Head of Student Accommodation

UP Education is a leading Australasian dual-sector education group, delivering foundation, vocational and higher education to domestic and international students. At UP Education, we are on a mission: to elevate and empower students to unlock their potential. Known for our agility, and responsiveness to the changing world.  

What sets us apart from other tertiary providers? It is, quite simply, our people. Our teams come from a wide range of educational and cultural backgrounds and offer a broad diversity of professional experience. But we all have one thing in common – we are all firm believers in the power of education to transform lives and they all have the drive to make a significant impact in the communities with which they work. 

We believe learning should be defined by the exceptional and at UP Education we have an ongoing commitment to the development of our staff.  

To find out more about us, please visit  https://www.up.education/ 

Head of Accommodation
Location: Auckland CBD
Full-time | Permanent | On-site

About the role:

As Head of Accommodation, you will lead the governance, compliance, and delivery of accommodation services for our international students across UP Education NZ providers. With a strong focus on the safety and wellbeing of students under 18, you will ensure accommodation arrangements are compliant, well-governed, and aligned with regulatory and institutional requirements. This role provides strategic oversight of accommodation operations, partner relationships, and team performance to ensure a high-quality, student-centred service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead accommodation governance, compliance, and risk management across all providers.

• Ensure accommodation arrangements meet Pastoral Care Code, NZQA, Ministry of Education, and partner university requirements.

• Oversee Under 18 accommodation placements, including homestay, designated caregiver, parental accommodation, and residential halls.

• Plan accommodation capacity and monitor demand to ensure timely student placements.

• Lead incident management, investigations, and Code self-review processes.

• Manage relationships with homestay hosts and accommodation partners, ensuring service quality and compliance.

• Oversee financial processes, payments, and accommodation data accuracy.

• Lead and develop the Accommodation Team, promoting a student-centred and high-performing culture.

• Strengthen systems, reporting, and continuous improvement across accommodation services.

• Ensure a robust 24/7 emergency response capability and effective risk management

About You:

You are an experienced operational leader with a strong understanding of international student accommodation and welfare services. You bring a practical, solutions-focused approach and are confident managing complex operational environments while ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements. With strong organisational and stakeholder engagement skills, you are comfortable working across teams and partners to deliver safe, high-quality accommodation experiences for students.

Key Skills & Experience:

• Operational leadership experience managing student accommodation services, homestay networks, or student welfare operations.

• Proven ability to plan and manage accommodation capacity to support student intake growth while maintaining service quality.

• Experience establishing and monitoring service standards, operational performance metrics, and SLAs.

• Confidence managing accommodation incidents, complaints, and emergency response situations.

• Strong understanding of international education regulatory frameworks and student welfare obligations.

• Experience conducting risk assessments, internal reviews, or compliance audits, and reporting to senior leadership.

• Ability to balance operational delivery with compliance and safeguarding responsibilities.

• Experience using student management systems or CRM platforms (e.g. Artena, SELMA or similar).

• Strong stakeholder engagement, communication, and relationship management skills.

• Highly organised with excellent attention to detail and the ability to handle confidential information with discretion.

• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgement, and make decisions with minimal supervision.

Why work with us:

• Fast-growing Business: Private equity backed business known for its growth and agility.
• Be part of a forward-thinking organisation that embraces innovation and continuous improvement
• Amazing work culture that is highly collaborative and supportive 

To Apply: 

To apply for this position, please submit your resume and a cover letter detailing your relevant experience and interest in the role.

Questions about your identity help us appreciate the diversity of individuals looking to work with us, ensuring we’re attracting applications from people with identities and perspectives that are as diverse as our students. 

We are an equal opportunity employer. As part of our commitment to equity, we work to ensure a fair and consistent interview process. We celebrate diversity and we are committed to an inclusive work environment.