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London South Bank University
Professional Practice Placement Team Manager
London On-site 5-10 yrs exp
LeadershipPeople ManagementCommunicationStakeholder ManagementOperational Performance
Requirements
Candidates should have significant experience in professional practice or student administration, ideally in higher education or healthcare. Strong leadership, communication skills, and the ability to manage operational workloads are essential.
Job Description
About Us
It’s an exciting time to join London South Bank University (LSBU) Group. With the launch of our new LSBU Group Strategy, Connecting, we’re shaping the future of tertiary education for a global, technology-driven economy – rooted in London.
Professional and technical education has been central to LSBU Group’s mission since our founding in 1892. Today, as London’s first integrated tertiary education group, we continue to lead the way on learner-centred, skills-focused education.
Comprising London South Bank University, South Bank Colleges and South Bank Academies, connectivity lies at the heart of all we do.
Since 2019, LSBU Group has grown beyond its three founding institutions to form a powerful network of learners, staff, alumni, employers and policymakers – united in our mission: to challenge social and economic inequalities through applied education, insight and partnership .
We are a powerhouse for inclusive education, enterprise and economic growth, connecting potential to opportunity and enabling people to thrive. Our Group network enables us to create learning pathways and connect people and organisations. This ensures learners are supported through the education system to achieve their full potential and can contribute their skills and energies locally and to wider society.
Our new strategy, Connecting , sets out a bold, ambitious vision for LSBU Group and it’s developed in collaboration with colleagues, student groups, partners and stakeholders.
Focused on delivering good jobs for all our learners, we are proud to be employer and skills led, delivering excellent professional and technical teaching which supports future talent and careers to deliver impact for London and beyond.
Working for us
Turning passion into purpose
Our ambition is to create educational pathways that empower people of all backgrounds and talents to realise their aspirations, add to the knowledge base, and contribute their skills and drive to wider society.
To realise our ambition, we need people with energy, courage and imagination, who are enthused by our vision and recognise our values as theirs; people who bring ideas to enrich our approach to learning, research and innovation; collaborative people who love creating and spreading knowledge; brilliant people who seek growth and yearn to make a positive, personal difference.
At LSBU Group, you will get to contribute to a vibrant and dynamic culture, which is fuelled by purpose, built around people, and is genuinely diverse. You will be trusted and recognised for your unique contribution.
You will be part of a great team, turning your passion into purpose.
The role
Turning Passion into Purpose. London South Bank University is seeking an experienced and motivated Professional Practice Team Manager to lead the College's Professional Practice team and ensure the delivery of a high-quality, responsive, and student-focused service supporting professional practice placements across the College of Health and Life Sciences.
This is a varied and people-focused leadership role, responsible for overseeing all placement and pre-placement administrative activities across a diverse portfolio including Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work, and Allied Health disciplines. You will lead a team of Professional Practice Advisors, ensuring the effective management of systems, processes, and operational activities that underpin students' professional practice experiences.
Working closely with academic colleagues, NHS Trusts, professional practice providers, and external stakeholders, you will play a key role in ensuring students are fully prepared for placement activity and that all professional, regulatory, and organisational requirements are met. You will be responsible for maintaining excellent stakeholder relationships, ensuring the timely completion of placement requirements, and driving continuous improvement across services and systems.
The role includes overseeing placement and pre-placement systems and processes, managing operational performance, developing standard operating procedures, monitoring service delivery against key metrics, and ensuring compliance with professional, statutory, regulatory, and organisational requirements. You will also act as a key liaison between the College, placement providers, and external partners, ensuring a seamless end-to-end service for students and stakeholders.
About You
You will have significant experience working within a professional practice, placement, or student administration environment, ideally within higher education, healthcare education, or a related sector. You will bring strong leadership and people management skills, with experience leading teams, managing operational workloads, and fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing working environment.
