Senior Student Retention Officer - Manchester

GBS Global Applied Knowledge; Manchester; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A higher education provider based in Manchester is seeking a Senior Student Retention Officer to lead a team focused on improving student experience. The role involves overseeing operational processes, mentoring staff, and ensuring high levels of delivery. Candidates should have a degree or equivalent experience, strong communication skills, and leadership capabilities. This is a permanent full-time position with competitive benefits including 25 days annual leave and a discretionary performance bonus.

Benefits

25 days annual leave plus 8 public holidays

Flexible Benefits Program

Discretionary annual performance bonus

Qualifications

• Experience in an operational or customer service focused role.
• Ability to develop and lead high performing teams.
• Experience managing teams effectively.

Responsibilities

• Ensure strong and effective operational processes.
• Coaching and mentoring staff to improve their skills.
• Manage team workload and direct workflow.

Skills

Excellent written and oral communication skills

High levels of computer literacy

Coaching and mentoring skills

Process mapping or continuous improvement skills

Education

Educated to degree level or equivalent experience

Tools

Excel

Job description

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Client:

GBS Global Applied Knowledge

Location:

Manchester, United Kingdom

Job Category:

Other

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EU work permit required:

Yes

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Job Reference:

8255c072ae5d

Job Views:

7

Posted:

12.08.2025

Expiry Date:

26.09.2025

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Job Description:

Senior Student Retention Officer - Manchester

Department: Retention

Location: Manchester (On-site)

About Us: GBS is a higher education provider offering a range of sector-relevant courses across ten campuses in London, Birmingham, Leeds, and Manchester. Working in partnership with several of the UK’s leading higher education providers, we deliver vocational, undergraduate, and postgraduate programmes in finance, accounting, business, construction, tourism, healthcare, and more.

Our Vision: Changing lives through education.

What We Do: This is an operational, customer service focused role, in which you will lead a team of Student Retention Officers who will work with students to identify and remove barriers to learning.

Location

Manchester

Appointment Type

Permanent

Department

Student Support

Full-Time/Part-Time

Full-time

Hours

40

Competitive

Entity

GBS UK

Ref No

5186

Main Responsibilities

About the Role:

• Ensure strong and effective operational processes are in place, identifying and improving them where necessary
• Coaching and mentoring staff, including supporting their communication style and problem solving ability, including providing support on phone manner
• Be an effective team leader, working to ensure your team deliver on their KPIs
• Be their first point of contact for the operational activities, managing the workload of your team and directing workflow to ensure high levels of operational delivery
• Provide weekly updates on performance, alongside plans to address areas of weakness • Build strong relationships with faculties and support teams

Requirements

About you:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience in an operational or customer service focused role
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Relevant experience and the ability to demonstrate the impact in an operational/customer service focused role
• High levels of computer literacy and proficiency in Excel and an ability to learn quickly
• Experience working with and learning new IT platforms
• The ability to develop and lead high performing teams, and experience managing these teams
• Coaching and mentoring skills
• The ability to demonstrate process mapping or continuous improvement skills
• The ability to generate and analyse reports, coming up with actions plans in order to impact data

Other Information

What We Offer:

• 25 days annual leave, plus 8 public holidays
• 1 day extra leave per year of service, up to a maximum of 5 days
• Flexible Benefits: Cycle to Work, Workplace Nursery, Techscheme and much more
• Reward and recognition programme
• £500 award employee referral scheme
• Discretionary annual performance bonus

Employee Testimonial:

"What really stands out to me about GBS is its consistent focus on creating positive outcomes for students. Every team, even those without direct student contact, is deeply committed to this mission. Everyone understands that what they do plays a role in helping students succeed. It’s such a collaborative and inspiring place to work — it’s clear everyone genuinely cares about making a difference." (Steffi Korsah - Non-Academic Staff)

GBS is committed to equality, diversity, and inclusion and providing a workplace free from discrimination or harassment. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and communities. We take our core values seriously and work hard to create an environment where everyone feels welcomed.

Please note: This role is not eligible for sponsorship!