Student Recruitment Officer (Dubai) - Dubai Operations

Position Details

Dubai Professional Services, External Relations
University of Birmingham, Dubai campus
Salary: Competitive
Grade 6
Full time
Permanent
Location: Dubai, UAE
Closing date: 29 July 2021

University of Birmingham Dubai

Having established ourselves in Dubai International Academic City in 2018 we are now moving to a new and exciting phase of our development with the opening of our new state-of-the-art campus in September 2021. This post represents an excellent opportunity to join an ambitious World Top 100 University as we continue to grow our long-term strategic mission in Dubai, the UAE and the wider region. Our campus reflects the very best of Birmingham through our presence in Dubai.

Professional Services Ethos

Our ethos as a Professional Services team has been developed in line with the principles of being a Birmingham Professional. In particular, here in Dubai, this means that all Professional Services colleagues seek to collaborate effectively to ensure the needs of the whole campus community and our stakeholders are met. It also means that we work constructively together to provide a flexible range of service and support that adapt to the changing needs of the Campus as we grow. There are specific focal points in the academic cycle when all Professional Services team members will be expected to contribute regardless of their primary role, for example, Welcome or Graduation. In addition, the duties listed below are illustrative of the general nature and level of responsibility of this post which is likely to change over time in response to the needs of the Campus and as you develop your experience and skills. You will have the opportunity to develop and may also need to specialise your duties further, over time, in agreement with your manager.

In order to contribute to the success of the team and the University's vision for the Dubai Campus the Professional Services team will be seeking to continue to recruit and develop colleagues who display:

• a high level of intellectual aptitude;
• strong agility and a portfolio of skills that can adapt to meet changing circumstances;
• an innovative and creative mindset; and
• both an enterprising and entrepreneurial nature to support our growth and pursuit of excellence

Department Overview

The role of Student Recruitment Officer is a key part of the Business Development and Engagement areas remit. This area is responsible for sales and marketing, business development, external engagement, communications, brand and reputation, and admissions for the Dubai campus. The team play a critical role in the future success of the University, delivering against student recruitment and other income targets, building key stakeholder relationships in the region and taking responsibility for the overall brand and reputation of the University's only campus outside of the UK. It is a dynamic team that works closely with colleagues from across campus and in partnership with teams based in the UK. Team colleagues also have close connections to external partners in the UAE and other key recruitment markets (including China, India and Nigeria).

Job summary

The post-holder will play a key role in the recruitment of students based in the UAE. They will be expected to carry out a wide range of activities including visiting schools around the UAE to deliver presentations, representing the University at recruitment events and organising incoming visits for applicants, parents, sponsors and agents.

The post will be based in Dubai working with the Student Recruitment Manager and a wider team of recruitment, marketing and admissions colleagues, alongside teams based in Dubai and the UK. The post-holder will be required to travel extensively around the UAE, which can include weekends and holidays. The post-holder must be able to operate effectively and autonomously under these circumstances. The post-holder should be in possession of a full UAE driving licence.

Main duties

General

• Promotes equality and values diversity acting as a role model and fostering an inclusive working culture.
• Actively manages equality, diversity and inclusion through monitoring and evaluation and actively challenging unacceptable behaviour.
• Undertake continuous personal and professional development.

Responsibility for increasing enrolments to the University of Birmingham Dubai, by:

• Devising and implementing student recruitment and business development activities for the UAE market under the guidance of the Recruitment and Business Development Manager.
• To support the coordination, organisation and execution of a plan of activity to recruit students to the University of Birmingham Dubai campus. This will range from foundation and undergraduate through to postgraduate and CPD.
• To represent and promote the University at higher education events in schools and colleges and fairs and employer events throughout the UAE. This will involve delivering presentations, attending HE / agent fairs and providing individual guidance to students and parents.
• Supporting Admissions by making offers based on previously agreed entry requirements, and processing applications at key times of year in partnership with Admissions Officers.

Responsibility for engaging with internal and external stakeholders to effectively drive student recruitment activities;

• The post-holder will identify new schools and plans for engagement with those schools.
• Working with the Recruitment and Business Development Manager to identify opportunities and taking responsibility for managing academic visits where possible.

Support the University's network of recruitment agents* in the markets identified by:

• Using experience and judgement to identify, assess and recommend suitable agents for appointment as the University of Birmingham Dubai's representatives.
• Monitoring the ongoing performance of any agents to ensure that expectations in terms of quality and recruitment are met, that any under-performance is addressed and that recruitment targets are set each year.
• Manage relationships with other companies delivering student recruitment services to the University of Birmingham Dubai. This will involve acting as a key point of contact on behalf of the University as well as engaging internal stakeholders with external companies.

*The University appoints recruitment agents under contract to represent the University in certain key markets. They undertake promotional work on behalf of the University and counsel potential students on behalf of the institution, encouraging appropriate students to submit applications to the University of Birmingham Dubai. Selecting the right agent and managing them closely is essential to the reputation and success of the University in that market.

