Head of Student Recruitment India, supporting the University of Southampton, UK

Hiring support for this position is being provided by Grok Global Services

About Grok Global Services

Founded in 2005, Grok Global Services is a best-in-class provider of international engagement services for higher education institutions. By joining our team, you will be working in a supportive environment full of like-minded professionals, each committed to advancing the internationalization of higher education institutions from around the world.

A pioneer of in-country staffing in the international education sector, Grok remains at the forefront of this model and currently delivers this service across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The company also boasts industry-leading divisions in digital marketing and strategic consulting.

University of Southampton

The University of Southampton is an exceptional place to work; its people achieve remarkable things. We are a world-leading research-intensive university, with a strong educational offering, renowned for our innovation and enterprise.

We are a place of opportunity and inspiration that attracts the most talented staff from around the world.

Whether you work on the front line with our students, at the cutting edge of research or within the network of professional services that supports the University and its academic agenda you can expect to be treated with honesty and respect; we will support you and your career and provide an environment that nurtures innovation and creative thinking.

Simply Better: Discover our Strategy

About the role

We are looking for an experienced, proactive and highly motivated professional to support the University of Southampton in South Asia via Grok’s Program Office service, based in either Bangalore, Mumbai or New Delhi.

The role’s primary focus will be to develop and lead the strategic development and execution of recruitment strategies in India to ensure a sustainable pipeline of applications and enrolments year-on-year to the UK campuses of the University to meet stretching international student recruitment targets. The role will directly manage a team of three Recruitment Managers to deliver in-country projects and activities in a coordinated approach, ensuring key stakeholders’ needs are met and the University of Southampton UK is suitably positioned in the market.

You will play a key role in promoting the University of Southampton’s international recruitment strategy by developing informed and realistic Market plans and delivering engagement activities targeting prospective undergraduate and postgraduate students, leading to the applications and enrolment of quality students from the region. 

In addition, you will engage with University of Southampton’s key stakeholders based in India including but not limited to, visits to universities, the preparation and delivery of presentations and workshops, education exhibitions, and relationships with key schools, colleges, universities and agents.

You will report to the Associate Director and will be responsible for the recruitment outcomes in India for the UK campus.

The successful candidate’s Key Responsibilities will include:

• Lead and manage the UK focused team in India, fostering a collaborative team culture that prioritizes teamwork and a growth mindset leading to the delivery of Market plans and meeting our regional targets and KPIs for recruitment to the UK campus.
• Lead on the strategic planning and execution of student recruitment plans that are data informed, proportional, innovative and targeted.
• Own the delivery of an Agent engagement strategy, ensuring high-quality engagement with key recruitment partners.
• Provide analysis and reports on input, outcomes, and ongoing progress towards the team's objectives.
• Be the University’s expert in the region, providing advice on issues relating to the market to inform engagement activities and adjust planning and forecasting.
• Regularly evaluate the outcomes of recruitment initiatives and produce timely reports as agreed on market intelligence, performance, competitor activities, market threats and opportunities.
• Be the University’s leading representative on the ground in India, managing engagement with key partners and stakeholders, as well as alumni, and seeking out opportunities to develop new strategic relationships in the Market to help increase student recruitment to the UK Campus.
• Act as subject matter expert constantly refreshing knowledge through training, sector liaison, and stakeholder engagement.
• Lead the delivery of impactful events that develop brand awareness.
• Proactively engage with the lead for student recruitment at the University of Southampton Delhi, ensuring that activities are segregated and that there is a high degree of coordination in market planning and recruitment activity.

The position involves line management responsibilities, frequent and sophisticated interaction with international clients, and significant travel time is required (60%). You should also be willing to travel to the UK at least once per year.

The Most Suitable Background

• 10+ years of experience in increasingly responsible roles related to education or international education.

• A proven track record of recruiting Indian students to overseas universities.

• 3+ years of experience managing a team of in-country staff.
• A successful track record of designing and implementing data-led regional student recruitment strategies to ensure a sustainable recruitment pipeline.
• Bachelor’s degree with good to strong academic performance. A master’s degree is a plus.
• Strong English at a Professional Working Proficiency, including a high standard of business writing skills.
• Study or experience abroad is strongly preferred. UK-related experience would be an asset.
• Voluntary or other life experience that demonstrates creativity, hard work, persistence, or drive to succeed.

The Most Important Traits to Succeed

• Sophisticated people management skills.
• Strong strategic skills – evaluate issues and make tactical recommendations.

• Strong communication skills – the ability to engage and manage senior stakeholders effectively.
• Able to multitask and manage a balanced agenda.
• Sound judgment, internal moral compass.
• Strong customer sensitivity.
• Strong planning and reporting skills – good attention to detail, good with datasets.
• Creative problem-solving skills.
• Ambitious and results-oriented.
• Initiative and resourceful.
• Hardworking and persistent.

We thank you for your interest in Grok Global Services. To learn more about Grok, please visit us at our website: https://grokglobal.com/ and by following us on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/company/grokglobal/