Job Description

Role: Director of Junior & Family Courses

Salary:

45,000 p.a. plus bonus scheme

Hours/working pattern:

09:00-17:30 Monday-Friday(given the seniority & nature of the position, working hours will be longer during the time of the courses being operational.)

Contract Type:

Full time/Permanent

Location:

Brighton (Hybrid and remote will be considered for this role)

Could you be our next Director of Junior & Family Courses?

The role

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Director of Junior & Family Courses with St Giles International, one of the market leaders in the English as a Foreign Language (EFL) training field- a vibrant industry contributing 2 billion to the UK economy alone.

As Director of Junior & Family courses, you will be responsible for directing and managing the strategic direction of these Courses and organizing the advanced planning of the courses, both in terms of the academic provision and the activities and excursions programme.

You will strive for the overall success of the courses, ensuring that the programmes are delivered in accordance with St Giles' high standards, to the maximum benefit of the students.

Our Junior Summer courses mostly combine a half-day English Language course with an activities and excursions programme, providing 24-hour care and supervision to students aged between 8-17 years. They are held at universities or boarding schools, allowing us to provide residential, full board accommodation to our students.

The Family Courses offers families (parents and their children aged 5-15) the chance to visit the UK together and combine quality language learning with a fun activity programme, with a choice of 4 different locations: Brighton, Cambridge, Central London and North London (Highgate). Parents attend one of our Adult language centres in these locations, with separate children's classes held at sites near the Adult centre.

About us

The first St Giles College was founded in central London in 1955 as an English Language training centre. This year we celebrated our 70th anniversary. We are still a family- owned business, which is quite unusual for our size and represents a key selling point for many of our stakeholders. However, most of our senior (non-directorship) management team are not family members.

We have become a successful and well-established medium-sized business which employs an average of around 100 people year round and a maximum of around 300 during the Summer. We have 5 year-round centres for students with an average age of 20-30 years old in the UK (London Central, London Highgate, Brighton, Eastbourne, Cambridge). In 2025, we offered 5 Junior sites in the Summer, plus another 4 locations for our Family courses. We are one of the most well-known and largest international English language training organisations founded in the UK - probably in the top five of (roughly) 1,000 British organisations. Though our main product/service is teaching, we are a business competing in a highly competitive industry.

We have a very proud reputation within the industry for our quality and professionalism. This comes from our belief in serving the students and agents who send us students - they are our customers, and they expect from us: friendliness, flexibility, efficiency, reliability, high teaching standards and the latest technology and appreciation as individuals.

We are proud to have a sociable, vibrant, and multicultural working environment where there are regular opportunities to consult, report and partner with senior colleagues, including the founding family. We are a hardworking team who are happy to pitch in and help each other when needed!

About You

We are looking for a highly energetic, organised and committed applicant who is motivated and prepared for hard work. During the main operational weeks, the Director of Junior Courses has to be on emergency call and be prepared to provide a high level of management support and substantial overtime. The ideal candidate is pragmatic and capable of handling pressure, with a practical and common-sense approach to problems. It is a challenging role, and it fits someone who likes to be a linchpin and is capable of making tough decisions.

The Director of Junior Courses needs to work closely with colleagues in Sales, Marketing, Bookings and other Senior Management. Strong communication, interpersonal skills and recruitment skills are essential for the role.

Essential qualifications

A minimum of CELTA or equivalent

BA (Hons) degree

Responsibilities

Pre-course:

Line Manage other managerial staff employed to work in the Junior Courses department, based in Brighton, ensuring that staff are inducted, monitored, appraised, and trained as required.

Maintain and develop a positive organisational culture, values, and reputation by leading by example.

Plan, agree and deliver the strategic objectives of the junior programmes.

Develop new programmes in line with market needs and update current programmes as necessary.

Provide support to Sales and Marketing staff as necessary. This may include giving presentations to Overseas Partners online and face to face, and updating social media.

Comply with and monitor necessary financial tasks of the department, in line with company policy.

Ensure that suppliers (including staff, deposits for centres etc) are paid in line with company policy and that spending is within the agreed limits.

Renegotiate contracts with host institutions such as Independent Boarding schools and universities.

Source new host premises and negotiate agreements for use of facilities, bedrooms and classrooms

Conduct interviews with applicants for Summer positions and other staff deemed necessary for the smooth operation of the course.

Assess course requirements in terms of academic and leisure supplies.

Assess course requirements in terms of staffing and teaching levels.

Monitor staff levels to ensure courses are neither under nor over- staffed.

Oversee on-boarding arrangements for all new staff and returning staff

Organise and run the pre course training for centre management teams. Monitor training for all other staff.

Update staff training manuals and other documentation.

Oversee the planning of excursions and activities for young learners with clear itineraries/fact sheets and pre-booked tickets, lunch arrangements, reserved coaches etc

Arrange airport pick-up and return for groups and individuals with coaches and taxis

Answer agent enquiries, prepare course fact sheets, sample timetables and assist with quotes for group proposals.

Ensure external inspection criteria are met.

To observe and comply with all legislative requirements and regulations of the British Council Accreditation Scheme for running Young Learners (Junior) courses.

To ensure there is adequate insurance cover for the operation of all St Giles Junior courses in the UK.

Be aware of key markets and industry trends and use this information to predict future student numbers

Any other duties as required to ensure the smooth running of the junior courses.

During Course:

To be personally involved in all aspects of communications with clients

Arrange quality check visits to centres (including meeting a sample of students, parents, group leaders and agents).

Regularly receive student feedback and act upon concerns.

Provide support to all staff and perform other ad hoc duties as required

Maintain adequate staffing, management and rotas.

Maintain staff and management performance and discipline at all centres.

Maintain student discipline at all centres.

Be the safeguarding lead and create a culture of safeguarding in all centres.

Welcome visitors to the programme as required (e.g., third party agents, colleagues from St Giles, language agencies, inspectors from accreditation bodies, etc).

Be on call for emergencies and major concerns out of hours.

What we can offer you

Salary: 45,000 per annum plus bonus scheme

Holidays include 4 weeks/20 working days, not including statutory holidays, plus 1 extra day for every year of service, up to a maximum of 5 days.

Hybrid/remote working: The successful applicant may be permitted to work from home (subject to terms and conditions). The Director of Juniors may be expected to attend meetings in London and at other sites in the UK periodically. Furthermore, if the employee opts to work primarily from home, they will be required to go into our Brighton office at least 3 times per week during the period May to August to help supervise and train colleagues.

In year 3 (after 2 full years' service), you will become eligible for the company Pension Scheme (prior to that, Auto Enrolment).

Terms

Sick pay includes 4 weeks full pay + 4 weeks pay in any one year.

Working hours include 09.00 - 17.30 Monday to Friday, off season, with evenings and 6 days per week of work required during course operational times.

Overtime is not paid additionally, although extra days' holiday are offered in lieu of any days worked at the weekends.

Closing date:

30th September 2025

Interview date

: w/c 6th October 2025

Start date:

As soon as possible

Additional Information

St Giles is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore all convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings (including those which would normally be considered "spent" under the Act) must be declared. If you have a criminal record this will not automatically debar you from employment. Instead, each case will be assessed fairly.

We are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children. All employees are required to undertake child protection screening appropriate to the post including enhanced DBS checks.

St Giles welcomes all suitably qualified candidates regardless of ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender, age or disability. We particularly encourage applications from under-represented groups.

We reserve the right to close the advert early should we get a good response.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: 45,000.00 per year

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Brighton BN1 1UB