Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment, Rice Global India

Rice Engineering; Houston (TX); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 74,000; Full time

Job summary

Rice Global India seeks an accomplished Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment to advance Rice University's graduate enrollment in India. You will develop strategic recruitment programs for engineering, science, and business tracks, managing a robust pipeline and advising applicants throughout the admissions lifecycle.

The role requires autonomy, cultural fluency, and a proven record in outreach to premier Indian institutions (IITs, NITs, IIMs, BITS) with frequent travel up to 50% across

Qualifications

• Master's degree or equivalent.
• Minimum 7 years of experience in international student recruitment, higher education marketing, or institutional consultative sales.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google platforms; familiarity with digital marketing tools, social media, and campaign analytics.

Responsibilities

• Develops and executes localized graduate recruitment strategies targeting premier engineering, science, and business students across India.
• Generates, qualifies, and tracks prospective student leads to build a robust application pool and support conversion at every stage.
• Provides high-touch, student-centered guidance to applicants on admissions, program tracks, and career alignment.
• Collaborates with Rice's Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Jones Business School departments in Houston for timely applicant review.

Skills

Cross-cultural communication

Recruitment metrics

English communication

Digital marketing familiarity

Project management

Travel planning

Education

Master's degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Campaign analytics tools

Job description

Position Summary

The Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment, Rice Global India, serves a critical role in advancing Rice University's graduate enrollment strategy across India by implementing and expanding recruitment efforts for Rice's industry-aligned Professional Master's programs in Engineering, Natural Sciences, and the Jones Graduate School of Business. The role reports to the Director of Partnerships and Operations, Rice Global India, an office within Rice Global, and collaborates closely with Rice's Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Business schools in Houston.
Key responsibilities include developing and executing localized recruitment strategies for premier engineering, science, and business students across India; generating and managing a robust prospective-student pipeline; and providing high-touch, student-centered advising throughout the admissions lifecycle.
The ideal candidate is a strategic, student-centered professional with a proven track record in institutional outreach, recruitment pipeline management, and digital marketing within Indian higher education. They are highly autonomous, culturally fluent, and adept at engaging credibly with premier Indian academic institutions, including IITs, NITs, IIMs, and BITS, and with prospective students at every stage of the application journey.
This position is based in India, with location flexible across major metros and a preference for Bengaluru. The Associate Director of Graduate Recruitment will be hired directly by Rice Global India, in a full-time role that requires up to 50% regular travel across India. Candidates must have existing legal authorization to work in India. Rice Global India is an Indian private limited entity providing local administrative, logistical, and promotional support for Rice University's academic, research, and outreach activities in India.

Workplace Requirements

• This position will require travel within India on a regular basis (up to 50%) to attend recruitment events, masterclasses, and university visits.

This position may require occasional evening or weekend availability for recruitment events and application deadlines.

Minimum Requirements

• Master's degree or equivalent
• Minimum 7 years of experience in international student recruitment, higher education marketing, or institutional consultative sales
• Skills:
• Strong understanding of Indian and US academic and professional cultures; ability to engage credibly with premier institutions including IITs, NITs, IIMs, and BITS
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding recruitment and enrollment metrics
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google platforms; familiarity with digital marketing tools, social media, and campaign analytics

Ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously with a high degree of independence and strong organizational skills

Essential Functions

• Develops and executes localized graduate recruitment strategies targeting premier engineering, science, and business students across India.
• Generates, qualifies, and tracks prospective student leads within the student database to build a robust application pool, supporting conversion at every stage of the admissions pipeline.
• Provides high-touch, student-centered guidance to applicants individually and in groups on admissions, program tracks, and career alignment.
• Works closely with Rice's Engineering, Natural Sciences, and Jones Business School departments in Houston to support smooth, timely applicant review.

Tracks application and enrollment metrics, generating regular reports across all three schools to help refine resource allocation and outreach strategies.

Additional Functions

• Organizes, hosts, and represents Rice at in-person and online recruitment events, masterclasses, and university visits.
• Contributes to the development of marketing materials, social media strategy, and digital campaigns tailored for the Indian student market.
• Stays informed of trends in international education, STEM visa regulations, and evolving workforce demands affecting graduate students in India.

Other duties as assigned.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits
Rice Mission and Values : Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University's Human Resources Office via email at [e-mail] for support.