Country Officer- Pakistan

Role: Country Officer

Location: Pakistan

Job type: Full time-12-month contract
Working arrangement: Remote

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst thriving personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

The Role:

QS is supporting University of Birmingham seeking a Pakistan based, dynamic and highly motivated regional student recruitment talent to help the university in driving international student recruitment initiatives in Pakistan. The successful candidate will play a crucial role in recruiting and advising prospective students from Pakistan for both undergraduate and graduate programs.

This role will deliver recruitment, conversion, marketing, and sales activity across key recruitment markets across Pakistan.

 The post-holder will develop and implement strategies to increase international student recruitment from Pakistan and enhance the University’s profile across the country. A particular focus of the role will be on the effective relationship management of international sponsor bodies and enhancing the profile of the University’s UK and Dubai campuses with such organisations. The role will be required to travel extensively, often for long periods of time including weekends and bank holidays. The post-holder must be able to operate effectively and autonomously under these circumstances

About University of Birmingham:

The University of Birmingham is a global institution working within a diverse and vibrant City, offering an inspiring education to our students, and undertaking critically important research.  We are a place of open, critical thinking, and the creation, sharing and dissemination of knowledge. 

With our ambition to be a leading global university, we will tackle global challenges, so that our research extends beyond regional and national boundaries to have an international impact. Our students form an international community, and we will provide them with an outstanding international experience, both at their home campuses and through high levels of mobility. Professional Services play a crucial role by providing outstanding support to our researchers, enabling an exceptional educational experience for our students, and help the University to grow its influence regionally, nationally, and globally.  They ensure the University’s resources are used wisely, manage and improve the infrastructure which sits at the heart of the institution, and support decisions to be made quickly and based on sound evidence. 

External Relations is the division responsible for delivering our university to the world and prides itself in seizing opportunities that will enhance the profile and reputation of the University. We engage with many different audiences to build purposeful relationships internally, locally, nationally, and internationally. We enable those who wish to apply to study on our courses to make informed choices.  We recognise that we are strongest when we work together and take pride in upholding our core values of being ambitious, innovative, open, collaborative, and responsible

Role responsibilities:

• Develop and implement student recruitment and marketing strategies to grow enrolments against ambitious targets to both the University of Birmingham UK and Dubai campuses.
• Strategically manage existing and new relationships with Agencies and Partner Institutions across the region, driving a high level of service delivery to these organisations, and growing enrolments through this channel.
• Manage the performance of recruitment agents, including target setting, the development of activity plans and training programmes.
• Deliver a rage of recruitment activities to include the attendance at recruitment fairs, engagement with feeder schools and the organisation and participation of virtual activities.
• Acting as the primary point of contact in the country for prospective students and key external stakeholders.
• Manage and coordinate incoming visits from University of Birmingham staff to the country, in liaison with professional services team and academic staff.
• Actively collect market intelligence to identify opportunities and risks and, work with agility, to make tactical changes to recruitment plans in response to changing market conditions.
• Manage travel and operational requirements associated with the delivery of activity.
• Supporting additional initiatives and projects as required as part of the University's strategic plans for student recruitment

Strategic planning and implementation

• Translate the University’s strategic aims into practical and achievable business development plans with deliverable results.
• Conduct market research and analysis to inform the University of trends and risks in the country.
• Implement annual marketing and recruitment plans including advising student and agents and developing feeder routes for on-campus recruitment

Management of partners and agents

• As part of the strategic management of sponsor bodies, the post-holder should drive enrolments growth through this channel through existing and new clients. The post-holder should work with University colleagues, to deliver a high level of service to sponsor bodies in response to an in-depth understanding of the clients’ needs. They should manage and distribute bespoke communications and respond to problems and issues with speed and professionalism.
• Develop and manage the University's network of agents to effectively meet recruitment targets in specified countries.
• Identify recruitment opportunities with prospective partner institutions

Collaborative working

• To work closely with colleagues across the International Recruitment team which is based across a wide range of countries and the wider Student Recruitment and Marketing Team.
• The post-holder will be expected to work closely with a number teams in order to effectively deliver against objectives and to provide prospective students with the best possible support on the ground. These teams will include the Admissions Team, Birmingham Global, academic colleges and other professional services departments to provide students with the best possible support on the ground.
• To promote and sustain a constructive, supportive and friendly working relationship with all customers, external and internal, immediate and senior management and other work colleagues

Key skills and experience:

• Excellent knowledge about the education system in the UK and Pakistan
• Expert knowledge about the admissions journey for overseas students.
• Experience of effectively managing relationships with international sponsor bodies or similar organisations.
• Capacity for dealing with multiple tasks at the same time and prioritising the matters of urgency and importance.

• Good time management and problem-solving skills.
• High level of political and cultural awareness, diplomacy and excellent interpersonal and
• communication skills, written and verbal.
• Capable of representing the University of Birmingham at a high level to a wide range of parties.
• Ability to produce clear, concise reports and feedback on activity undertaken.
• Taking directions from senior colleagues whilst being able to operate on own initiative, being self-motivated and disciplined.
• Excellent command of written and spoken in English. The ability to speak in other languages would be an added advantage.
• Awareness of UK intellectual property and data protection regulations
• Ability to travel across the country for a minimum of 20 weeks a year and supporting other in country team members in neighbouring countries when it is required.
• Ability to build and manage relationships with peers and senior managers

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11 international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive. 

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