I suspect the problem is that when there are only a handful of positions in your specialty that are available each generation, you have to weigh “principles” vs “a job” :-)
I’m glad she found a solution that works. In an ideal world, she’ll grab one of the positions at Cambridge or Oxford in a few years when one of the elders decides to open up a spot for the “younger” generation. But by then, she may be totally happy where she’s landed.
The other issue is her partner is a UK/Scottish lad, who is currently doing his post-doc/fellowship program at Oxford and in Rome. It is *very* difficult for them to find two academic positions at the same institution.