Our Client
Saïd Business School (University of Oxford) is one of the most recognised names in higher education, with a growing focus on online and executive education. As demand for digital learning continued to increase, the school needed specialist talent across a number of areas, including Learning Design, Learning Technology, Learning Innovation and Data.
Finding the right people can be difficult, as the market for experienced digital learning professionals is relatively small, particularly within higher education. The team needed people who not only had the technical expertise, but also understood how to work with academics, stakeholders and programme teams in a fast-paced and often complex environment.
Several of the roles were business-critical, supporting the delivery and ongoing development of online and executive education programmes. Getting the wrong hire could have put additional pressure on internal teams and impacted key projects, so quality was just as important as speed.
The Challenge
Saïd Business School required ongoing support in sourcing specialist Digital Learning and Learning Technology professionals across both permanent and contract requirements.
The brief spanned a range of highly specialised positions, including Learning Designers, Learning Technologists, Senior Data Consultants, Product & Portfolio Managers and leadership roles focused on learning innovation. Success depended on finding professionals with the right blend of technical expertise, stakeholder management skills and experience operating within complex higher education environments.
The challenge was made more complex by the relatively small talent pool available. Experienced Digital Learning professionals with backgrounds in online learning, executive education and learning technologies are in high demand across the higher education sector, with many candidates considering multiple opportunities simultaneously.
For Saïd Business School, securing the right talent was absolutely critical. These roles directly supported the development and delivery of online and executive education programmes, meaning delays or unsuccessful hires could impact programme delivery, learner experience and internal team capacity.
Our Approach
As specialists in learning and talent, Instinct worked closely with hiring managers to develop a detailed understanding of both the technical requirements of each role and the wider objectives of the teams involved.
Through regular briefing discussions and ongoing consultation, we provided market insight, salary benchmarking and recruitment advice to help inform hiring decisions and ensure recruitment strategies remained aligned with market conditions.
Drawing on our established Higher Education and Digital Learning network, alongside targeted market mapping and proactive outreach, we identified and engaged professionals with experience that would be difficult to access through traditional recruitment channels. Referrals from existing contractors and trusted industry contacts also played a very important role in expanding the talent pool.
Our understanding of learning design, learning technology and online education enabled us to act as a strategic recruitment partner, advising on talent availability, market trends and hiring strategy throughout the process.
The Outcome
Over the course of the partnership, Instinct successfully supported Saïd Business School with a range of permanent and contract appointments across specialist Digital Learning and Learning Technology functions. The professionals introduced not only met the technical requirements of each role but were also well aligned with the culture and expectations of a world-leading academic institution.
For contract requirements, specialist shortlists were typically delivered within 48 hours, enabling critical projects to maintain momentum. Permanent positions were filled in an average of three weeks from brief to offer, while contract opportunities were often sourced, interviewed and filled within five working days.
The partnership has helped Saïd Business School increase team capacity, support strategic digital learning initiatives and successfully deliver programme and platform-related activity. Repeat engagement across multiple projects has led to a long-term relationship built on trust, market expertise and consistent delivery.
Client Feedback
“Instinct has been a fantastic recruitment partner. They are highly responsive, professional, and consistently deliver strong candidates who are well aligned with our requirements. The process is always smooth and efficient, and we particularly value the thoughtful advice and market insight they provide. I would happily recommend them to any organisation looking for a trusted recruitment partner.”
– Anna Krajewska – Director, Online Learning, Innovation and Impact
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