You will be an excellent communicator, able to build productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and confident providing specialist advice and guidance on professional practice processes and requirements. You will have experience developing and improving administrative systems and processes, using data and metrics to inform decision-making and enhance service delivery.
You will be highly organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities and ensure the successful delivery of complex operational activities within a cyclical academic environment. Experience of working with placement management systems and an understanding of professional practice requirements within health, social care, or related disciplines would be highly advantageous.
As a key member of the College's Professional Practice team, you will lead and support Professional Practice Advisors, oversee placement and pre-placement operations, manage stakeholder relationships, monitor performance and compliance requirements, drive process improvement initiatives, contribute to strategic planning and reporting activities, and ensure students, academics, and placement providers receive an efficient, professional, and customer-focused service.
Benefits and How to Apply:
As a leading Higher Education Institution LSBU offers staff a highly competitive benefits package including holiday entitlement starting at 26.5 days per annum, professional development opportunities and flexible working. Full details on the range of benefits we offer can be found here.
The person specification for this role alongside applicant guidance on what to submit within your application can be found within the candidate pack attached. Applications must be submitted via the &slshquot;Apply Online&slshquot; button below.
For an informal conversation ahead of applying please feel free to contact the hiring manager for this position, Lee Standen, College Director of Operations, lee.standen@lsbu.ac.uk
Application Details:
The closing date for applications is Sunday 21 st June 2026 at 23:59
Interview/assessment - week commencing -Tbc
We are happy to talk flexible working and reasonable adjustments and aim to make our recruitment and selection process accessible to all, please contact us to discuss any support you need. The diversity of LSBU’s staff and students is a source of our strength and the richness of ideas and perspectives that this diversity brings makes LSBU a unique place to work.
Depending on your circumstances, this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UKVI Skilled Worker route, more details on this can be found within the candidate pack.
If you have any questions related to your application, please email the recruitment team hrdsr@lsbu.ac.uk
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early, should we receive sufficient applications.
It’s an exciting time to join London South Bank University (LSBU) Group. With the launch of our new LSBU Group Strategy, Connecting, we’re shaping the future of tertiary education for a global, technology-driven economy – rooted in London.
Professional and technical education has been central to LSBU Group’s mission since our founding in 1892. Today, as London’s first integrated tertiary education group, we continue to lead the way on learner-centred, skills-focused education.
Comprising London South Bank University, South Bank Colleges and South Bank Academies, connectivity lies at the heart of all we do.
Since 2019, LSBU Group has grown beyond its three founding institutions to form a powerful network of learners, staff, alumni, employers and policymakers – united in our mission: to challenge social and economic inequalities through applied education, insight and partnership .
We are a powerhouse for inclusive education, enterprise and economic growth, connecting potential to opportunity and enabling people to thrive. Our Group network enables us to create learning pathways and connect people and organisations. This ensures learners are supported through the education system to achieve their full potential and can contribute their skills and energies locally and to wider society.
Our new strategy, Connecting , sets out a bold, ambitious vision for LSBU Group and it’s developed in collaboration with colleagues, student groups, partners and stakeholders.
Focused on delivering good jobs for all our learners, we are proud to be employer and skills led, delivering excellent professional and technical teaching which supports future talent and careers to deliver impact for London and beyond.
Working for us
Turning passion into purpose
Our ambition is to create educational pathways that empower people of all backgrounds and talents to realise their aspirations, add to the knowledge base, and contribute their skills and drive to wider society.
To realise our ambition, we need people with energy, courage and imagination, who are enthused by our vision and recognise our values as theirs; people who bring ideas to enrich our approach to learning, research and innovation; collaborative people who love creating and spreading knowledge; brilliant people who seek growth and yearn to make a positive, personal difference.
At LSBU Group, you will get to contribute to a vibrant and dynamic culture, which is fuelled by purpose, built around people, and is genuinely diverse. You will be trusted and recognised for your unique contribution.
You will be part of a great team, turning your passion into purpose.
