Programme Director - EWF

Location: Hybrid – 1–2 days per week in our Holborn office

Salary: up to £65,000 DOE

About Times Higher Education

Times Higher Education is the data provider underpinning university excellence in every continent across the world. As the company behind the world's most influential university ranking, and with almost five decades of experience as a source of analysis and insight on higher education, we have unparalleled expertise on the trends underpinning university performance globally.

Our data and benchmarking tools are used by many of the world's most prestigious universities to help them achieve their strategic goals, and our events series act as the home of higher education thought leadership around the world.

The Opportunity

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join the Times Higher Education (THE) and Education World Forum (EWF) teams as Programme Director for EWF .

For 20 years, EWF has provided a forum for education and skills ministers from across the globe to share best practice and discuss solutions to common challenges. It comprises three days of sessions featuring policymakers and experts, with many sessions delivered by ministers themselves as part of an honest assessment of the state of global education.

The Programme Director will be responsible for the programme, speakers and delivery formats across the three days. This includes the main programme, as well as oversight of wraparound programmes and partner sessions. Reporting to the Global Managing Director Events, and working in close collaboration with the THE team and the Global Director of Events and Partnerships, you will be responsible for end-to-end content delivery.

You will be expected to encourage innovation and improvement from previous events and oversee the project in partnership with government stakeholders. The ideal candidate will be passionate about global education, education policy and innovation, and be prepared to proactively foster and build relationships with stakeholders across the sector.

You'll need to be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment, be an innovative thinker, and have the ability to research and identify key topics and secure the best speakers. You will have a creative approach to spotting opportunities that add value and enhance the experience of our stakeholders.

You'll also need to be confident engaging with senior leaders and stakeholders, while managing high-profile speakers and delegates.

Key Responsibilities

Content & Features Development and Curation

* Identify and research major trends and challenges across the whole education sector.

* Write clear, engaging event copy and topic descriptions for websites, social media, event partners and marketing collateral.

* Source and secure senior speakers and contributors.

* Design and project manage new event features or formats (e.g. policy roundtables, leadership clinics, innovation showcases) that enhance the event and exhibition experience.

Event Content Planning and Execution

* Own the end-to-end content planning cycle for each event, from initial research and agenda writing to speaker briefing and post-event evaluation.

* Manage deadlines and collaborate with internal teams to ensure the agenda aligns with business goals and audience needs.

* Contribute to the long-term development of the education portfolio by shaping new content verticals or thematic areas.

* Coordinate speakers and key stakeholders on-site, including stage management and liaison with the AV team to ensure seamless production.

* Write compelling programme abstracts and website copy.

* Clarify the event value proposition for interested parties.

Stakeholder Management

* Oversee work in partnership with government stakeholders to produce a high-quality programme that appeals to an international audience of education ministers and their delegations.

* Provide project leadership throughout the event lifecycle, ensuring programme development meets deadlines in accordance with the event work plan.

* Collaborate with the sales and sponsorship teams to support engagement with corporate sponsors and curate their content to align with the overall event programme.

* Manage stakeholder meetings and communicate clear agendas, outcomes and next steps for all parties.

* Research, invite and confirm senior-level, high-quality speakers, ensuring content remains balanced and diverse in all respects.

* Draft best practice speaker briefs on event themes and discussions, and provide moderator and panel briefings ahead of each event.

Experience and Skills Required

* Extensive experience in the education sector, ideally with editorial, policy or events experience.

* Confident and talented self-starter who can hit the ground running.

* Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to work with senior leaders from government, NGOs, academia and industry.

* Commercially astute with an entrepreneurial outlook.

* Experience of working with media and communications.

* Ability to work to agreed deadlines and perform well under pressure.

* Excellent planning and organisational skills, with the ability to manage and prioritise workload effectively.

* Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including spelling, grammar and proofreading, with the ability to tailor style and approach to suit high-profile global audiences.

* Passionate about international education and global affairs.

You do You

You do You. With colleagues located around the world, we know that our individuality and diversity of experiences are our greatest strengths.

That's why we want THE to be a place where you are welcome to be who you want to be at work; where you can share whatever part of your life or self-identity you want, without obligation or facing discrimination; and where all abilities and perspectives are recognised and accommodated.