Program Director

Your Role:

The role is responsible for the daily management of the assigned program, overseeing student services, academic oversight, vendor relations, and office administration. It includes collaboration with the CEA CAPA’s Global Support Office and other global locations. The Program Director ensures a high-quality experience for students, managing all aspects of their journey from pre-departure to program completion, including health, safety, university partnerships, housing and cultural integration.

What You’ll Do:

Management 

• Lead and develop direct report, driving high performance, accountability, and professional growth.
• Manage team priorities and resource allocation to ensure effective delivery of objectives and day-to activities. 
• Promote a culture of collaboration, inclusion, and maintain strong communication within all direct reports.
• Collaborate with the local and global stakeholders to balance student support and academic integrity.
• Represent and promote CEA CAPA’s mission and values to students and stakeholders.
• Build strong internal and external relationships to enhance CEA CAPA’s visibility and brand.
• Foster robust relationships with local partner institutions.
• Identify, procure, negotiate, and manage student housing solutions, ensuring accommodations align with organizational standards, budget requirements, student needs, and operational goals.
• Provide overall strategic and operational leadership for the Amsterdam site, ensuring excellence in program delivery, student experience, financial performance, partner engagement, and team development.

Program Management

• Oversee the successful planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of semester, summer, and custom programs, ensuring a high-quality student experience and operational excellence.
• Collaborate with Enrollment Services for recruitment, retention, and pre-departure advising.
• Review and address student feedback through re-entry evaluations.
• Maintain accurate program data and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Participate in routine training and align on-site services with best practices.
• Design and deliver custom and faculty-led programs.
• Partner with the Student Services Coordinator to proactively identify student needs, resolve complex situations, and continuously enhance the student experience.

Student Services

• Plan and implement all aspects of student services, including student arrivals, orientation, course registration with partner institutions, cultural and social activities, excursions, and health and safety matters.
• Oversee the securing and management of housing, resolving any maintenance issues in line with company standards.
• Serve as the primary contact for students, parents, and the Global Support Office for escalated concerns
• Ensure that student issues receive prompt responses per health and safety protocols.
• Lead local incident response and crisis management efforts, ensuring appropriate student support, communication, documentation, and coordination with global teams.
• Monitor regional security threats and coordinate communication for incidents affecting students.
• Meet regularly with students to monitor their well-being and academic progress.
• Direct students to local resources for practical needs and cultural adaptation.
• Mediate escalated student or university concerns and oversee disciplinary decisions.

Academic Institutional Relations

• Establish and maintain relationships with local academic institutions.
• Serve as the primary liaison with each local academic institution, managing course registration and monitoring students’ academic progress.
• Report updates and changes from local institutions to the Home Office and collaborate on program improvements.
• Host U.S. university visitors for recruitment and program visibility efforts.

Financial Management

• Develop, monitor, and manage local program budgets in collaboration with Global Support Office, ensuring responsible financial stewardship while balancing student experience, operational needs, and organizational objectives.
• Oversee accounting responsibilities, including expense reporting, petty cash, and local payments
• Coordinate financial aspects of custom program proposals.

Communication

• Regularly communicate with the Global Support Office such as Custom Programming, Student Affairs, Health and Safety and Academic Affairs on all relevant aspects of Amsterdam’s operations.
• Document and report student concerns and issues promptly.
• Partner with the Marketing Department in accurately reflecting program offerings and increasing visibility.

What Makes a Great Candidate:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Fluency in English and Dutch
• A minimum of 2years of experience in international education or related fields.
• Experience leading and developing teams.
• Ability to work with diverse identities.
• Experience living or working abroad, with a knowledge of the local culture, history, business practices, and academic environment.
• Authorization to work in the location of the role
• A knowledge of theUniversity educational system in the United States

Person Specification

• Commercial and administrative acumen.
• Creative and solutions oriented.
• Empathic and solution-oriented leader
• Skilled negotiator.
• Resilient and adaptable
• Deadline-oriented.
• Ability to navigate matrix relationships.
• Excellent communicator, able to vary style based on the audience.

We believe great talent comes in many forms and that there is no one size fits all in hiring. If you feel you may be a great fit for this role but do not check all of the boxes, we encourage you to apply and show us why you're the right candidate for this position. 

Who We Are:

CEA CAPA is a premier provider of transformative international education experiences, committed to empowering students to become thoughtful and thriving leaders through living and learning abroad. With a presence in 62 cities across 22 countries in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Australia, we offer comprehensive study abroad and career readiness programs that integrate academic excellence and cultural immersion. Our global footprint includes 11 international study centers, and we proudly support over 10,000 students annually in partnership with more than 375 U.S. universities and over 50 international institutions. CEA CAPA is in a dynamic phase of growth and is powered by a global team of nearly 700 professionals who are deeply mission-driven and committed to creating inclusive, supportive and enriching environments that help students grow academically, personally and professionally.

Our commitment to creating a sense of belonging means we welcome individuals of all abilities, ages, citizenships, educations, ethnicities, family statuses, gender identities, genders, genetic information, languages, marital status, military experiences, political views, pregnancy, races, religions, sexes, sexual orientations, socioeconomic statuses, and work experiences and therefore we encourage applicants from diverse lived experiences to apply.

Note: This role profile is intended to provide an overview of the key responsibilities and qualifications for the position. It is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake additional tasks and duties, as necessary and in line with evolving business needs. Any proposed permanent modifications to this role profile will be made in consultation with role incumbents, and relevant stakeholders in accordance with applicable policies and legislative requirements.