Working with the University of Oxford and University of Cambridge
Our experience
The McLean Partnership is proud to have partnered with the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge—two of the UK’s most prestigious academic institutions—supporting the delivery of critical appointments across their central administrations, academic departments, and constituent colleges.
Our proven track record spans the successful delivery of senior permanent and interim consultant roles across professional services and academic appointments, including complex, multi‑appointment recruitment programmes. These campaigns have directly supported the universities and their associated special purpose vehicles in the execution of major capital, property development, and institutional transformation initiatives.
Beyond the core universities, our reach extends to supporting commercial spin‑outs and affiliated enterprises, enabling innovation‑led growth and the advancement of research, enterprise, and commercialisation agendas.
Professional Services
- Divisional Financial Controller, Estates Services
- Director of Estates Strategy
- Programme Director & Project Team, Estates
- Programme Management Officers, Finance Transformation
- Finance Bursar
- HR Director
- Chair, Non-Exec Directors
- Interim HR Director
- Interim Chief Financial Officer
- Interim Director of Commercial Capital Finance
- Interim Finance Director – Property
- Interim Director of Financial Reporting
- Interim Head of Group Reporting
- Interim Sanctions Consultant
- Interim Finance Operations and Systems Manager
- Interim Finance Project Lead
Academics
- Director, Oxford University Museum of Natural History
- Margaret Ogilvie Professor of Ophthalmology
- Professorship of Old Age Psychiatry
- Joint Professorship of Women’s Health
- Professorship of Sustainable Energy Engineering and Director of the ZERO Institute (Zero carbon Energy Research Oxford)
- Dame Louise Richardson Professor of Global Security
- DeepMind Professorship of Artificial Intelligence
- Michael Davys Professorship of Neuroscience
- W.A. Handley Professorship of Psychiatry
- Professorship of Ethics and Legal Philosophy and Director of the Institute for Ethics in Artificial Intelligence
Contact information
Paul Soothill
Founded the interim & consulting practice at McLean. A strong pedigree in executive and advisory hiring within higher education, research, and innovation sectors, placing senior functional leaders and identifying cross-sector talent to drive transformation, growth, and organisational capability.
+44 (0) 7775 598 446
Dr. Graham Little
Extensive senior executive search experience supporting senior academic and strategic leadership appointments within higher education, research (Research Institutes and RTOs), industry and commercial R&D for permanent roles, interim, and acting‑up requirements.
+44 (0) 7801 197 898
Caius Freeman
Delivers market intelligence and specialist search mandates across UK and international organisations. Expertise in challenging interim and consulting roles across corporate functions with strong focus on academic, research, innovation sectors and enterprise sectors.
+44 (0) 7517 950 934