Director of Admissions and Marketing - Fettes College Guangzhou 广州斐特思公学

Director of Admissions and Marketing

Required February 2020 (or earlier)

Fettes College Guangzhou wishes to recruit a Director of Admissions and Marketing, to join the College Senior Leadership Team.

Introduction

The successful candidate will have at the heart of his or her approach the mantra 'fight for every enrolment'. The Director of Admissions and Marketing is primarily responsible for pupil recruitment, the admission process and marketing. Fettes College Guangzhou benefits from a strong partnership with Fettes College, the Scotland's top co-educational Boarding school.   

The College

Located in The Greater Bay Area of Sothern China, in close connection with Hong and Macau, Guangzhou is the third city of China.  The city hosts with world’s largest Trade Fair twice yearly and is known as a culinary as well as commercial centre for modern China and the Pearl River delta.  Connections to the other cities are served by the new opened highspeed rail network (50 minutes to Hong Kong) as well a d Guangzhou international airport (CAN), with direct flights to all major centres of China and the World, including UK.  Air quality in the region is significantly above that of other major cities in Mainland China.

In our opening year (from September 2020), Fettes College Guangzhou have opened in years Kindergarten to Year Nine and will then move to be a full K to 12 school.  From this opening position, it is expected that in a relatively short period of time the school will operate a full iGCSE and A-Level and IB Programme aiming to be the leading British bilingual and international school in the Guangdong region and then all of China.

The School will work closely with the local education regulator to ensure that not only are all regulator and accreditation requirements fulfilled but will act as an example of best practice to be shared in many areas of teaching and pupil experience. 

We strive to turn out well-educated, globally aware, tolerant and intellectually curious men and women who are ready to take a full, active and positive role in the life of Guangzhou, China and our world. Central to this vision are our teachers and leaders.

JOB DESCRPTION

Job Description: Director of Admissions and Marketing

Responsible for: The Director of Admissions and Marketing is primarily responsible for pupil recruitment, the admission process with associated marketing. The Director of Admissions and Marketing will also line manage a number of staff including the Admissions Officer, Marketing team and Receptionists.

Consulting with: All Staff

Reporting to: Headmaster

Person Specification

·         Essential qualities will include the ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team and to present to parents, pupils and colleagues a warm, engaging and approachable personality. Reliable and respectful at all times.

·         A minimum of two years’ experience working in similar role at Senior Management Level, ideally within an educational setting.

·         Educated to at least A level (Grade A-C at GCSE to include English and Mathematics, or equivalent); an Honours degree is desirable.

·         Strong interpersonal, administrative, organisational and communication skills.

·         Previous experience in a school or other educational establishment advantageous.

·         A good working knowledge of Word, Excel, Publisher, mail merge, Internet and information management systems. 

·         To be able to prioritise and be highly organised, systematic and resourceful, flexible, energetic and possess a calm and appropriate nature suited to an educational environment, with an ability to work under pressure. 

·         Excellent people skills, a confident and articulate telephone manner and an appreciation of the requirements of a premium international British curriculum independent school.

·         To be able to work under pressure and to be very presentable.  A good sense of humour and the ability to be totally discreet are essential qualities.

·         Proactive in all aspects of College life through participation and support.

·         Able to present a professional image in line with the high expectations of Fettes College.

·         Ability to develop and lead a marketing strategy that will drive the admissions enquiries at the College.

Key Responsibilities

1.    Provide all prospective families with a friendly, professional, helpful and efficient service from enquiry to entry:

·         Respond to Admission enquiries and send out joining packs, recording prospective parent and pupil details.

·         Manage the pupil registration and admissions process.

·         Arrange parental visits, taster days and assessments for prospective pupils.

·         Liaise with prospective parents regarding registration fees, deposits, taster days and uniform.

·         Administer assessment and teacher feedback and produce assessment results for the Headmaster.

·         Create and maintain prospective and current pupil records on Management Information System.

·         Maintain pupil registration and waiting lists.

·         Gather comprehensive information about each contact with a family and record on database to ensure relevant information about visiting families is available to the Headmaster, arranging for him to meet them at least informally and briefly on their visit to the school where this is possible.

·         Follow up all visits with written communication.

·         Monitor enquiries and registrations, and identify trends, providing comparisons with previous years in order to aid educational and financial planning.

2.    Marketing

·                     Contribute and collaborate with Marketing on the positive promotion of the school to the local and wider community.

·                     Keep abreast of changes within competitor schools and create monthly competitor analysis/report.

