Programme Director - Post-Graduate Finance

Job Title: Programme Director - Post-Graduate Finance Department: IR0021 Academic Programmes Reporting to: Academic Director Location: Hybrid - Marconi House, Dublin 2 (2/3 days a week)

Reports to: Head of Centre, Accounting and Finance

The Purpose To own and lead the academic performance, learning experience, and development of one or more programmes, ensuring a coherent, high-quality, and industry-relevant student journey from entry through to completion. The Programme Director is accountable for programme outcomes across delivery, student engagement, retention, and progression, working within academic standards set by the Vice Dean. The role may cover a single large programme or a cluster of related programmes, depending on scale and structure.

The Role The Programme Director leads the end-to-end performance of one or more programmes across five core areas: Operational delivery; Learning experience; Industry engagement and profile; Student engagement, retention and progression; Programme development. They act as the primary academic owner of the programme, working closely with Faculty Managers, faculty, and professional services to ensure delivery is effective, consistent, and continuously improving. In larger or more complex areas, Programme Directors may operate across clusters of provision and contribute to subject-level development alongside the Vice Dean.

The Person The Programme Director is an academically credible and operationally effective leader who can take ownership of programme performance end-to-end. They combine subject expertise with strong organisational ability and are comfortable working across academic, operational, and student-facing environments. They are proactive, data-informed, and student-focused, with the ability to translate insight into practical improvements in delivery, learning experience, and outcomes.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Delivery Ensure programmes are delivered in a coherent, timely, and well-organised manner across all modules and intakes; Work closely with Faculty Managers to ensure faculty, timetabling, and delivery requirements are in place; Ensure delivery aligns with academic standards and requirements; Ensure programme documentation, Moodle content, and student-facing materials are accurate and current; Resolve delivery issues promptly, escalating where required.
• Learning Experience Ensure a consistent, high-quality learning experience across modules and teaching staff; implement and enhance assessment practices in line with agreed standards; Maintain oversight of student workload, assessment balance, and academic standards; Use student feedback, pulse surveys, and class representative input to drive improvements; Work with faculty to embed effective teaching and assessment practices.
• Partner & Industry Engagement and External Profile Lead on the engagement, development, and support of strategic partnerships, including relationships with overseas institutions and requiring occasional international travel; Contribute to the external profile of the programme through events, guest speakers, and partnerships; Ensure curriculum reflects current industry practice and future trends; Support employability outcomes through integration of applied learning, projects, and practitioner input.
• Student Engagement, Retention and Progression Monitor attendance, engagement, progression, and performance data to identify risk early; Lead class representative processes and ensure clear communication and follow-up; Coordinate academic and pastoral support in collaboration with Student Services; Take proactive action to improve retention, progression, and completion rates; Act as a visible academic presence for students throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Programme Development and Enhancement Lead ongoing programme development, including curriculum refresh and assessment improvement; Use data, feedback, and external insight to inform changes and enhancements; Contribute to new module and programme proposals where appropriate; Lead annual programme review, ensuring clear actions and measurable impact; Provide documentation and evidence for validation, revalidation, and quality review processes.
• Collaboration and Escalation Work in partnership with the Vice Dean or Head of Centre, Faculty Managers, faculty, and professional services; Escalate academic, quality, or integrity issues with clear evidence and recommendations.
• Culture: Contribute to a culture of innovation, collaboration, inclusivity, and mutual respect across the team and the College; Work proactively and cooperatively with colleagues across departments to achieve shared goals; Demonstrate professionalism, approachability, and collegiality in all interactions; Communicate openly and constructively, supporting a positive and solutions-focused team environment; Uphold the organisation's values in all internal and external activities; Take initiative in personal and professional development, and acknowledge and support the contributions of others.

Key Outcomes

• Strong academic ownership and performance of one or more programmes;
• A consistent and high-quality learning experience across modules;
• Improved student engagement, retention, progression, and completion;
• Clear industry relevance and external profile of programmes;
• Continuous programme improvement informed by data and feedback;
• Effective collaboration with Faculty Managers to ensure delivery excellence.

Skills & Expertise Essential

• A Master's degree (Level 9 or higher) in Finance, Accounting, Financial Technology, or a closely related quantitative discipline
• Evidence of ongoing professional, pedagogical, or disciplinary development
• Experience teaching at the undergraduate and/or postgraduate level
• Experience contributing to programme review, validation, revalidation, or accreditation processes
• Strong working knowledge of assessment design, marking practices, and feedback standards
• Experience leading or supporting programme enhancement and continuous improvement activity
• Demonstrated academic or industry experience across financial analytics, accounting standards, and financial technology, sufficient to provide credible oversight across a multi-disciplinary postgraduate portfolio
• Demonstrated ability to use student engagement, assessment outcomes, and feedback data to inform programme-level improvement
• Experience supporting coherent programme delivery using Moodle or a comparable virtual learning environment
• Experience working with class representative structures, student surveys, or similar feedback mechanisms
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work constructively with students, academic staff, and professional colleagues

Desirable

• A PhD (Level 10) or equivalent advanced qualification, where appropriate to the discipline
• Professional accreditation or relevant working knowledge (e.g. ACCA/CIMA/CFA, or demonstrable fintech/data-analytics expertise)
• Familiarity with the regulatory and professional-body requirements underpinning international accounting and finance programme content
• Familiarity with QQI standards or comparable national or international quality frameworks
• Experience coordinating across multiple modules or programmes
• Experience contributing to discipline-level or cross-programme academic activity, including quality oversight or assessment coordination

Pay & Benefits The salary for this role is DOE.

• Free Internal Courses
• Discounted Fees for Family Members
• Life Assurance & Disabilities Cover
• Sports & Social
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Employee Discount Scheme
• Paid sick leave
• Death-In-Service Benefit

Position Type: Full time

Contract Type: Regular

Pay Frequency: Annual

Location: Dublin, Ireland

Eligibility All appointments are subject to providing proof of eligibility to work in Ireland on full time basis (upon being invited to interview).

Equal Opportunity & Diversity DBS is an equal opportunities employer and positively encourages applications from suitably qualified and eligible candidates regardless of sex, race, disability, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, religion or belief, marital status, or pregnancy and maternity.

About Us Dublin Business School (DBS) is a third level institution and provider of Higher Education in Ireland with over 8,000 students. It provides a broad range of full-time and part-time programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students as well as professional and executive education and learning, including preparation for professional accountancy exams. DBS was established in 1975 and since then has increased its range of programmes and subject specialisms. Programmes span Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, Business, Law, Management, Marketing and ICT. The majority of students are fee paying and a small proportion is funded through the Springboard+ training fund, available through the Higher Education Authority. The School is part of Kaplan Inc., the education division of The Graham Holdings Company and a leading international provider of higher education, professional development and lifelong learning programmes. We are dedicated to being a college which helps our students to build futures and provides outstanding educational services. Join our staff community and enjoy a friendly and stimulating modern college in the centre of Dublin. We value and respect our staff, and involve them in decision making processes. Promoting equality of opportunity, openness . click apply for full job details