The role
Turning Passion into Purpose. London South Bank University is seeking an experienced and motivated Professional Practice Team Manager to lead the College's Professional Practice team and ensure the delivery of a high-quality, responsive, and student-focused service supporting professional practice placements across the College of Health and Life Sciences.
This is a varied and people-focused leadership role, responsible for overseeing all placement and pre-placement administrative activities across a diverse portfolio including Nursing, Midwifery, Social Work, and Allied Health disciplines. You will lead a team of Professional Practice Advisors, ensuring the effective management of systems, processes, and operational activities that underpin students' professional practice experiences.
Working closely with academic colleagues, NHS Trusts, professional practice providers, and external stakeholders, you will play a key role in ensuring students are fully prepared for placement activity and that all professional, regulatory, and organisational requirements are met. You will be responsible for maintaining excellent stakeholder relationships, ensuring the timely completion of placement requirements, and driving continuous improvement across services and systems.
The role includes overseeing placement and pre-placement systems and processes, managing operational performance, developing standard operating procedures, monitoring service delivery against key metrics, and ensuring compliance with professional, statutory, regulatory, and organisational requirements. You will also act as a key liaison between the College, placement providers, and external partners, ensuring a seamless end-to-end service for students and stakeholders.
About You
You will have significant experience working within a professional practice, placement, or student administration environment, ideally within higher education, healthcare education, or a related sector. You will bring strong leadership and people management skills, with experience leading teams, managing operational workloads, and fostering a positive, inclusive, and high-performing working environment.
You will be an excellent communicator, able to build productive relationships with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders, and confident providing specialist advice and guidance on professional practice processes and requirements. You will have experience developing and improving administrative systems and processes, using data and metrics to inform decision-making and enhance service delivery.
You will be highly organised, with the ability to manage competing priorities and ensure the successful delivery of complex operational activities within a cyclical academic environment. Experience of working with placement management systems and an understanding of professional practice requirements within health, social care, or related disciplines would be highly advantageous.
As a key member of the College's Professional Practice team, you will lead and support Professional Practice Advisors, oversee placement and pre-placement operations, manage stakeholder relationships, monitor performance and compliance requirements, drive process improvement initiatives, contribute to strategic planning and reporting activities, and ensure students, academics, and placement providers receive an efficient, professional, and customer-focused service.
Benefits and How to Apply:
As a leading Higher Education Institution LSBU offers staff a highly competitive benefits package including holiday entitlement starting at 26.5 days per annum, professional development opportunities and flexible working. Full details on the range of benefits we offer can be found here.
The person specification for this role alongside applicant guidance on what to submit within your application can be found within the candidate pack attached. Applications must be submitted via the &slshquot;Apply Online&slshquot; button below.
For an informal conversation ahead of applying please feel free to contact the hiring manager for this position, Lee Standen, College Director of Operations, lee.standen@lsbu.ac.uk
Application Details:
The closing date for applications is Sunday 21 st June 2026 at 23:59
Interview/assessment - week commencing -Tbc
We are happy to talk flexible working and reasonable adjustments and aim to make our recruitment and selection process accessible to all, please contact us to discuss any support you need. The diversity of LSBU’s staff and students is a source of our strength and the richness of ideas and perspectives that this diversity brings makes LSBU a unique place to work.
Depending on your circumstances, this role may be eligible for sponsorship under the UKVI Skilled Worker route, more details on this can be found within the candidate pack.
If you have any questions related to your application, please email the recruitment team hrdsr@lsbu.ac.uk
We reserve the right to close the vacancy early, should we receive sufficient applications.
Skills
LeadershipPeople ManagementCommunicationStakeholder ManagementOperational PerformanceProcess ImprovementData AnalysisOrganizational SkillsTeam ManagementAdministrative SystemsHealthcare EducationProfessional PracticePlacement ManagementRegulatory ComplianceCustomer FocusCollaboration