Manager: Student Recruitment
Position summary
Introduction
Job description
The ideal candidate will have a passion for student engagement, a strong grasp of data-driven marketing, and proven experience in executing recruitment campaigns that enhance the University’s visibility and attract top-quality students from diverse backgrounds.
Key Responsibilities
The successful candidate will:
- Develop and implement a comprehensive student recruitment strategy aligned with institutional goals.
- Lead data-driven decision-making to monitor trends, assess recruitment performance, and inform planning.
- Cultivate strong relationships with schools, communities, and other key stakeholders.
- Oversee the planning and execution of student recruitment events, campaigns, and outreach initiatives.
- Manage the recruitment budget and optimise resource allocation for maximum impact.
- Lead and support a high-performing team, ensuring effective delivery of recruitment objectives
Minimum requirements
- Honours Degree OR Postgraduate Diploma in Marketing, Business Administration, Education, or a related field.
- A Master’s degree or relevant certifications would be an advantage.
- A postgraduate qualification will be an added advantage.
- At least 8 years’ experience in digital content, branding, or publication management, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.
- Demonstrable success in managing teams and executing impactful recruitment strategies.
- A Master’s degree or relevant professional certifications would be an added advantage.
- Knowledge and experience in international student recruitment is desirable.
- Experience in international student recruitment will be highly desirable.
Key Competencies and Attributes
- Comprehensive knowledge of student recruitment practices, higher education trends, and enrolment management principles.
- Proven proficiency in digital marketing, campaign management, and student-centred content development.
- Strong data literacy and analytical skills, with the ability to interpret performance indicators to inform evidence-based decision-making.
- Exceptional communication and stakeholder engagement abilities, with a demonstrated capacity to represent the University with professionalism and integrity.
- Strong organisational and project management skills, including experience in coordinating large-scale recruitment events.
- Ability to work effectively under pressure, prioritise competing demands, and lead collaborative efforts across academic and administrative departments.
- A strong team player with the ability to collaborate effectively across units, foster collective ownership of goals, and contribute to a positive and high-performing work culture.
- Willingness to travel extensively and to work flexible hours, including after hours, weekends, and during peak recruitment periods, as required by the role.
The closing date for receipt of applications is 07 July 2025
Kindly note that the University of KwaZulu-Natal (“the University”) is required to process any Personal Information (as defined by the Protection of Personal Act, 2013 “POPIA”) submitted by candidates when applying for positions at the University. The provision of the Personal Information is a requirement in terms of the University’s recruitment and selection process. The retention of any personal information is as a consequence of the University being bound by legislative requirements and / or good governance practices as well as record keeping for statistical purposes. The University will endeavour to ensure that the appropriate security measures are in place and implemented for both electronic and paperbased formats that are used for processing of the personal information recorded through this recruitment and selection process.
