Sarah Leach
York
Summary
Highly versatile and respected professional leader in higher education international mobility sector, with outstanding knowledge and extensive experience of managing multiple end-to-end programmes and projects, working to the highest standards of quality, delivering successful outcomes, and ensuring exceptional customer service in both the higher education and commercial sectors.
Passionate about creating the most inclusive user experiences and opportunities to build and enhance relationships. Offer expert advice and support through excellent communication skills, long-established inter-cultural understanding, collaborative team working, a 'can-do' approach and a knowledgeable, sensitive and personable manner.
Overview
30
30
years of professional experience
3
3
years of post-secondary education
Work history
Head of Global Opportunities
University of York
York, North Yorkshire
11.2011 - 10.2024
- Led University of York Global Opportunities team of 30 study abroad, short courses and summer schools support and teaching staff.
- Established over 300 quality learning abroad programmes, from short-term immersion experiences, bespoke short courses, semester and year-long placements for students at York and visiting students, within framework of strategic university, international, accessibility and employability objectives.
- Developed strong inter-cultural skills and long-lasting working relationships with worldwide institutions and organisations via collaborative teaching, research and mobility partnerships.
- Led new projects through external business and contractual negotiations, internal approvals processes, through planning, implementation, scheduling, monitoring and assessment, funding and reporting.
- Procured and implemented specific IT tools for study abroad partnership, guidance and applications management improving administrative efficiency and creating holistic student experience.
- Provided expert advice to senior management and committees on international higher education trends, business development opportunities and issues affecting university mobility programmes.
- Secured over £7m funding to support equitable access to international experiences via Erasmus and Turing schemes and internally via York alumni worldwide, Santander; successful annual funding bids, disbursement to students and staff, statutory reporting to European Commission, British Council (BC), Department for Education (DfE)- maintaining 'very high' (highest) status of project quality throughout.
- Presented at Open Days, national and international conferences, fora and represented the university on panels and sessions at IHEF, NAFSA, EAIE, Universities UK International (UUKI), University Council for Languages, US Embassy, meetings and events with funders e.g. Santander, and alumni and high-stake donors.
- Managed financial and resourcing capacity across international projects and programmes, planning and forecasting, negotiating budget and staffing levels required, regularly updating senior management on budget and revenue generation KPIs.
- Collaborated on projects and programme development with academics, third party organisations, suppliers, internal and external financial and legal entities, national and international agencies e.g. BC, Capita, DfE.
Chair, Outward Student Mobility Network
Universities UK International
09.2021 - 09.2024
- Held Chair of UUKI Outward Student Mobility network for three years collating intelligence, issues, concerns, opportunities and developments from sector institutions and translating these into actionable insight for the UUKI leads and DfE led Turing Stakeholders Panel (advisory group).
- Consulting quickly on sensitive and confidential issues, chairing regular online/ in person meetings with sector colleagues, requiring tact and diplomacy to ensure equity and inclusion of all perspectives.
- Represented UK universities sector at House of Lords All Party Parliamentary Group for International Students on 'developing and enabling student exchange'.
Study Abroad Officer
University of York
York, North Yorkshire
03.2005 - 11.2011
- Expanded number and variety of study abroad programmes and exchanges worldwide (previously only 50 in Europe and 5 in North America), including research, partner identification and matching, site visits, creating agreements, promoting to students in York and at international fairs and partner events.
- Prepared bids and papers and managed external funding mechanisms such as Socrates / Erasmus in collaboration with British Council.
Account Manager
R.L.Polk UK Ltd
Leeds, West Yorkshire
09.1994 - 12.2004
- Managed client accounts providing bespoke IT projects including specialist data, software and modelling analysts using waterfall methodology to implement market analysis IT tools and deliver brand launch analysis and monthly reporting within negotiated budget and SLAs.
- Developed strong business relationships with senior colleagues in Headquarters and regional offices in European markets to implement strategic change projects for clients (Ford, Jaguar, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz, Bentley).
- Achieved account targets and high level of client satisfaction by managing range of client relationships with friendly and collaborative approach.
Education
Certificate of Higher Education - Management Studies
University of York
York 09.2000 - 06.2001
Bachelor of Arts - Geography
University of Leeds
Leeds 09.1991 - 06.1994
Skills
- Proven project and programme management skills gained in complex commercial and higher education settings using agile and waterfall methodologies
- Strong partnership building and relationship management across international markets, and at multiple levels of engagement
- High performance agile team leadership, open to change, development, continuous improvement whilst working within highest professional, procedural and statutory standards
- Excellent data analysis and complex problem solving, proactive in identifying and implementing appropriate IT tools to improve efficiency and outcomes
- Financial optimisation - maximising internal financial budgets and funding resources to achieve successful outcomes and make positive change
- Extensive experience of communicating internally and externally including with UK and international sector leadership, demostrating strong diplomacy and respect
Accomplishments
Vice-Provost of Derwent College, University of York (2010-2014)
Chair of BUTEX Association (2015-2017)
Vice-Chancellor's award 2017 for team excellence - Study Abroad
Chair of Universities UK International Outward Student Mobility Network (2021-2024)
Timeline
Chair, Outward Student Mobility Network
Universities UK International
09.2021 - 09.2024
Head of Global Opportunities
University of York
11.2011 - 10.2024
Study Abroad Officer
University of York
03.2005 - 11.2011
Certificate of Higher Education - Management Studies
University of York
09.2000 - 06.2001
Account Manager
R.L.Polk UK Ltd
09.1994 - 12.2004
Bachelor of Arts - Geography
University of Leeds
09.1991 - 06.1994
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