Open University

The Client and Brief

In 2023, the Open University selected MRG for a Chief Operating Officer appointment. The Open University’s governing Council approved the strategic and financial case to relocate the existing campus to a new site, and to develop plans for a ‘sister university.’

Reporting directly to the Vice-Chancellor, the Chief Operating Officer was to lead the preparation of the business cases over the next several months and lead the delivery of the University’s most extensive change programme in Open University’s history as well as one of the biggest in the higher education sector.

Overcoming Challenges

We were required to find candidates with demonstrable expertise in development management and experience working across comparable complex mixed-use capital development to lead the design, planning, and delivery of substantial estate projects in both the programme and budget.

The candidates needed to demonstrate their work with stakeholders, partners, investors and funders at a senior level.

Our Process

The nature of the campaign required MRG’s most skilled and accomplished consultants, as well as support from our in-house marketing department, and brought in a wider team. We conducted a full-scale search, which involved a digital advertising campaign parallel to headhunting from specific sectors.

We approached 85 candidates, longlisted 20, which we met with and then put forward 12 of the most suitable options.

The Outcome

After a rigorous search and selection process, the appointed candidate hailed from a higher education sector, with in-depth experience as an Executive Director within the Built Environment. This was a great campaign for MRG; it showed our forensic approach to meeting the client brief.

The Campaign in Numbers

85 +
CANDIDATES APPROACHED
20 +
CANDIDATES ON THE LONGLIST
12 +
CANDIDATES ON THE SHORTLIST

Open University_Campus 2030 Chief Operating Officer