Senior Future Student Coordinator

Uniglobalcareers; Christchurch; Hybrid; NZD 95,000 - 117,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave

5 university holidays

Superannuation contribution up to 6.75

Flexible working arrangements

Supportive working environment

Retail discounts

Christchurch living

UC campus facilities access

Onsite cafés/eateries

Job summary

University of Canterbury in Ōtautahi Christchurch, New Zealand, is seeking a senior administration/operations leader to direct the Future Students coordination function. You will line-manage three coordinators and bring structure, pace and consistency to recruitment, conversion and engagement activities, including international recruitment.

You will be part of the Future Students leadership team, delivering policies, documented processes and high-quality service.

Qualifications

• At least five years’ senior experience in administration, operational coordination or related leadership role.
• Proven ability to lead people, allocate work, coach performance and build team capability.
• Experience delivering high-quality administrative and coordination services across multiple workstreams.
• Ability to work within policies, procedures and regulatory requirements while maintaining records and data quality.
• Experience identifying process improvements and delivering practical innovations and efficiency gains.
• Proficiency with CRM systems, databases and digital communication tools to support workflows and reporting.

Responsibilities

• Lead the daily coordination function, allocating and prioritising work across the team to meet changing demands and deadlines.
• Oversee an operational administration portfolio spanning recruitment activities, conversion, CRM, communications, events, visits and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure processes are policy-driven, well documented and applied with appropriate controls and escalation pathways.
• Maintain service continuity through clear workflows, cross-training, shared coverage and performance standards.
• Coordinate operational support for international recruitment, including education agent agreements and commissions, partner records and programme administration.
• Support prospective-student enquiry, conversion and engagement activity, including shared inboxes, campaigns and offer-acceptance initiatives.
• Coach and develop coordinators, establish role clarity and monitor capability.
• Use data, reporting and frontline insights to identify problems and improve customer experience and efficiency.

Skills

People leadership

Operational coordination

CRM systems

Data reporting

Policy compliance

Stakeholder engagement

Process improvement

Team development

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

CRM systems

Databases

Microsoft Office

Job description

New Zealand — International Student Market

Located in Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa | New Zealand

• $95,784 - $116,911p.a.
• 5 weeks annual leave + 5 days university holidays
• Generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)

This is a varied senior operational role for an accomplished administration leader who can organise people, processes and information to help UC deliver an excellent experience for future students in Aotearoa New Zealand and around the world.

Āu Mahi | What You Will Do

You will provide day-to-day leadership of the Future Students coordination function and line-manage three Future Students Coordinators. You will bring structure, pace and consistency to a broad portfolio of operational administration supporting student recruitment, conversion and engagement, including international recruitment activity.

You will be part of the Future Students leadership team, working alongside peer leaders in a collaborative structure. This role combines people leadership with hands‑on operational expertise:

• Lead the daily coordination function, allocating and prioritising work across the team to meet changing demands, deadlines and service expectations.
• Oversee a varied programme of operational administration spanning recruitment activities, conversion, CRM, communications, events, visits and stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure processes are policy-driven, well documented and applied consistently, with appropriate controls, records, escalation pathways and attention to risk.
• Maintain service continuity and quality through clear workflows, cross‑training, shared coverage and practical performance standards.
• Coordinate operational support for international recruitment, including education agent agreements and commissions, partner records, communications and programme administration.
• Support prospective‑student enquiry, conversion and engagement activity, including shared inboxes, campaigns, offer‑acceptance initiatives and outsourced services.
• Coach and develop coordinators, create role clarity, monitor capability and provide constructive guidance on complex or high‑priority work.
• Use data, reporting and frontline insight to identify problems, improve customer experience and introduce more efficient, innovative ways of working.

You are a highly organised and adaptable senior administration or operations professional who enjoys making complex services work well. Detailed and policy‑minded, you can move confidently between people leadership, workflow management and hands‑on delivery. You bring ideas for improvement, but also the discipline to implement them effectively.

You will be able to demonstrate experience in:

• At least five years’ senior experience in administration, operational coordination, student recruitment, customer service, relationship management, marketing, communications or a related field.
• Managing or leading people, including allocating work, balancing capacity, setting expectations, coaching performance and building team capability.
• Applying high‑level administrative and coordination skills across multiple operational functions, projects or workstreams simultaneously.
• Working within policies, procedures and regulatory requirements while maintaining accurate records, documentation, data quality and operational controls.
• Identifying process improvements and introducing practical innovations, efficiencies, automation or better ways of delivering services.
• Using CRM systems, databases, digital communication tools and Microsoft Office applications to support workflows, reporting and decision‑making.
• Supporting student recruitment or international education operations, including prospective‑student communications, conversion activity, agent processes or stakeholder programmes.
• Building trusted relationships and communicating clearly with colleagues, students, agents, partners and other internal and external stakeholders.
• An alignment with our organisation's values and culture, promoting a positive and inclusive work environment.

Future Students includes domestic student recruitment and international student recruitment. Together the team successfully builds the profile and reputation of UC as an outstanding, world‑class learning environment that supports the pursuit of excellence, attracts a diversity of talent and investment and continuously reinforces the value of UC qualifications and experience.For more information about our team, please visit us here .

At UC, being part of our team means more than just a job. We are committed to supporting our kaimahi | staff’s career and wellbeing with benefits designed to help our kaimahi grow and feel connected, supported and valued.

• 5 weeks annual leave + 5 days university holidays
• generous employer contribution to superannuation (up to 6.75%)
• flexible working arrangements
• supportive working environment
• a wide range of retail discounts across shopping, entertainment and travel
• living in revitalised Ōtautahi | Christchurch, Aotearoa New Zealand
• a unique working environment on a beautiful campus, with access to UC facilities such as the UC RecCentre and Staff Club at discounted rates, plus onsite cafés and eateries.

For more information, please visit us: https://www.canterbury.ac.nz/about-uc/work-at-uc/benefits-working-uc

The closing date for this position is: Friday16 October 2026 (midnight, NZ time)

Please note, this role is based in Ōtautahi Christchurch.