a diverse teaching team? As an Academic Manager, you are the face of your centre’s academic programme. You should also be a team player and understand that a significant part of your role is also supporting the centre itself. Alongside the rest of the management team, you will take on the collective responsibility of the operational demands of a summer centre.

An essential element of the role is fostering an atmosphere of collaboration and reflective practice through observations and CPD sessions. To ensure that students are developing their communicative skills, cultural understanding and personal growth, the Academic Manager also acts as a bridge between the learner, their Group Leaders and the teaching team. The role is half academic, half operational.

Academic Excellence

Staff stories

Working as Academic Manager was a challenging but hugely rewarding way to spend my summer. This role really tested my administrative skills and pushed me to be far more conscious of the logistics behind running a team and educating large numbers of international students. Although I was no longer in the classroom, it was so satisfying to see the academic programme delivered successfully and see the strength of the relationships that were forged between the students and our teaching team.

Helping the Centre Director on arrival day allowed me to be a more integral member of the management team, and gives me an earlier opportunity to strike up a rapport with the Group Leaders.

This role taught me a lot about my ideas around leadership and academics and also, about myself.

Job details

Full Board

Accommodation and meals provided throughout your contract. No deduction will be made for this.

Salary

£790.00* per week

Holiday Pay

12.07% holiday pay will be added to your salary.

Expenses

You will be required to cover your travel to and from the centre and the start and end of your contract and to the training weekend.

Any movement between centres during your employment will be covered by Dusemond.

Unexpected expenses incurred during the course of your work will be reimbursed at Dusemond’s discretion.

*all pay figures to be reviewed prior to 2027

Working Hours

Up to 48 hours per week based on 6 working days.

Reporting to

Centre Director and Head Office Academic Manager

Locations

Rugby, Bedales, Royal Russell (London), University of Essex (Colchester), Cheltenham, London South Bank, University of Sussex (Brighton), Heriot Watt (Edinburgh)

Available Contract Dates

Temporary – July & August 2027

Pre-joining training dates

Management staff are required to attend a training weekend in advance of starting their contract.

An online safeguarding course will need to be completed prior to your arrival at the centre.

Key responsibilities:

Team Management

You will need to ensure your team of teachers are aware of what they need to do and when, and feel supported in performing their role at all times

You’ll be expected to:

Communicate a clear timetable for each two week turn
Create class lists using the software provided and then assign them to the appropriate teacher two days before the course begins.
Support teachers in managing their classes, particularly behaviour and technology issues. Observations and training will be delivered by the DoS.
In larger centres, use you Senior Teacher effectively in delivering the above
Act as a bridge between your team and the Group Leaders who accompany our students during each programme.
Perform observations and act on development points via CPD sessions
As part of the management team, organise your schedule to co-ordinate with the Centre Director and Deputy CD to ensure emergency phone cover and management days off are taken
Work as a management unit to cover busy times like transfers, graduation, and delivery of the Group Leader programme

Administration

It is essential that our database is maintained with accurate class lists and levels at all times. Being technologically literate is absolutely essential in this role.

You’ll be expected to:

Construct and edit class lists as necessary
Ensure level moves, behavioural issues and teachers notes are updated on our database. Head office should be able to understand exactly what each student has done throughout their stay.
Use the database to process certificate and report printing
Use the database to develop a clear understanding of each groups’ programme and support the management team in planning ahead and identifying challenging points in the programme
Demonstrate that all expenditure for your department has been accounted for and justified

Key Performance Indicators

High levels of student engagement and satisfaction.
Accurate levelling of students and organised class administration
A happy and motivated teaching team
Effective database use and management
Effective quality control of teaching standards via observations
Careful control of academic resources, ensuring no unnecessary spending
Welfare and safeguarding procedures are followed and issues escalated as necessary
Strong communication and collaboration with the Centre Director and management team, especially at crucial moments like arrivals, departures, inductions and graduations
Strong staff morale, engagement and retention throughout the contract
Positive feedback from students and Group Leaders about the academic programme
Strong adherence to safeguarding and risk management procedures

Group Leaders

Our clients, the Group Leaders, have very high expectations of our academic programme and it is your responsibility to ensure these expectations are met.

You’ll be expected to:

Assist Group Leaders with day-to-day programme queries where appropriate
Make sure Group Leaders have the practical information they need for lessons
Support the Centre Director during Group Leader meetings where detailed programme information is required
Listen to feedback and identify practical improvements
Participate in the Group Leader social programme
Escalate concerns or complaints to the Centre Director

Centre Management Support

As part of the senior management team, you may be required to support other areas of centre management, particularly during busy periods.

You’ll be expected to:

Assist with the busy arrival day, ensuring groups are settled in quickly
Have an overview of the accommodation plan and dietary requirements of everyone onsite
Support the Centre Director with centre-wide operational tasks
Stand in for the Centre Director during their days off
Help resolve issues involving students, staff, facilities or the host school
Provide additional support during particularly busy days
Work collaboratively with the Director of Studies and other management team members
Take on delegated responsibilities when required

Graduation Ceremonies

As the face of the academic programme, you should organise and host the certificate ceremonies when groups leave

Graduation is the opportunity for students to say goodbye to their teachers and new friends at the end of the course and should be a special, well organised event.

Excursion Mania & Local Learning Experiences

Teachers will deliver twice weekly “excursion mania” sessions in the evening and you will help organise these alongside the Activity Manager.

Beyond this you will also co ordinate the effective delivery of our LLE lessons ( Local Learning Experiences) which see teachers take their class into the local community to learn about the local cost of living and create a project.

LLEs were a new feature to our programmes in 2026 and Dusemond is keen to capitalise on their success.

Welfare & Safeguarding

Safeguarding and student safety are everyone’s responsibility. You will help ensure activities and excursions are planned and delivered safely.

You’ll be expected to:

Ensure staff are familiar with relevant risk assessments
Contribute to the overnight emergency phone rota
Identify operational risks within the academic programme
Report safeguarding or welfare concerns immediately to the Centre Director or appropriate member of the management team
Support the Centre Director and Deputy Centre Director in maintaining a safe environment
Ensure staff understand their responsibilities around student supervision

Your eligibility

You must:

be over 18 years of age
be eligible to work in the UK
First degree (any discipline)
CELTA, Trinity TESOL, B.Ed/PGCE (Primary Education, English or MFL) or EFL Level 5 equivalent *
get an enhanced DBS check**

You should:

Have a minimum 3 years’ EFL teaching experience with international young learners/teens
Have experience leading a team of teachers

It's a plus if:

you are a first aider
you hold any safeguarding qualifications
you’ve done this before!

*other qualifications will be considered

** Dusemond will assist applicants in obtaining an enhanced DBS check and cover the cost.

Working for Dusemond means:

Lasting Friendships

Our staff build close friendships and camaraderie that often lasts well beyond the end of our programmes, with the chance to be re-united the next season!

Career progression

If you thrive in the amazing environments we work so hard to create, you’ll want to grow with us. Many first year staff return to become supervisors and managers.

References Provided

The broad range of skillsets required, make Dusemond centres excellent places to develop and substantiate your abilities for future roles.