About LIS

The challenges humanity faces today are not distant concerns from dystopian novels or hypothetical scenarios in textbooks. They are real, pressing, and profoundly complex.

Unfortunately, the traditional higher education system has not evolved to address this reality. By operating in disciplinary silos, it leaves graduates ill-equipped to navigate and address the interwoven challenges of the 21st century.

At The London Interdisciplinary School (LIS), we're rethinking higher education from the ground up. We equip students with an interdisciplinary toolkit designed to confront the intricate problems shaping our world—problems that don't adhere to neat academic boundaries.

With a world-class faculty, five pioneering cohorts, and partnerships with global organisations, LIS is more than a university. It's a movement. A place where bold thinkers can learn how to shape the world, not just fit in.

As the first UK educational institution in 50 years to be granted full degree-awarding powers since inception, we are redefining what higher education can be. From our innovative Bachelor's, Master's and MBA to our professional development programmes, LIS represents a ground-breaking approach to education designed for those ready to tackle the complexity of tomorrow, today.

About The Role

At LIS, our team is structured into three core functions: 1) Faculty 2) Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions and 3) Operations.

The newly-created Chief Operating Officer (COO) role will lead the Operations function — a talented team spanning the critical areas of student support, careers, registry, programme administration, finance, HR, technology and campus management. These areas have historically sat in different functions, and this is an exciting opportunity to think about how they can all work in more interconnected ways, in order to deliver an exceptional learning experience.

We're looking for a senior generalist who loves creating seamless internal systems and fostering an internal culture that is both rigorous and supportive. Someone who is passionate about crafting an outstanding student and alumni experience. Someone who excels in combining big-picture strategy and hands-on execution, in making sure things run smoothly and on time, and in holding others accountable to deliver at their best.

You will report directly to our CEO Ed Fidoe and collaborate closely with all other members of the leadership team and beyond. You will play a pivotal role in shaping LIS as we build a generational institution.

Key Responsibilities

Be an integral part of the leadership team, contributing to strategic decision-making and long-term planning
Enable, inspire, and develop a team of 14
Drive and evolve our Talent strategy: owning hiring, onboarding, and team development, to attract top talent and ensure every team member is set up to thrive
Drive the development and improvement of systems, processes, and structures to support the efficient and scalable operation of LIS
Partner with Faculty to ensure that we have the optimal setup to deliver all of our programmes, and that we are setting industry best practice
Work closely with Marketing, Recruitment & Admissions to align operational goals with student growth objectives

Requirements

The ideal candidate will:

Have 10+ years of experience in operational roles, including time in fast-paced, complex, startup environments
Bring 5+ years of leadership experience, with a track record of managing teams of 10+
Be experienced in at least two of the areas you will lead (e.g. student support, careers, HR, technology) and eager to learn about others
Exhibit intellectual curiosity and a passion for educating future leaders (nb: past experience in higher education is not something we are looking for)
Be comfortable with numbers and enjoy diving into technical and operational details
Approach challenges with a proactive, resourceful, and data-driven mindset
Deeply align with LIS's values: rigour, curiosity, courage, compassion, and meraki

Benefits

Competitive salary, depending on level of experience
Campus-first (at least 3 days a week on average), with some flexibility to work from home
30 days of paid leave annually (plus bank holidays)
Monthly fitness contribution and, on successful completion of your probationary period, company-sponsored health plan
Annual personal development contribution for external training/coaching

LIS: The London Interdisciplinary School jobs

Chief Operating Officer (COO)