Country Manager

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in China.

📋 Description

• Lead the recruitment of international students from China to Swinburne University of Technology in order to meet established targets.

• Attract high-caliber international students to Swinburne’s campuses in Melbourne while also supporting the recruitment efforts for the Malaysia campus.

• Advocate for SUT’s unique value proposition and enhance the student experience.

• Assist with educational articulation agreements in China, manage agents, recruit from schools, develop educational partnerships, cultivate sponsor relationships, and direct sales channels.

• Create new leads and improve the conversion rate from leads to applications and accepted offers to enrolments.

• Identify student recruitment prospects across Melbourne and Malaysia offerings, including the use of digital technologies.

• Travel extensively within China and potentially the wider region, for approximately three months each year.

• Execute regional sales and recruitment initiatives to meet annual enrolment goals.

• Develop and support partnerships for university articulation and pathway arrangements.

• Organize both online and in-person Open Days, information seminars, and conversion workshops.

• Collaborate with the Future Students and Marketing teams on innovative strategies, social media outreach, and lead generation activities.

• Keep up-to-date with SUT products and processes to provide accurate guidance to prospective students.

• Utilize CRM systems to manage qualified leads across direct, agency, and partner channels, converting them into applications.

• Produce quarterly activity plans and monthly reports, including market insights and compliant travel and expenditure tracking.

• Train SUT international agents and school counselors, ensuring their compliance with Australian and international regulations.

• Stay informed about the ESOS Act, DIBP regulations, AVCC National Code, and privacy laws.

• Cultivate an understanding of Chinese education systems, qualifications, pathways, and admission criteria.

• Generate performance metrics, evaluation reports, recommendations, market insights, and competitor analyses.

• Analyze and interpret qualifications and experiences to uphold University entry standards.

• Evaluate applications and issue offer letters and eCoEs as needed.

• Monitor visa statuses in PRISMS and maintain communication with students throughout the admissions process.

• Provide prompt, accurate, and efficient customer service to students, agents, partners, and stakeholders.

• Contribute to recruitment strategies, compliance audits, agent evaluations, promotional materials, and thorough student background checks.

⛳️ Requirements

• Hold a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree with 5–10 years of relevant experience; or possess extensive experience and specialized expertise in a highly relevant field; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education and training.

• Possess expert knowledge of international student recruitment and/or admissions procedures.

• Ability to quickly learn about SUT’s products, courses, policies, and procedures.

• Experience working with international students and in stakeholder relationship marketing using a Customer Relationship Management system, with a proven ability to close sales with this demographic.

• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.

• Capacity to build positive organizational relationships with internal and external stakeholders from various cultural backgrounds.

• Strong influencing skills that lead to successful business results.

• Ability to create high-quality documentation, including reports, plans, policies, and correspondence.

• Strong analytical skills and meticulous attention to detail, including the ability to evaluate and interpret complex data and make admissions decisions.

• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines, achieve targeted outcomes, and resolve issues independently, exercising sound judgment, flexibility, and initiative.

• Capacity to foster and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and clients from diverse backgrounds while delivering responsive customer service.

• Excellent English communication skills and fluency in Mandarin.

• Valid passport and willingness to travel both domestically and internationally.

• Knowledge and proficiency in CRM systems (desirable).

• Familiarity with StudyLink Connect platforms (desirable).

• Skills in utilizing Chinese social media platforms such as WeChat and Red (desirable).

• Background in customer acquisition, engagement, and conversion strategies (desirable).

• Understanding of nurture marketing, the student decision-making process, and future student lifecycles (desirable).

• Proficiency in other Chinese dialects or North Asian languages (desirable).

• Willingness to work evenings and weekends and travel extensively in China and abroad when needed.

🏝️ Benefits

• Performance-related pay may be linked to the successful achievement of KPIs, subject to the signed contract.

• Scholarships and GS processes available as tools for recruitment.

• A supportive environment with like-minded professionals.

• Opportunities to collaborate with international higher education institutions and global teams.