Senior Director - Admissions

The Company 
Kaplan International, a division of Kaplan Inc. is an exciting company in the world of international education. We offer a range of courses from university preparation programmes in the UK, Australia, USA, China, and Japan through to full degree programmes, in partnership with universities at various locations in Singapore, Hong Kong, North America and Australia.

Through our academic partnerships with leading universities, we provide expertise in international student recruitment and focus on first-rate pastoral care and student support. We provide international students with high-quality, flexible international education and study opportunities.

About the role:

The role will lead the strategy, vision and operation of our admissions function serving our Pathways Colleges in the UK and our direct admit University partnerships in the US, Canada and UK.   Our Admissions team is one of the first teams our future students engage with and at the heart of our student recruitment team. Our team has a wealth of knowledge about our programmes, paying close attention to every detail of an application and applying their critical judgement to make the right decisions about who to admit to Kaplan Colleges and our Partner University programmes.

This is all done at speed, and we ensure every applicant develops a positive opinion of Kaplan and our partners by providing a responsive and personal-led student experience.  We are renowned for our service to our students, parents, sponsors and agents, and work hard to build and maintain true partnerships with our university partners.

We are a team of 200 dedicated admissions professionals based in the UK, India, Hong Kong (SAR), Dubai, and Thailand.  A culture of continuous improvement drives our teams, underpinned by a strategy to improve our processes, procedures and systems. We have started an exciting programme to streamline and automate elements of our admissions processes to meet the changing demands of our customers and to free up our teams to add true value to the student experience.

You will lead our admission teams by developing and implementing a strategic vision for the admissions department, aligned with the overall goals of Kaplan.  As an experienced leader of large and geographically dispersed teams, you will excel at motivating teams towards continuous improvement, providing a clear vision and direction, as well as expert advice. 

Reporting to the Senior Director of Recruitment and Admissions, you will be a member of the Senior Management team. You will be highly collaborative and provide challenge with a creative solution orientated approach to achieve our university partnership growth strategies.  Equally as important is a focus on quality and ensuring our student experience is at the forefront of everything we do and ensuring our university partners feel confident in and inspired by our work. We work in a fast-paced environment so you will need to flex with changing priorities and enjoy operating within a global matrix organisation.   

Key Responsibilities:

1)    Leadership, change management and strategy:

      ●      Provide strong vision, standards and leadership to the admissions team and to the wider Senior Management Team, fostering a positive and collaborative work environment

      ●      Actively research and collaborate on industry trends, best practices, and emerging technologies to continuously improve the admissions process and remove any barriers to recruitment

      ●      You will guide the team through purposeful change as we as an organisation go through the transformation process

2)    Admissions process leadership:

      ●      Lead, develop and take responsibility for the entire admissions lifecycle, from prospect identification to enrolment, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness at each stage

      ●      Implement and optimise admissions policies, procedures, and systems to enhance the overall applicant experience

      ●      Work collaboratively with other departments to ensure seamless integration of admissions processes

3)    Team management:

      ●      Responsible for the leadership of the admissions team ensuring motivation and high performance

      ●      Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, and conduct performance evaluations

      ●      Foster a culture of continuous learning and professional development within the admissions team

4)    Collaboration and communication:

      ●      Collaborate with recruitment, marketing and conversion teams to develop and implement effective student recruitment strategies

      ●      Build and maintain relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including agents, sponsors, partner institutions and industry leaders 

      ●      Communicate updates on admissions metrics, challenges, risks and opportunities

5)    Data analysis and reporting:

      ●      Utilise data analytics to assess the effectiveness of admissions strategies and identify areas for improvement

      ●      Prepare regular reports on admissions metrics, trends, and outcomes for senior leadership 

6)    Compliance and ethics:

      ●      Ensure that all admissions processes comply with relevant laws, regulations, and ethical standards

      ●      Implement and enforce ethical practices in recruitment and admissions activities

7)    Financial management:

      ●      Collaborate with the finance department to develop and manage the admissions budget

      ●      Identify opportunities for revenue growth through innovative admissions strategies

About you:

If you’re an experienced admissions leader, who has worked in international education, we’d love to hear from you! Do you have:

• Extensive experience in a similar role, with a proven track record of transforming the admissions journey
• A results mindset, with proven ability to drive ambitious targets and flex with changing priorities
• Strong leadership skills, with experience of leading and developing teams and a proven ability to navigate change effectively
• A clear vision and ability to bring a team together as you navigate change
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build strong relationships both internally and externally
• Cultural awareness and experience of working within a global, matrix organisation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, with the ability to use data to inform decision-making
• A strategic thinker, with the ability to develop and implement innovative solutions to complex challenges 
• A collaborative approach, with the ability to work effectively as part of a team and to build strong partnerships both internally and externally  
• A commitment to delivering high-quality services and to continuous improvement  
• Experience of working in the higher education sector
• An interest in AI and emerging technologies
• Strong commercial acumen and budget management skills 
• Have the right to work in the UK

What we offer:

• An opportunity to bring your creativity and make your mark 
• Be part of a truly global organisation working with teams from across the globe 
• A supportive environment in which to learn new skills and develop 
• Dynamic, international environment 
• Volunteering days