Job Description

The Conference of Colleges - an association for Oxford's 39 colleges and four Permanent Private Halls - is seeking a Policy Officer (Academic) to join its Secretariat. If you're an organised, proactive professional with a passion for higher education and policy development, this is your opportunity to join the team!

Location:

University Offices, Wellington Square, Oxford, OX1 2JD

Salary:

Grade 6: 35,681 to 41,636 per annum (pro rata 0.6 FTE)

Contract:

Part Time (0.6FTE), Permanent

About the Conference of Colleges

Oxford's 39 colleges and four permanent private halls (PPH) are both an integral part of the collegiate University and also independent, self-governing academic communities. Diverse in age, size and scope, all contribute significantly to the core activities of the University: learning and teaching; research; and wider engagement with society.

Conference of Colleges has two main functions. It enables the colleges, as self-governing and financially independent institutions, to act collectively on issues that matter to them. This may range from sharing information and good practice to acting together to procure expert advice or services.

The Conference also acts as a voice for college interests within the University community. It enables Colleges to debate and act upon the key issues of the day and to develop shared views and policies. This enables a collective college perspective to be communicated widely and to influence University decision-making.

About the Role

We are looking for a Policy Officer (Academic) to join our team to support the Conference Secretariat's educational and academic policy work.

As

Policy Officer (Academic)

, your tasks will include:

Servicing committees and working groups, including the annual quality assurance exercise

Supporting project work

Undertaking research and analysis

Engaging with stakeholders across Oxford colleges, the University, and external partners

General administrative systems and supporting continuous improvement


This is a

varied and rewarding role

, offering exceptional exposure to collegiate university-wide decision-making processes and the chance to develop expertise in new policy areas.

What We Offer

We offer several benefits, including:
38 days' annual leave (pro rata), inclusive of public holidays

Membership of the USS pension scheme

The Conference Secretariat team operates a hybrid working policy (core office days are Tuesday and Thursday and team members are required to be in-person for committee meetings and some other key meetings).

About You (See full essential criteria in the job description)

We're looking for people who have:

Experience in administrative work, highly organised

Strong written and verbal communication skills

The ability to learn and develop new knowledge rapidly

Strong ICT skills

The ability to be collaborative and professional, and experience in engaging and managing stakeholders

The ability to handle complex and confidential issues confidently


Familiarity with Oxford's college system, and/or Oxford's academic operations, and/or prior experience in committee servicing is highly desirable.

Application Process

To apply, please send the below details to confcoll@admin.ox.ac.uk
Your CV

A covering letter setting out how you meet the competencies in the job description

Your right to work in the UK

The details of two referees, one of whom should be your most recent employer, and indicate whether we can contact them now


Your application will be judged solely on how you demonstrate that you meet the key competencies stated in the job description.

The closing date for applications is

12 noon on Tuesday 25 November 2025

.

We will hold in-person interviews on

Wednesday 10 December

. There will be a short pre-interview written exercise, to be completed during the week before the interview date. We would ideally like the successful candidates to start as soon as possible after the interview date.

For more information, please see the detailed job description attached.