We are seeking to appoint two new Non-Executive Directors to join the Board at an important moment in the organisation’s development. As the OIA continues to grow in scale and impact, we are looking for individuals who bring professional expertise alongside a strong commitment to fairness, accountability and service to students.
Non-Executive Directors play a vital role in ensuring that the OIA remains independent, effective and responsive to the needs of the students and providers we serve. We are particularly interested in individuals who combine sound judgement and governance experience with an understanding of organisations that operate for public benefit.
Non-Executive Directors with legal expertise
We are seeking a qualified solicitor to join the Board who brings experience from public sector or public-facing environments. This might include work within regulators, ombuds organisations, charities, professional bodies or other settings where fairness, process and accountability are central.
The OIA exists to serve students who have taken the significant step of raising complaints. It is therefore important that Non-Executive Directors understand and value the perspective of people who rely on independent review and redress. We are looking for someone who approaches governance with a strong sense of public purpose and who recognises the responsibility that comes with serving individuals and communities.
This Non-Executive Directors will also chair the Audit and Risk Committee, providing oversight and assurance across governance, risk and compliance. We are interested in candidates who bring the structured thinking and confidence to support robust decision-making at board level, and who are comfortable working within established frameworks while contributing thoughtful challenge and insight.
We are not seeking candidates whose primary background is within higher education, as the Board already benefits from this experience. Instead, we welcome applications from those able to bring complementary perspectives from other regulated or public-facing sectors.
Non-Executive Directors with digital transformation expertise
We are also seeking a Non-Executive Directors with strong experience of digital and technology-enabled transformation. As the OIA continues to expand and evolve, technology will play an increasingly important role in how we operate, how we scale our services and how students engage with us.
We are interested in individuals who have helped organisations use digital tools and data to improve services, manage growth and strengthen accessibility. This includes finding more effective ways to connect with service users and ensure systems and processes are fit for purpose in a changing environment.
The most relevant candidates are likely to have worked in organisations that combine public purpose with operational complexity, where change must be delivered thoughtfully and sustainably. Experience of supporting organisations to modernise in resource-conscious or highly regulated settings will be particularly valuable. We are looking for someone who can offer both constructive challenge and practical support, helping the Board and executive think confidently about how technology can enable the organisation’s future.
Wider experience and perspectives
Alongside the specific expertise outlined above, we welcome candidates who bring broader board-level experience or insight in areas such as governance, regulation, communications, equality and inclusion, and engagement with diverse communities.
Above all, we are looking for Non-Executive Directors who are thoughtful, collaborative and motivated by the OIA’s purpose. A commitment to fairness, respect for independence and an ability to contribute to a positive and professional board culture are essential.
Non-Executive Directors will be:
- Committed to the OIA’s vision that students are always treated fairly and to the work of the OIA.
- Committed to the OIA’s values and the ethos of a charity.
- Committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion.
- Able and willing to contribute to and support the OIA’s strategic vision.
- Able to understand complex issues, nuances and interrelationships.
- Able to understand the legal duties and responsibilities of Non-Executive Directors
- Able to understand the proper separation between governance and executive management and appropriate ways to monitor performance.
- Able to give the required time, energy, and dedication.
The above will be underpinned by the following personal qualities:
- The highest level of personal and professional integrity
- Good independent judgment
- Impartiality, fairness and discretion
- Willingness to speak openly.
- Tact and diplomacy.
- Respect for others, for diversity of background and opinion and for organisational roles.
- Willingness to listen and adapt.
- Good interpersonal skills and team skills.