Job description

Grade: Grade 3
Directorate: Marketing, Recruitment, Admissions and Communications (MRAC)
Function: Student Recruitment Assistant
Location: Dubai
Employment Type: Full-time
 

About our School/Directorate/Team: 

The Marketing, Recruitment, Admissions and Communications group is at the heart of attracting, engaging and delivering exceptional student and stakeholder experiences.  The Admissions Office handles over 20,000 applications to undergraduate and postgraduate programmes at our Scottish campuses each year as well as offering support and advice to admissions colleagues at our Dubai and Malaysia campuses.  Our aim is to ensure that all applicants receive a high-quality service that is timely and fair, and we strive to put the applicant at the heart of everything we do.

Purpose of Role:

Heriot-Watt is entering an exciting phase in terms of development of its professional services. We have centralised and re-aligned our recruitment and Admissions Teams in Edinburgh and are embarking on a journey to develop a new structure for our Dubai Campus and recruitment hub. 

Reporting to the International Student Recruitment Manager or Admissions Manager depending on responsibility, the successful candidate will take the responsibility for coordinating and delivering a range of activities that enable Heriot Watt Dubai to achieve its ambitious student recruitment and admissions targets for both UG, PG and research degrees. Student Recruitment Assistants are responsible for delivering customer facing events, both on and off campus, delivering customer service activities for all prospective students, ensuring the university is promoted in relevant and attractive ways. This role requires focus on proactive robust follow-up service to convert prospects into enrolled students and processing of admissions applications.

Based in the Student Recruitment and Admissions Team of our Dubai campus you will work as part of the team that provides an exceptional level of customer service to all prospective students and applicants to the University guiding them from first point of contact through to enrolment. You will be the first point of contact for phone calls and emails and respond to these within agreed response times ensuring the needs of the enquirer are met and making full use of enquiry management and CRM systems in place. As part of the admissions function, the role also requires you will work as part of the team which provides administrative support for the direct application processes. 

Bringing together your passion for education and customer care, you will have exceptional interpersonal skills, attention to detail and be a self-starter who can support prospective students while they embark on their journey with Heriot Watt. 

Summary of Key Duties and Responsibilities

You will be part of the team providing a high-quality front-line service to all enquirers to the University. Your main duties will be to respond to enquirers by phone or email, dealing with day-to-day queries at events and providing support for prospective students throughout their journey to Heriot Watt and assist with application processing. You will be working under the guidance of Student Recruitment Manager or Admissions Manager in Dubai.

Key duties and responsibilities:

• Act as an ambassador for the University to a wide range of stakeholders, notably prospective students, parents and working professionals, 

  
  

• Always provide an exceptional applicant experience and the delivery of a customer-focused service and experience to optimise recruitment and conversion objectives, utilising the CRM system to track all engagements with HW prospective students, 

  
  

• Support optimisation of lead capture as part of the enquiries process and in line with feedback from prospective students, 

  
  

• Operating across various communication channels: phone, e-mail, face-to-face at on-campus and external events, but equally providing customer service via in-bound social media channels, incl. participating in Live Chats with prospects and applicants and other virtual events as when organised by the University, 

  
  

• Ensure that responses exceed the enquirers needs and are sent in a timely fashion and to agreed turnaround times, provide information, relevant and personalised advice to each prospective student,

  
  

• Provide support and guidance to our student interns on a wide range of enquiries relating to student recruitment,

  
  

• Attend and assist with execution of internal and external student recruitment events including open days, PG Masterclass, Virtual events/workshops, offer holder events and recruitment fairs, both at the campus, in-schools and at external student recruitment fairs to provide information, advice and guidance on the University’s portfolio of undergraduate, postgraduate and research programmes to prospective students

  
  

• Capture and maintain scholarship data for new undergraduate and postgraduate students 

  
  

• To set up and maintain a calendar of student recruitment events, manage enquiries, and bookings and work with the CRM team to coordinate pre-event and follow up communications to maximise attendance for the assigned programme,

  
  

• Assist the Domestic Recruitment Manager, Student Recruitment Officer, Admission Manger, with manging the student ambassador scheme within the Student Recruitment team to ensure events and other recruitment activities are effectively staffed and represented to maximise conversion and ultimate enrolment of prospective students, 

  
  

• To establish and maintain an effective network of contacts externally and in Schools and Services, and to work effectively with these contacts to maximise our student recruitment potential,

  
  

• Supporting the Admissions Manager in all daily processes related to application management,

  
  

• Ensuring that all applicants are provided with the necessary information and correspondence throughout the year,

  
  

• Maintain a thorough knowledge of the University’s admissions policy, including assessment / selection and entry criteria and keep abreast of changes to admissions procedures.

  
  

• To participate in all marketing activities and other areas of work within Marketing, Student Recruitment, and admissions as required,

  
  

• Provide support to the wider team and the Student Recruitment Manager, Student Recruitment Officer, and Admissions Manager during key admissions periods, 

  
  

• General administrative duties including filing, and other duties that may be seen as being within the scope of this position.

  
  

• May include overseas travels to represent the university at events

  
  

Education, Qualifications & Experience: 

Essential

1. Excellent literacy and numeracy skills or similar or equivalent experience,

   
   

2. Experience of working within a similar environment as outlined above, specifically with a focus on multi-channel customer experience, 

   
   

3. Competent in the use of relevant IT packages including Microsoft Excel, Word and Outlook

   
   

4. Well-developed interpersonal skills,

   
   

5. Experience in face-to-face customer service role, including participating in and organising in-house and external recruitment / sales events, 

   
   

6. Demonstrable professional and proactive approach,

   
   

7. Evidence of excellent attention to detail,

   
   

8. Appreciation of working with confidential information,

   
   

9. Ability to work flexibly, quickly and accurately by taking account of new information or changes in circumstances and modifying the understanding of a problem or situation accordingly

   
   

10. Experience of using initiative and creativity to resolve problems, that may be predictable but not routine, identifying practical and suitable solutions,

    
    

11. Demonstrable provision of excellent customer service.

    
    

12. Second language preferably Russian 

    
    

Desirable

1. Educated to a degree level
2. Experience of administration in a higher or secondary education environment
3. Understanding and knowledge of UAE and international education markets and current issues
4. Experience of working with databases i.e. Student Record or CRM systems
5. Experience of enquiry management systems

Please note that this job description is not exhaustive, and the role holder may be required to undertake other relevant duties commensurate with the grading of the post.  Activities may be subject to amendment over time as the role develops and/or priorities and requirements evolve. 

‘How to Apply’

Please submit your CV and a cover letter setting out how you meet the criteria for this role.  

Shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete an on-demand-video interview as the first stage of the selection process. Successful candidates will then proceed to in-person formal interviews at our Dubai campus. Following the formal interview, the preferred candidate will attend a second interview with senior staff at the Dubai campus before a final offer decision is made.

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team. 

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

The appointment is conditional upon successful completion of all Labor and Immigration formalities, and the start date will need to be delayed if the employment visa is not in place.