Leadership Development Scheme Officer

Do you want to shape the future of higher education?

Do you want to build a career in regulation or public policy? Do you believe that students from all backgrounds should benefit from high quality higher education? If so, the Office for Students (OfS) could be the place for you.

The OfS is the independent regulator of higher education in England. We regulate more than 400 higher education institutions collectively teaching 2.4 million students. We work to foster a diverse, sustainable sector that meets students’ needs.

We are seeking driven, creative, future leaders to join our Leadership Development Scheme. Over two years and three placements, you will take on complex projects in a fast-paced environment, developing a broad range of skills while shaping work that benefits students across the country.

The Leadership Development Scheme – a two-year career accelerator

Over three dynamic placements across the organisation, you will:

• Take on challenging, high impact projects that help deliver higher education policy.

• Gain in-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in regulation, strategy, and policy-making.

• Develop the leadership skills and technical capabilities to make a difference in the lives of thousands of students.

Why choose the OfS

• Purpose-driven work: Our mission is to ensure that students from all backgrounds can benefit from high‑quality higher education. You will be contributing to important work, from day‑to‑day regulatory activity to shaping new initiatives, which makes a meaningful difference for students.

• Professional development: We place real emphasis on professional development and continuous learning. Through varied, impactful work, you will build the skills and experience to become a leader at the OfS and beyond.

• Supportive environment: You will participate in a rich training programme, receive personalised support from a dedicated mentor, and have access to a range of development opportunities.

• Career progression: By the end of two years, you will be well placed to apply to a full time regulatory role. Most Leadership Development Officers who apply to permanent roles receive a job offer.

Who we are looking for

We’re looking for hard working, creative thinkers with a commitment to ensuring students from all backgrounds benefit from excellent higher education.

You will appreciate how your work fits into our organisational priorities, and have the aptitude for analysis, problem-solving and detail that enables you to make well-reasoned decisions.

And as a natural communicator both in writing and in person, you will enjoy the challenge of collaborating with people at all levels and balancing different perspectives in everything you do.

Applications are now open

This is an opportunity to help shape the future of higher education – and your career.

Applications close at midday on Monday 9 March.

Salary & Benefits:

Year 1: £32,946

Year 2: £37,614 (subject to meeting assessment criteria at the end of year
1)

Plus generous Civil Service defined benefit pension.

To find out more about the Leadership Development Scheme, you can join one of our information sessions. We are running live online sessions at 12-1pm on 19 February and 3-4pm on 27 February. You can sign up to attend these here:

Date 

Registration link

19 February 2026, 12-1 pm 

27 February 2026, 3-4 pm 

The OfS regulates the higher education sector on behalf of all students. We value diversity and the wealth of perspectives, experience and ideas that it brings to our work, and we strive to embed equality of opportunity in everything we do.

We recruit based on fair and open competition and welcome applications from candidates regardless of age, disability, race and ethnicity, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, religion or belief, sex or sexual orientation.

Flexibility is important to the OfS, as we recognise that this can enable people to work more effectively. To attract the widest possible field of qualified applicants we have a flexible and hybrid working approach which applies to this role. In practice, this typically means working an average of two to three days in the office each week.

This is more than a job – it's your chance to drive positive change in a sector that impacts millions of futures. xekaoyc Join the Office for Students.