Senior Student Recruitment Officer

Heriot-Watt University; United Arab Emirates; On-site; AED 40,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

An established university is seeking a Senior Student Recruitment Officer to lead and enhance student recruitment strategies at its Dubai Campus. This role involves collaborating with university leadership to achieve recruitment targets, managing engaging recruitment events, and optimizing the customer journey from inquiry to enrollment. The ideal candidate will possess exceptional customer service skills, strategic planning abilities, and a proactive attitude towards change management. Join a dynamic team and contribute to shaping the future of student recruitment in an exciting educational environment.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering customer-focused events and managing a team.
• Strong relationship-building skills and excellent communication.

Responsibilities

• Manage the end-to-end customer journey from inquiry to enrollment.
• Participate in strategic planning and manage recruitment events.

Skills

Customer service skills

Event management

CRM systems

Project management

Strategic planning

Communication skills

Team management

Relationship-building

Education

First degree or equivalent practical experience

Tools

CRM systems

Reporting dashboards

Job description

Role: Senior Student Recruitment Officer

Grade: Grade 6

Appointment: Full-time, Open-ended

Department: MRAC Directorate

Location: Dubai Campus

Purpose of the Role:

Heriot-Watt is entering an exciting phase in the development of its professional services. We have centralized and realigned our recruitment and Admissions Teams in Edinburgh and are embarking on a journey to develop a new structure for our Dubai Campus and recruitment hub.

The International Student Recruitment Officer will be responsible for managing, shaping, and delivering the overall student recruitment strategy for UG, PG, and research degrees at the Global College. The role involves leading all student recruitment activities in the market, ensuring that Heriot-Watt attracts, converts, and enrolls prospective students in line with recruitment targets. The officer will provide expert advice to the Dubai Directorate and the global hub in Edinburgh on recruitment opportunities, maximizing efforts, shaping tactical delivery, and customer service.

Bringing expertise in local UAE and international markets combined with customer service skills, you will be an exceptional collaborator, engaging effectively at university, school, subject, and program levels to achieve recruitment goals.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy, planning, and management responsibilities

1. Participate as a key member of the Marketing and Recruitment Directorate management team, working with regional and university leadership to meet recruitment targets.
2. Translate university strategies into localised strategies and operational plans for MRAC.
3. Stay informed about developments in student recruitment and admissions, integrating these into strategic planning.

Recruitment Events

1. Manage a portfolio of recruitment events, including on-campus, virtual, and external fairs, ensuring a compelling customer experience.
2. Collaborate with university departments and external suppliers to plan, prepare, and execute events smoothly.
3. Organize and oversee student ambassador teams at events, ensuring they represent Heriot-Watt effectively.
4. Evaluate and develop the value of recruitment events, tracking effectiveness and making improvements.
5. Coordinate with marketing and academic teams to promote events and maximize attendance.

Customer Service and Admissions Management

1. Manage the end-to-end customer journey, from inquiry to enrollment, driving conversion and meeting recruitment goals.
2. Lead local recruitment advisors, ensuring accountability for activities and conversion rates.
3. Optimize admissions processes to support recruitment targets, managing KPIs across the customer journey.
4. Implement innovative communication and engagement strategies to increase conversion rates.
5. Establish enquiries management frameworks to support recruitment efforts across regions.
6. Work with academic and marketing colleagues to set and review entry requirements.
7. Embed service excellence and customer satisfaction measurements across all engagement points.

Team Management

1. Ensure team members understand their roles and alignments with university strategy.
2. Work with the International Student Recruitment Manager to maintain operational effectiveness.
3. Build strong relationships across the university to ensure high-quality service delivery.
4. Manage performance and development of team members.

Championing Change

1. Support change management initiatives, influencing stakeholder expectations.
2. Manage team morale and service levels during change processes.
3. Implement changes with minimal risk and disruption.

This job description is not exhaustive; additional duties may be assigned as the role develops or priorities change.

Education, Qualifications & Experience:

Essential

1. First degree or equivalent practical experience.
2. Experience in delivering customer-focused events.
3. Skills in monitoring and improving service experience.
4. Experience with CRM systems for lead management.
5. Ability to develop reporting dashboards for customer service metrics.
6. Project management and change management experience.
7. Strategic planning and resource management skills.
8. Experience managing a team.
9. Strong relationship-building skills.
10. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
11. Flexibility and resilience.
12. Proactive and collaborative attitude.

Desirable

1. Experience in customer service outside higher education.
2. International work experience.
3. Knowledge of higher education admissions criteria.
4. Experience managing in-house or virtual events.
5. Experience with virtual customer experience tools.

How to Apply

Please submit your application via the Heriot-Watt online recruitment system, attaching a cover letter and an updated CV.