·                     Provide valuable support to the College’s social media platforms within agreed policies and procedures.

·                     Explore, propose and collaborate with Marketing on new ideas to market the school.

·                     Provide insight and actively support the marketing and advertising of Open Mornings and other events aimed to promote the school.

·                     Actively support and participate in Open Days to ensure that prospective families receive appropriate information and have a positive experience.

·                     Provide input to the preparation of information packs for Open Mornings and all other promotional events.

·                     Liaise with Marketing to ensure that the College’s profile is maintained, seizing opportunities for publicity and, within budgetary restrictions, using ‘advertorials’, social media and other means to ensure that good news about the school is promulgated.

·                     Liaise closely with the Headmaster and staff to ensure a flow of information about the College’s many successes.

·                     Attend and contribute actively to the Marketing committee.

·                     Contribute to the maintaining/updating of the school branded materials.

3.    Communication with other schools

·                     Liaise with the Fettes College UK Admissions Office.

·                     Attend, where practical and cost-effective, regular meetings with Admissions Managers from the Fettes College Family of Schools to ensure best practice in admissions procedures and processes and ensure that recruitment is closely co-ordinated.

·                     Manage the admissions administration of any scholarship or bursary or other such scheme the College may from time to time have in place.

4.    Administration

·                     Performance manage the admissions team, ensuring efficiency, value for money and the highest standards of courtesy towards parents.

·                     Ensure records are filed and maintained efficiently and thoroughly.

·                     Prepare and produce the School and House Lists ensuring that all school lists are accurate and up-to-date at the beginning of each academic year and throughout the year as changes occur.

·                     Prepare pupil starter and leaver records for the Finance Department to allow for   accounting records and fee preparation.

·                     Produce the monthly electronic copy of the Admissions Manager.

·                     Oversee the entry of pupils onto the admissions system and notify the appropriate authorities of pupil leavers, as required.

·                     Ensure that steps are taken in every instance to find out reasons for departures and keep appropriate record, so any trends can be identified and addressed.

·                     Produce roll numbers for the Headmaster as required.

Whilst every effort has been made to explain the main duties and responsibilities of the post, each individual task undertaken may not be identified.  The duties outlined above are not intended as a restrictive list; they may be adapted to suit the strengths of the successful candidate and may be extended or altered to include other tasks that are commensurate with the role as directed by the Headmaster.

The postholder will undertake such other specific duties which may, from time to time, be reasonably assigned by the Headmaster or Project Manager (Business Operations).  Where such duties amount to more than a temporary adjustment to the main responsibilities of this job description, it will be amended accordingly. It will anyway be subject to periodic amendment whenever circumstances or appraisal processes dictate changes in the post holder’s role within the school.

Professional Responsibilities

·         To promote pride in the College among the pupil body through high standards of dress, behaviour and commitment.

·         To ensure that all communication is acted upon appropriately and in a timely manner.

·         To be responsible for all College resources particularly those in your care, reporting damage or loss to your line manager or the Project Manager (Business Operations), as appropriate.

·         To contribute to the College website, social media and publications as necessary

·         To contribute to the College’s Self Evaluation and Development Plan.

·         To foster a close partnership with parents, initiating contact in appropriate circumstances and ensuring that there is a record of this.

·         To be in school prior to 7.30am and until at least 4:10pm.

·         To carry out any reasonable professional request made by the Headmaster, Deputy Head or member of the SLT.

HOW TO APPLY

All applications must consist of the following completed documents:

1.    Letter of application (maximum one and a half sides of Garamond 12) addressed to Mr Marco Longmore, Headmaster of Fettes College Guangzhou. Please state clearly in your letter your previous experience, together with details of your strengths and contributions to school life. This should be attached to your electronic application.

2.    CV (maximum 4 sides) naming two referees, one of whom must be your current or most recent employer. This should be attached to your electronic application.

3.    Completed job application form.

Applications should be either emailed to vacancies@fettes.cn.

Please note:

Incomplete applications will not be considered, and that Fettes College Guangzhou reserves the right to make an appointment at any stage of the recruitment process.

Due to the expected high levels of interest in positions at the school, applications will be acknowledged on receipt however, only candidates selected for interview will be contacted within 21 days of the closing date for applications.

CLOSING DATE AND INTERVIEWS

Applications will be considered as they are received.

Interviews will be scheduled thereafter.

Fettes College Guangzhou is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Please note that should your application be successful, a police check will be undertaken in the country of origin; in the UK, a disclosure will be requested from the UK’s Disclosure and Barring Service.