Senior Student Recruitment Officer (Dubai Campus)

Heriot-Watt University; Dubai; On-site; AED 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Senior Student Recruitment Officer to lead and manage the recruitment strategy for undergraduate and postgraduate programs. This pivotal role involves orchestrating recruitment events, enhancing customer experience, and ensuring high conversion rates. The candidate will collaborate with senior management to align local operations with university strategies and leverage market insights to drive engagement. Join a dynamic team committed to delivering exceptional service and making a significant impact on student recruitment at the Dubai campus.

Qualifications

• Experience in delivering customer-focused events and improving service experience.
• Proven leadership and resource management skills.

Responsibilities

• Manage and deliver student recruitment strategy for UG, PG, and research degrees.
• Oversee KPIs and manage admissions services to ensure high customer satisfaction.

Skills

Customer Service Excellence

Event Management

CRM Systems

Leadership Skills

Project Management

Education

First Degree or Equivalent Experience

Tools

Reporting Dashboards

Virtual Customer Experience Tools

Job description

Description

Role: Senior Student Recruitment Officer

Grade: Grade 6

Appointment: Fulltime Openended

Department: MRAC Directorate

Location: Dubai Campus

About our School/Directorate/Team:

The Marketing Recruitment Admissions and Communications group is at the heart of attracting engaging and delivering exceptional student and stakeholder admissions. The Office handles over 20,000 applications annually for undergraduate and postgraduate programs at our Scottish campuses and offers support to colleagues in Dubai and Malaysia. Our aim is to ensure all applicants receive high-quality, timely, and fair service, with the applicant at the center of our efforts.

Purpose of the Role:

Heriot-Watt University is entering an exciting phase of development. We have centralized and realigned our recruitment and admissions teams in Edinburgh and are developing a new structure for our Dubai Campus and recruitment hub.

The International Student Recruitment Officer will manage and deliver the student recruitment strategy for UG, PG, and research degrees, leading recruitment activities to meet targets. The role involves providing expert advice and maximizing recruitment opportunities, combining local market knowledge with customer service excellence to drive engagement and achieve recruitment goals.

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

Strategy planning and management responsibilities

• Contribute to the management team, working with senior colleagues to meet recruitment targets.
• Translate university strategies into local operational plans.
• Stay informed on developments in student recruitment and incorporate these insights into planning.

Recruitment Events

• Manage a portfolio of recruitment events, including on-campus, virtual, and external fairs.
• Shape the vision for customer experience and coordinate event delivery.
• Organize and oversee staff and student ambassador teams, ensuring effective representation.
• Evaluate and develop the value of recruitment events, making recommendations for future activities.

Customer Service and Admissions Management

• Deliver end-to-end customer journey management to meet recruitment goals.
• Manage local recruitment advisors and ensure effective conversion from enquiry to enrollment.
• Oversee KPIs and manage admissions services, ensuring high customer satisfaction.
• Develop and implement communication and engagement plans to increase conversion rates.

Team Management

• Ensure clarity of roles and strategic alignment within the team.
• Build strong relationships across the university to support high-quality service delivery.
• Manage team performance and development.

Championing Change

• Support change management initiatives, maintaining team morale and service levels.

Citizenship

• Demonstrate university values through behavior and performance.
• Support colleagues and promote the university internally and externally.

Education Qualifications & Experience:

Essential

• First degree or equivalent practical experience.
• Experience in delivering customer-focused events and improving service experience.
• Experience using CRM systems for lead management.
• Experience with reporting dashboards and project management.
• Proven leadership and resource management skills.

Desirable

• Experience outside higher education, especially internationally.
• Knowledge of higher education admissions criteria.
• Experience with virtual customer experience tools.

How to Apply

Submit your application via the Heriot-Watt online system, including a cover letter and CV. Shortlisted candidates may complete an online video interview, followed by a formal interview at the Dubai campus, including a presentation. Final candidates will meet with senior staff for a second interview.

Additional Information

Heriot-Watt values diversity and is committed to equality of opportunity. The appointment is contingent upon successful immigration and labor formalities.