Act as a source of information and expert advice about qualifications from the markets identified by:

• Using available sources of information, such as the UCAS Qualifications Equivalents Guide, NARIC Equivalents web site and acquired personal expertise to develop a thorough and detailed understanding of a range of qualifications (including foundation programmes), how they equate to the UK education system and their suitability for admission to programmes at Birmingham.
• Ensuring regular contact with Admissions staff, both face to face and by telephone and email, to advise on eligibility criteria for overseas qualifications, both academic requirements and English Language requirements.

Identify recruitment opportunities and convert enquires/applications to maximise the return on such opportunities:

• To manage a calendar of recruitment events and school visits.
• To support incoming colleagues in making the most of their visit to the UAE, maximising their time wisely, in relation to student recruitment.
• Supporting the Recruitment and Business Development Manager to achieve objectives within agreed deadline in line with the overall student recruitment plan.
• Providing costings and pricing of recruitment activities as required.
• Where required, to respond to enquiries from students, parents, schools, agents and other stakeholders.
• As a priority, to lead, actively participate, innovate and support conversion activities.

Support the Recruitment and Business Development Manager to manage the elements of the Recruitment budget allocated to the identified regions:

• When requested, preparing and submitting for consideration by the Recruitment and Business Development Manager, detailed recruitment plans to support the recruitment strategies.
• When requested, providing accurate forecasts of the cost of all activities for consideration.
• Monitoring ongoing expenditure to ensure that all activity is carried out within the agreed budget, making judgements on a weekly basis about what new activity can be undertaken within the agreed budget.
• Identifying and rectifying any potential deviations from the agreed budget quickly and effectively, notifying the Recruitment and Business Development Manager of any major difficulties in this respect.

Required Knowledge, Skills, Qualifications, Experience

• Understands the importance of equality and diversity in the workplace
• Ability to identify and respond to equality and diversity issues in line with relevant policies and procedures
• A degree-level qualification or equivalent qualification or significant relevant work experience.
• Demonstrable experience of student recruitment and/or marketing to student audiences
• Highly developed oral and written communication skills to deal with a wide range of contacts, both internally and externally, and at all levels from potential students to vice-chancellors and diplomats
• Excellent presentation skills
• Proven experience of effectively using CRM systems
• Highly developed interpersonal skills e.g. capability to lead, motivate, facilitate
• Problem-solving and organisational skills to deal with complex and difficult situations autonomously as they arise
• Proven experience of events organisation
• High level of literacy and attention to detail to produce clear, concise reports and strategies
• High level of numeracy and some prior experience of managing budgets and analysing basic statistical information
• Tact, diplomacy and negotiating skills
• Cultural sensitivity
• Knowledge and understanding of the HE education system
• Experience of working with young people
• Prepared to travel extensively within the UAE and to undertake considerable work in the evenings and weekends with some nights spent away from home
• Prepared to undertake some international travel if necessary
• Proven experience of managing several projects to achieve targets
• Ability to work as part of a team but also use own initiative, take decisions and think creatively and laterally without direction
• Ability to interpret and present data in a variety of formats
• Ability to prioritise workload and manage time effectively
• Attention to detail and ability to work under pressure
• Awareness of Child Protection issues. Prepared to undergo an enhanced DBS check
• Good knowledge of Microsoft office, electronic communications and social media
• Valid full driving licence to undertake independent travel across the UAE

Dimensions

Planning and organising

Without reference to others:

• Planning and overseeing arrangements for independent travel to promote the University
• Develop appropriate presentations and promotional materials for key stakeholders (schools, agents, employers, etc.)
• Supporting relationships with agents and partners, including ongoing monitoring of performance

After consulting others:

• Providing detailed costings for each recruitment activity
• Supporting the development of market plans for named market

Would be referred to someone else:

• Decisions affecting market strategy
• Decisions requiring additional institutional strategic investment

Problem-solving and decision making

Without reference to others:

• Advising University colleagues on qualification equivalencies
• Preparing written visit reports recommending future activities for the purposes of recruitment and employability
• Management of allocated budgets

After consulting others:

• Making recommendations for changes to specified markets' admissions policy
• Decisions requiring significant changes to budgets outside of current funding levels

Would be referred to someone else:

• Emerging trends requiring changes to strategy/institutional policy in relation to recruitment and employability

Internal and external relationships

• Recruitment and Business Development Manager (line manager)
• Recruitment and Business Development team
• Colleagues in wider Engagement and Business Development team
• Colleagues across Dubai campus - Professional Services and Academic
• Colleagues in UK campus - including international recruitment team, College marketing teams, Admissions
• External partners - including schools, agents, and employers related to CPD contracts

As interest in all of the advertised posts has been extremely high, we encourage you to apply online, tailoring your skillset against the listed criteria in the application form.

Valuing excellence, sustaining investment

We value diversity and inclusion at the University of Birmingham and welcome applications from all sections of the community and are open to discussions around all forms of flexible working.