International Admissions Manager

Description

INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS MANAGER

JOB DESCRIPTION

Overview

The International Admissions Manager is a pivotal position at Claremont, providing the strategic and operational leadership for the admissions team across the whole school. Focusing relentlessly on both growing the student roll and providing exemplary customer service to prospective families, the International Admissions Manager also plays a key role in building and maintaining the reputation of Claremont in both the domestic and international markets. The International Admissions Manager is responsible for providing leadership to, and management of, a diverse team. This includes an international recruitment officer and two admissions officers. The International Admissions Manager responsibilities, therefore, include coordinating effective messaging, processes and systems with a view to improve standards of recruitment processes throughout the school. As a member of the school’s whole school management team, they will also have strong links to senior leaders in both our Junior and Senior Schools.

The International Admissions Manager will work closely with the Regional International Admissions Manager at the International Schools Partnership. Claremont is part of the Europe region in this global network of schools. ISP provide a high level of support, resources and systems to the school and, together, we seek to use data in an effective way to inform and develop new strategies for student recruitment. You will use Hubspot, our sales platform, as the chief vehicle for monitoring productivity and effectiveness of your team. The role will oversee the process from lead conversion (generated by our internal marketing team) to enrolment. This is a role for someone who is a natural leader, performance-driven, and comfortable with using data strategically.

The admissions department share many of the same objectives as the marketing department and you will be expected to work closely with the Head of Marketing in developing strategy and effective processes to promote enrolments in the school. You are a beacon for innovation and creativity, leading the staff in the development of an imaginative and productive recruitment process for prospective families. You will be a strategic thinker, an effective communicator and model effective leadership for a dynamic but relatively inexperienced team.

Location: You will be based at our Junior School

Line Manager: Principal (‘dotted line’ to Regional International Admissions Manager)

Pay: Commensurate to experience + Bonus Scheme

ISP Principles

1. Begin with our children and students. Our children and students are at the heart of what we do. Simply, their success is our success. Wellbeing and safety are both essential for learners and learning. Therefore, we are consistent in identifying potential safeguarding issues and acting and following up on all concerns appropriately.
2. Treat everyone with care and respect. We look after one another, embrace similarities and differences and promote the well-being of self and others.
3. Operate effectively. We focus relentlessly on the things that are most important and will make the most difference. We apply school policies and procedures and embody the shared ideas of our community.
4. Learn continuously. Getting better is what drives us. We positively engage with personal and professional development and school improvement.

Key Responsibilities

1. Recruitment Processes:

• Primary responsibility of implementing the Schools Admissions process, including lead generation, family journey, customer service, negotiation and objection handling, call scripts and parent communications.
• Advise prospective parents & stakeholders on our value proposition (profile, program, fee structure and all services provided) across communications channels.
• Make calls to potential digital and non-digital leads to convert them into school tours and enrolments.
• Conduct regular tours of prospective families in partnership with school leadership.
• Support the School responsible in carrying out assessment of prospective students per the admissions policy.
• Design and implement all policies and documentation related to student admissions (including admissions toolkits, templates, scholarship programs), with the support of stakeholders.
• Organize admissions meetings and open events characterised by excellent customer service.
• Monitor and develop lead generation activities, work with the ISP Heads of Marketing and Admissions, to ensure admissions targets are met.
• Ensure that a customer loyalty programme is in place and aligned with the customer loyalty programme created for the region.
• Advise on effective continued support and communication to new families after students enroll at the school - ‘after sales care’.

2. Collaboration with Marketing and Leadership Team:

• Attend Senior Leadership Team meetings.
• Work with the Head of School and SLT to develop appropriate programs and campaigns, such as referral schemes, scholarships, or working with feeder schools to promote the local reputation of the school.
• Develop and nurture mutually beneficial relationships with feeder schools, nurseries, universities, local businesses, government entities, education agents and other organizations to maximize student recruitment and retention at the school.
• Regularly review and develop admissions documents, parent communication platforms and templates, and marketing collaterals to ensure accurate information and best practice.
• Support the Head of School to develop the school’s communication and engagement strategy, based on the strengths and development areas, promoting the same within and beyond the school community.
• Support the Head of School with participation in relevant national and regional conferences, events and competitions to raise the profile of the school, students and faculty.
• Work with parent-facing administrative staff closely, to ensure the first impressions of the school are excellent, leading to positive visitor experience.
• Ensure school meets retention targets by developing and implementing a structured and personalized approach to retaining existing families based on gathering the appropriate information and early identification of at-risk families with a clearly thought-out action at the school.

3. Managing Admissions Team:

• Lead direct reports to promote excellence in operational efficiency and customer service delivery.
• Ensure that effectiveness of admissions systems are reviewed regularly, and written and verbal communication are customized to maximize engagement with potential customers.
• Ensure that the team implements high quality customer service, customer experience and standards.
• Conducts regular training for all front-faced staff and refresher training courses for existing staff.

