Founded in 2016, Think Ahead Education is an innovative education group operating through three distinct brands: Think Ahead Academy, Virtus College, and IB Wave. Across the British and international education markets, we have helped thousands of students achieve ambitious academic goals through a model built on excellence, personalisation, and innovation.
Our brands have experienced strong growth over the years, supported by a culture of accountability, collaboration, autonomy, and continuous improvement. As we enter a new stage of professionalisation and scale, we are looking for an exceptional leader to help drive performance, strengthen cross-functional execution, and support our ambition of becoming one of the most prestigious academic institutions in Spain.
The Role
The Director of Operations & Growth is one of the most senior leadership roles in the organisation and the second highest position of responsibility after the Managing Director. Working closely with the Managing Director and the governing board, this person will play a central role in the day-to-day leadership of the business, ensuring excellence in execution while driving commercial performance and team alignment across the company.
While the Managing Director is more focused on structural aspects of the business such as finance, policy, and long-term growth opportunities, the Director of Operations & Growth will take ownership of the daily running of the organisation, with a particularly strong focus on Sales, Marketing, customer experience, retention, and operational efficiency.
The role includes direct leadership over Think Ahead Academy and IB Wave, while working closely with the central team across Sales, Marketing, HR, Administration, Coordination, IT, Finance, and educational functions. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with hands-on leadership, bringing the ability to manage teams, align departments, and execute multiple priorities with consistency and clarity.
This is an outstanding opportunity for a high-calibre leader who wants to combine business growth, operational excellence, team leadership, and meaningful impact in education.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership and Business Growth
- Work closely with the Managing Director and governing board to help shape and implement the strategic plan for the academic year.
- Translate business priorities into clear operational plans, ensuring alignment across departments and brands.
- Take overall responsibility for the strategic direction and performance of Sales and Marketing, ensuring both functions work in a coordinated way towards common commercial goals.
- Drive sustainable growth through stronger lead generation, conversion, customer journey design, client retention, and service excellence.
- Monitor and improve key business indicators related to revenue, efficiency, customer satisfaction, team performance, and operational delivery.
- Support the company’s professionalisation by strengthening structures, accountability, visibility, and execution discipline across the business.
Team Leadership and People Management
- Lead by example, preserving and enhancing the ethos, values, and culture of Think Ahead Education.
- Foster a culture of trust, respect, support, collaboration, and accountability across the company.
- Provide leadership and direction to cross-functional teams, ensuring clarity of objectives, effective delegation, and a strong sense of ownership.
- Establish a consistent organisational rhythm through weekly team meetings, one-to-ones, follow-up processes, and clear communication structures.
- Support, coach, and develop team members to maximise performance, engagement, and wellbeing.
- Act as a senior point of escalation for internal and external stakeholder issues, helping resolve challenges constructively and effectively.
Operations and Project Management
- Oversee the day-to-day operations of the company, ensuring that processes, projects, and departmental priorities are delivered on time and to a high standard.
- Design and supervise the execution of departmental calendars and key annual initiatives.
- Ensure effective allocation of human, material, and financial resources across the different brands and services.
- Design and implement quality assurance processes that maintain the company’s high standards across departments and projects.
- Lead with a strong project management mindset, coordinating multiple stakeholders, deadlines, interdependencies, and competing priorities.
- Bring greater structure, prioritisation, and executional consistency to a growing and increasingly sophisticated organisation.
Sales and Marketing Leadership
- Lead the company’s overall commercial coordination, taking ultimate responsibility for the alignment and effectiveness of Sales and Marketing.
- Direct the Sales team in the execution of annual initiatives, client relationship management, and commercial planning.
- Lead and support the Marketing team across digital strategy, events, campaign execution, and budget alignment.
- Ensure both departments operate as one growth engine, with shared goals, clear communication, and coordinated action.
- Maintain a strong focus on customer acquisition, retention, experience, and long-term brand reputation.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Work effectively with the Administration department to ensure accurate billing and salary payments.
- Coordinate with operational and academic teams to ensure the smooth delivery of services and excellent execution for students, teachers, and families.
- Oversee onboarding processes for students, teachers, and parents, ensuring consistency, clarity, and quality from the outset.
- Support HR planning and teacher allocation in line with service demand and client needs.
- Work closely with IT and systems-related functions to ensure company processes are efficient, reliable, and up to date.
- Maintain regular contact with parents and act as an ambassador for the company within the wider educational community.
Candidate Profile
We are looking for a dynamic, commercially minded and people-oriented leader who is excited by the opportunity to combine strategy, operations, growth, and team leadership in a fast-growing education business.
The idóneo candidate will bring:
- a strong track record in a senior leadership role
- excellent team leadership and people management skills
- a strategic mindset with strong instinct for marketing, sales, and business growth
- clear project management capability, with the ability to drive execution across multiple initiatives and stakeholders
- strong organisational skills and an exceptional ability to prioritise effectively
- outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with confidence engaging with staff, parents, students, and external stakeholders
- a hands-on, proactive attitude and the ability to operate both strategically and operationally
- a strong alignment with the values of excellence, accountability, personalisation, and educational impact
Essential Requirements
- Recognised university degree
- Proven experience in a senior leadership role within the education sector
- Native-level or fully bilingual Spanish and English, both spoken and written
- Strong experience leading and managing teams
- Demonstrable experience coordinating projects, departments, or cross-functional initiatives
- Up-to-date criminal record check
- Legal right to work in Spain
Highly Desirable
- Experience in the British and/or International Baccalaureate (IB) education system, either as a former student or through professional experience
- Experience in a premium education, tutoring, school, college, or family-facing service environment
- Experience helping a growing organisation become more structured, scalable, and performance-driven
What We Offer
This is a rare opportunity to join an ambitious and values-led education group at an exciting stage of growth. You will play a highly visible role in shaping how the business operates, grows, and delivers excellence across its brands.
You will join a close, committed and high-performing team, with the opportunity to make a significant impact across strategy, people, commercial performance, and operations.
Employment Conditions
- Full-time, on-site leadership role
- Permanent contract
Monday to Fri...