Managing Director, Education Ventures

Anderson Quigley is delighted to be partnering with Union Maritime Ltd on the appointment of a Managing Director, Education Ventures.

Terms:

This is a permanent appointment based in London, with 5 days per week expected at the organisation’s Warren Street headquarters during the initial build phase. International travel, particularly to Greece and Nigeria, may be required occasionally.

A highly competitive executive package is available and will be tailored to secure an exceptional individual capable of building and leading a substantial international education business.

Who is Union Maritime?

Union Maritime Ltd (UML) is one of the world’s fastest growing independent shipping companies. Headquartered in London and operating across Europe, Africa, Asia and the Americas, the organisation manages a rapidly expanding fleet that is expected to reach approximately 150 vessels by the end of the year. The business employs hundreds of colleagues across multiple international locations including London, Athens, Singapore, Lagos, Tokyo and the United States.

Led by Founder and Chief Executive Officer Laurent Cadji, Union Maritime has built its reputation through commercial ambition, entrepreneurial thinking and a willingness to move decisively wherever green shoots and opportunities are identified. UML combines the pace and agility of a founder led business with the scale, resources and global reach of a significant international enterprise.

What is the vision for this role?

The group has already demonstrated a commitment to education and workforce development through existing training initiatives and philanthropic activity. However, the next phase is significantly more substantial and ambitious.

The vision is to create an international group of vocational, professional and industry focused education businesses operating across multiple sectors and geographies. Maritime training will form an important part of the portfolio, but the long term ambition extends beyond shipping too. Areas such as finance, accounting, technology, professional services and workforce development are all expected to form part of the future group.

Significant investment, leadership commitment and organisational backing already exist. What UML now require is an executive leader capable of setting up this new education venture and turning this ambition into reality.

Overview of the role:

This role will appeal to a very specific type of leader.

You are likely someone who has already built a successful training provider, scaled a vocational education business, led a private education organisation through significant growth or helped create new ventures within an investor backed environment.

You may already be a Chief Executive Officer or Managing Director, or a Deputy CEO/MD, or perhaps a divisional leader ready for your first enterprise level leadership opportunity. Whatever your title, you will be equally comfortable leading on start-ups, acquisitions, growth strategies and investment opportunities as you are leading on learner outcomes, curriculum design and educational quality.

Initially, you will oversee UML’s existing educational interests, including SeaLearn, whilst identifying opportunities for expansion through organic growth, partnerships, acquisitions and new venture creation. Over time, the expectation is that multiple vocational and professional training businesses will sit within your portfolio, with you acting as the executive leader responsible for performance, growth and strategic direction across the group.

You will not be constrained by lengthy committee structures or institutional bureaucracy. Equally, this is not an environment for individuals who require extensive direction or a high level of existing structure. Rather, your success will come from exercising your commercial skills, educational credibility and entrepreneurial instinct.

Essential criteria:

• As mentioned, you may currently be a Chief Executive Officer, Managing Director, Group Managing Director, Commercial Director, Divisional Director or another senior executive operating within vocational education, apprenticeships, professional training, workforce development or skills and work based learning.
• You will bring a proven track record of building, scaling or transforming such commercially successful education businesses.
• We are particularly interested in individuals who have operated within private equity backed, venture backed, founder led, investor owned or otherwise commercially driven organisations where growth, performance and accountability are central to success.
• You will understand how to set up and develop sustainable vocational education businesses, balancing educational quality, learner outcomes, operational performance and commercial success.
• Experience spanning multiple vocational disciplines would be advantageous.
• You will have experience leading senior teams and creating high performance cultures whilst remaining comfortable operating within entrepreneurial environments where leaders are expected to be hands on, visible and lead from the front.
• Experience of start-ups, acquisitions, business integration, portfolio leadership and multi-brand management would be advantageous.
• Above all, you will recognise that vocational education, workforce development and professional training represent some of the most important growth opportunities within global education. You will see this not simply as a leadership role within a training provider, but as an opportunity to build an education group capable of transforming lives within a successful and internationally significant enterprise.

How to apply:

We welcome applications from ambitious leaders who are excited by the challenge of building something new and who share UML’s belief in the transformative power of high quality vocational and professional education.

If you wish to discuss further, please contact our advising consultants:

• Aino Betts: aino.betts@andersonquigley.com
• Akhil Yerneni: akhil.yerneni@andersonquigley.com

Anderson Quigley is acting as an advisor to Union Maritime Ltd. An executive search process is being carried out by Anderson Quigley in addition to any public advertisements.