4. Data Management:

• Utilize Hubspot as a vehicle for managing and monitoring the customer journey.
• Use Hubspot to generate effective insights for the development of admission strategies in the school.
• Produce regular reports for the Principal and Regional International Admissions Manager when required.
• Take ownership for agreed recruitment and retention targets in the school.
• Ensure school has clear retention data and targets to work towards and share these with relevant stakeholders.

5. International Recruitment:

• Lead in the development of coherent and consistent strategies for the recruitment of international students.
• Line-manage the International Recruitment Officer (IRO).
• Work with Marketing Team and IRO in the development of effective digital and non-digital assets.
• Develop and maintain relationships with agent networks (such as BBSN), identifying opportunities for partnerships and supporting the IRO in cultivating links in different markets.
• Supporting IRO at key student recruitment conferences.
• When necessary, travelling overseas to develop new market relationships.

Skills, Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor’s Degree from a relevant field (business administration or similar).
• Demonstrable experience in student recruitment, enrolment, and retention (ideally in the commercial education sector).
• Experienced in HubSpot or Salesforce, preferred.
• Articulate, communicative, and able to present information in a concise and professional manner.
• Organization skills: well organized and able to prioritize tasks.
• Excellent skills in Customer service.
• Critical thinking.
• Leadership skills: ability to manage self and a team effectively and work in cross functional teams.
• Ability to initiate opportunities for self and others and to find solutions to ensure tasks are completed within specified timescales.
• Ability to negotiate, persuade and motivate others.

ISP Senior Leadership Competencies

You consistently demonstrate and role-model the ISP Leadership Competencies in all that you do.

• Modelling Collaboration: Takes an active part in leading your leadership team; is cooperative and a genuine team player, developing positive, supportive relationships with colleagues to solve problems and maximise opportunities.
• Learning & Getting Better: Continually demonstrates personal commitment and passion for learning and getting better using evidence and feedback; supporting others in their continual learning, development and growth.
• Leading Innovation: Is good at creating an environment where ideas for learning initiatives and services are generated and can motivate and inspire others through the process of creation through to completion.
• Focusing on Outcomes: Can be counted on to find solutions. Is consistently looking to exceed goals and is focused on learners and their learning.
• Acting with Resilience: Can deal with setbacks and challenges calmly and effectively.
• Managing Ethically & with Integrity: Has the ability to work ethically and with integrity; helps others feel valued; upholds and models the ISP Vision, Purpose and Principles.
• Leading & Inspiring Through Influence: Supports, encourages and inspires students, colleagues and teams so that they give their best.
• Demonstrating Agility: Responds and adapts to changing circumstances; manages and solves problems by providing solutions in a climate of ambiguity.
• Planning & Making Decisions: Makes decisions on the best course of action and then plans, organises, prioritises and balances resources to achieve the desired outcome.
• Advocating Diversity & Equity: Has the sensitivity, awareness and skill to understand the values, behaviours, attitudes and practices across cultures that support all children and adults to learn and work effectively.

Safeguarding & Safer Recruitment

Claremont School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All post holders are subject to appropriate vetting procedures and satisfactory Criminal Background Checks or equivalent covering the previous 10 years employment history.

About Claremont

Claremont School is an independent day and boarding school. The Nursery and the Junior School are based in St Leonards on Sea, and the Senior School is located in Bodiam, East Sussex. The school is nonselective and welcomes children and young people from a large catchment area spanning 25 miles. In addition, one third of the students in the Senior School are international boarders.

Children join Claremont aged 2, and the school offers a British curriculum throughout with GCSEs and iGCSEs at KS4, and A Level and BTechs at KS5. In addition, the school delivers outstanding programmes in Performing Arts (winning an award for outstanding School for Performing Arts in 2021) and in football where students can join the Football academy and look to become professional players.

Results and Value-Added at Claremont are outstanding, with Senior School results beating national averages year on year, as well as more local independent selective schools. We believe that successful schools are the ones that put learning at the heart of everything they do, always aiming to create rounded individuals that can forge successful careers and lives, in a rapidly changing world. Claremont aims to be the School of Choice for the local area and supports its young people to excel in all that they do in a safe and inspiring environment.

Claremont School is also part of the International Schools Partnership (ISP) group, comprising committed colleagues in financially responsible schools around the world, where learning is at the heart of everything we do for our students, colleagues, and parents. We are committed to getting better, all the time.

ISP was founded by an experienced team of committed educationalists and operators who have worked together over many years. ISP’s growing group of private schools are located in the UK, the USA, Canada, Spain, Italy, Switzerland, Costa Rica, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Malaysia, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, educating children and students from 2–18 years of age. ISP has expanded to 83 schools that employ over 10,000 staff and deliver multiple curricula to over 56,000 students located across the globe.

ISP Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

ISP is committed to strengthening our inclusive culture by identifying, hiring, developing and retaining high-performing teammates regardless of gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender expression, age, disability status, neurodivergence, socio-economic background or other demographic characteristics. Candidates who share our vision and principles and are interested in contributing to the success of ISP through this role are strongly encouraged to apply.