Contract – Permanent
FTE – 0.6 FTE (part-time)
Salary – £39,347 per annum to £40,521 per annum (full time equivalent)
Location – Hybrid with minimum 2 days per week at our Clapham campus and occasional travel to other campuses as required
Purpose of the Role
The Immigration Compliance Manager is responsible for ensuring that ACM fully meets all duties associated with its UKVI Student Sponsor Licence. The role provides strategic and operational leadership on immigration compliance, ensuring robust policies, processes, and monitoring systems are in place to mitigate the risk of licence breach or revocation.
The post holder will act as the institutional lead for immigration compliance, providing assurance to the Academic Registrar that ACM’s responsibilities are being effectively discharged, while maintaining a proportionate and student-centred approach aligned to the institution’s scale and context.
Key Responsibilities
1. Student Sponsor Licence Compliance
- Act as the Key Contact for all matters relating to the UKVI Student Sponsor Licence.
- Ensure ACM meets all compliance duties as outlined in UKVI Sponsor Guidance.
- Maintain oversight of licence status, including renewal processes and Basic Compliance Assessment (BCA) requirements.
- Act as, or support, Key Personnel roles (e.g. Level 1 User), ensuring effective use of the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
2. Policy and Process Leadership
- Develop, implement, and maintain immigration compliance policies and procedures.
- Ensure processes are proportionate to ACM’s scale but sufficiently robust to meet regulatory expectations.
- Regularly review and update policies in response to changes in UKVI rules or sector practice.
- Embed compliance requirements across the student lifecycle, from admissions through to completion.
3. CAS Management
- Develop and own the ACM CAS Assignment Policy and provide regular training for staff designated to assign CAS; be the point of escalation where there is a risk-based judgement to be taken re: CAS assignment.
- Ensure CAS issuance is compliant, accurate, and appropriately evidenced.
- Maintain clear audit trails for all CAS decisions.
- Work closely with Admissions to ensure eligibility checks are consistently applied.
- Manage ACM’s BCA scores – aiming for no less than an amber rating
4. Right to Study and Record Keeping
- Ensure robust right to study checking processes are in place and consistently applied, working closely with Registry on student enrolment and re-enrolment.
- Oversee the maintenance of accurate and compliant student immigration records in line with UKVI requirements.
- Ensure all required documentation is securely stored and readily accessible for audit.
5. Monitoring and Reporting
- Ensure effective systems are in place for monitoring student engagement and attendance.
- Oversee processes for identifying and escalating non-engagement.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting of changes in student circumstances via the SMS, including:
- Non-enrolment
- Withdrawal or deferral
- Changes to study patterns
- Work with academic and professional service teams to ensure reporting triggers are understood and acted upon.
6. Internal Audit and Assurance
- Design and deliver a programme of regular internal compliance audits across key risk areas.
- Identify gaps, risks, and areas for improvement, and implement corrective actions.
- Produce clear reports for the Academic Registrar and SMT, providing assurance and highlighting risks.
- Prepare ACM for potential UKVI compliance visits, including mock audits where appropriate.
7. Training and Stakeholder Engagement
- Provide expert advice and guidance to staff across the institution on immigration compliance.
- Deliver regular training and briefings to relevant teams (e.g. Admissions, Registry, Academic staff, Student Services).
- Develop clear guidance materials to support consistent practice.
- Build strong working relationships across departments to embed compliance culture.
8. Horizon Scanning and Regulatory Awareness
- Monitor changes in UKVI policy, legislation, and sector guidance.
- Assess the impact of changes on ACM and implement required adjustments.
- Brief SMT and relevant stakeholders on emerging risks and changes in compliance requirements.
9. Student Immigration Advice (Student Route)
- Provide accurate, up-to-date, and timely guidance to prospective and current students on immigration matters relating to the Student Route, including visa conditions, compliance responsibilities, and implications of changes in circumstances.
- Support students in understanding their responsibilities (e.g. attendance, work restrictions, changes to study) to ensure both individual compliance and institutional adherence to UKVI requirements.
- Work closely with Admissions and Student Services to ensure consistent messaging and appropriate immigration support is available at all stages of the student lifecycle.
- Ensure that all advice remains within the scope of permitted activity under relevant regulatory frameworks (e.g. IAA requirements), and that all advice is provided in writing with clear audit trail, referring students to appropriately qualified or authorised advisers where more complex immigration advice is required.
- Develop and maintain clear guidance materials and communications to promote student understanding of visa compliance obligations.
Key Working Relationships
- Academic Registrar
- Admissions Team
- Student Records / Registry
- Academic Staff and Course Leaders
- Student Services / Wellbeing
- Senior Management Team (SMT)
Person Specification
Essential
- Significant experience in UKVI Student Sponsor Licence compliance within UK higher education.
- In-depth knowledge of UKVI Sponsor Guidance and immigration regulations relating to students.
- Experience of operating the Sponsor Management System (SMS).
- Experience of developing and implementing compliance policies and procedures.
- Experience of conducting audits and managing compliance risk.
- Strong analytical skills with attention to detail and accuracy.
- Ability to interpret complex regulatory requirements and translate them into operational practice.
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence and train staff at all levels.
- Ability to work independently in a small team environment and manage competing priorities.
Desirable
- Experience in a small or specialist HE provider.
- Experience supporting or leading UKVI compliance audits or inspections.
- Understanding of the broader regulatory landscape (e.g. OfS requirements where relevant).
- Experience of working across the full student lifecycle.
Key Attributes
- High level of integrity and professional judgement.
- Risk-aware but pragmatic approach to compliance.
- Collaborative and solutions-focused.
- Strong organisational and planning skills.
Success Measures
- No less than an amber rating across all BCA metrics
- Continued measured compliance with UKVI Student Sponsor Licence requirements
- Positive outcomes in any UKVI audits or inspections
- No significant compliance breaches or reporting failures
- High levels of staff awareness and adherence to immigration processes
- Clear and regular assurance reporting to Academic Registrar and SMT
ACM is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare and wellbeing of our students and staff and we follow Safer Recruitment processes. All applicants will be required to complete screening appropriate to the post. This includes a Disclosure and Barring Service check and checks with past employers.
This job purpose reflects the core activities of the post. As the Department and the post-holder develop, there will inevitably be some changes to the duties for which the post is responsible, and possibly to the emphasis of the post itself. ACM expects that the post-holder will recognise this and will adopt a flexible approach to work. This could include undertaking relevant training where necessary. Should significant changes to the job purpose become necessary, the post-holder will be consulted and the changes reflected in a revised job purpose.
ACM reserves the right to close job adverts earlier than the advertised end date where required based on volume of applications.
Pay: £39,347.00-£40,521.00 per year
Benefits:
Work Location: Hybrid remote in London SW4 0BG
