Jobs in Oxford | Pictures of Oxford

Oxford, also called the ‘The City of Dreaming Spires’, is known all over the world for its university, regarded as one of the leading academic institutions – a tradition which began during the reign of the ‘Scholar King’ Henry I. Ever since, the town has been associated with royalty and scholars and today the university dominates the psyche and physicality of the city.

Then and now
Aside from being the centre of academia, Oxford’s economy has its origins in the manufacturing sector – notably the car industry. Indeed, it was here that the first mass-produced cars in the UK were produced in the 1920s and despite the fluctuations of the automobile industry in recent times, the sector continues to play an important role in the local economy, particularly in the suburb of Cowley which has a long history of car-making and now produces the BMW Mini. Another key employer in the car industry includes the Unipart Group, one of Europe's leading independent logistics, automotive parts and accessories companies.

But by far the biggest employer in Oxford is the public sector. As the county town and central administration centre for the region, 42 per cent of the workforce is employed within the fields of public administration, education and health. Aside from the County Council, the usual suspects make up the bulk of this sectors workforce, including the University of Oxford, Oxford Brookes University and Oxford Radcliffe Hospital NHS Trust.

And being the seat of academia in the UK – perhaps the world – Oxford has a strong and reputable bioscience sector coupled with a number of Research and Development businesses and ever-increasing number of IT, software and creative media businesses. Some of these high-growth companies include Oxford BioMedica, PowderMed and Sharp Laboratories Europe.

With its mix of ancient and modern, Oxford has become the sixth most visited city in the UK by international visitors and is the tourism gateway to the rest of Oxfordshire. Attracting approximately 9.3 million visitors per year, the tourism industry generates around £740 million of income for the local economy and the combined tourism, retail, hotel and catering sector provides employment for 19 per cent of Oxford’s workforce.

Key business areas
The city is a bustling cosmopolitan town, and is fast becoming home to a growing hi-tech community. Quite a number of businesses are located in and around the town, with a few located in the science and business parks, while others are located in the principal residential areas.

The majority of Oxford's major employers are based in the city centre, on industrial estates or on one of Oxford's most prestigious business locations - Oxford Business Park and the Oxford Science Park being the prime locations.

Comprising of 88 acres, the Oxford Business Park provides sites and premises for a range of key Oxford businesses. Developed by Arlington, it is well located on the south-eastern edge of the city, adjacent to the Oxford ring road. Businesses on the Park include electro-components, The Post Office, Vodafone, Regus, BT and Harley Davidson.

Developed as a joint venture between Magdalen College, Oxford and Prudential Assurance, the Oxford Science Park is home to over 40 businesses. Developed as a true Science Park it provides an attractive environment for science and technology companies. Current occupiers include Sharp Laboratories of Europe, PowderJect Technologies plc (part of Chiron Corporation), and Oxford BioMedica.

The focus for retail and tourism in Oxfordshire and the surrounding region, the City Centre provides the base for the University of Oxford and its colleges together with local authority functions and employers such as Oxford University Press and Blackwell's Book Shop.

The main streets - Cornmarket, Queen, Broad, George and the High Street to name but a few - and the Westgate and the Clarendon shopping centres comprise a diverse range of businesses. Retailers range from the nationals such as Debenhams, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury's, HMV to smaller independent retailers, many of whom are based in the historic Covered Market - owned and managed by Oxford City Council.

Elsewhere, Garsington Road / Watlington Road is an industrial area around the southeast of the city boasts the headquarters of two of Oxford's major employers, BMW Mini and Unipart. The Mini site is the sole plant for the manufacture of this prestigious car and has enjoyed major investment in the last few years.

The Unipart group, established in 1987 as a result of a management buyout and one of the largest private companies in the UK, is a local success story with global presence.

Horspath Industrial Estate is located to the east of the city, adjacent to the ring road and next door to the BMW factory, this estate is the base for Oxfordshire's main commercial radio station, Fox FM, and other organisations such as The Big Oxford Computer Co Ltd and the charity, Family Links. Whereas Osney Mead, just five minutes’ walk from the railway station, has a high concentration of offices and is home to Newsquest publishers.

The West End of Oxford is under-utilised and does not match Oxford's worldwide reputation, or live up to its potential as an urban quarter of the highest quality. However, the area is part of the centre of the historic City, and its renaissance is the key to the overall long-term success of the City as a whole.

The West End regeneration is being led by a partnership between Oxford City Council, Oxfordshire County Council and South East England Development Agency (SEEDA). These three make up the West End Executive Board.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in Oxford.

Take a closer look
A picture is worth a thousand words. You can see some images from in and around Oxford below.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in Oxford or find out more information on the local area.