Salary: £46,735 - £49,559, with progression to £55,755 per annum Newcastle University is a great place to work, with excellent benefits. We have a generous holiday package; plus the opportunity to buy more, great pension schemes and a number of health and wellbeing initiatives to support you. Closing Date: 24 July 2025 The Role To lead the International Student Recruitment Operations Team, delivering excellent operations for the conversion of prospective international students from lead to enrolment, and service to international student recruitment partners, for the development and delivery of Newcastle University internationalisation strategies. Are you an established operations manager with experience of developing, delivering, and managing creative strategies working across a varied portfolio and stakeholder audience? We have a new opportunity for a highly effective and strategic individual to lead as our Head of International Recruitment Operations as an integral part of our International Office Team. You will lead the team responsible for delivering outstanding operations for the conversion of prospective international students, from lead to enrolment, and providing a high level of service to our international student recruitment partners around the world. Critical to this role is the ability to synthesise and condense analysis of complex data and scenarios into clear and concise recommendations for a varied set of stakeholders. You will be an integral member of the International Office leadership team, taking ownership of strategic delivery and fostering a collaborative culture that nurtures shared ambition and breaks down barriers to success. We are looking for an experienced manager who has a passion for supporting international students and their journey to studying at the University. To be successful in this role you will have a project management, solutions-focused approach; be able to demonstrate leadership and success in a complex and high-volume environment; with the ability to engage and motivate others. If this opportunity interests you, please contact Eleanor Shotton erd.operations@newcastle.ac.uk to discuss this role. To apply, please upload your CV and cover letter evidencing how your skills and experience align to the criteria outlined within the person specification of the job description. Please note, interviews will be held in person (unless there are extenuating circumstances) and are due to take place 7th/8th August 2025. Key Accountabilities Provide a high level of support and specialist expertise to the Director and Deputy Directors of International Office for the development and delivery of Newcastle University internationalisation strategies. Play a leading role in the development and implementation of robust international student recruitment planning processes, including the setting and delivery of targets, coordination of activity across Newcastle University, and optimisation of financial and staff resources. Key activities include: International student recruitment International partnership and stakeholder relations International profile, brand and reputation Provide high performance leadership, team management and staff development to maximise the effectiveness of the International Student Recruitment Operations Team, overseas offices, and the International Office in general. Build and continually optimise platforms of sector-leading operations for international student recruitment from first point of contact to enrolment – including process management and digital systems - within the International Office, and in collaboration with a range of professional service and academic units. In close liaison with key stakeholders, develop and implement policy, quality control and risk management relating to international student recruitment and admissions. Develop and manage frameworks of data analytics and reporting to underpin strategic and operational decision-making, identify recruitment opportunities and challenges, and optimise performance management relating to international student recruitment. Build and maintain excellent relations with key internal stakeholders, including Faculties and Schools, professional service units, and manage a range of high-level external relationships to underpin student recruitment channels, including educational agents, sponsors, and pathway providers. Manage and monitor the International Student Recruitment Operations budget with a focus on impact and return on investment. Represent Newcastle University on visits, events and delegations overseas and on campus as required. Any other duties as may be assigned The Person Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience A high level of ability to develop, manage and motivate a team, including budgeting, setting targets and KPIs, monitoring workflows and supervising staff that may be located both in Newcastle and overseas. Evidence of high-level strategic thinking, experience of strategic planning, and the ability to reconcile strategic, academic and commercial objectives. A focus on results backed up by a track record of delivery at scale in international student recruitment or transferable experience related to sales and/or marketing. A high level of initiative and excellent organisational skills, and the ability to set priorities, manage change, and make sound judgments. Demonstrated ability to work independently under limited direction, adapt and work flexibly in a dynamic environment, and the willingness to travel extensively when required. A proven ability to balance a broad range of priorities and relationships to deliver in a complex and high competitive global environment. Excellent interpersonal and communications skills, internal and external relationship management, discretion and diplomacy, and a track-record of effective stakeholder engagement. A proven ability to engage a broad portfolio of internal and external customers and stakeholders. A high standard of numeracy, effective IT skills and attention to detail, including significant skills of market research and data analysis. Extensive experience of process enhancement, management and policy development. Extensive experience of process enhancement, management and policy development and the ability to reconcile strategic, academic and commercial objectives A track record of experience and delivery in strategy development, planning, project management and delivery Understanding of international student recruitment. Knowledge of international higher education environments. Attributes and Behaviour Has the ability to think strategically and to manage complex problems and issues. Recognises the need for change and is forward looking. Promotes the benefits of change to others and regularly comes up with new ideas. Has the willingness to adopt new ways of working and to make improvements, initiating change across the uni Works continually towards achieving excellent service delivery through understanding and meeting/exceeding the expectations of the area, the University, students, colleagues and other stakeholders. Develops a high-performance culture Uses clear, concise and accurate communication, tailoring the approach accordingly and encouraging a two-way communication process. Persuades, convinces and influences others in order to achieve results and gain support. Qualifications Essential A university degree and demonstrable relevant work experience in an international student recruitment and/or relations environment, or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training. Desirable A business or marketing (or other cognate) qualification of the appropriate level or focus. Newcastle University is a global University where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. As a University of Sanctuary, we aim to provide a welcoming place of safety for all, offering opportunities to people fleeing violence and persecution. We are committed to being a fully inclusive university which actively recruits, supports and retains colleagues from all sectors of society. We value diversity as well as celebrate, support and thrive on the contributions of all of our employees and the communities they represent. We are proud to be an equal opportunities employer and encourage applications from individuals who can complement our existing teams, we believe that success is built on having teams whose backgrounds and experiences reflect the diversity of our university and student population. At Newcastle University we hold a silver Athena Swan award in recognition of our good employment practices for the advancement of gender equality. We also hold a Race Equality Charter Bronze award in recognition of our work towards tackling race inequality in higher education REC. We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to disabled applicants who meet the essential criteria for the role as part of the offer and interview scheme. In addition, we are a member of the Euraxess initiative supporting researchers in Europe. Requisition ID: 28317 LI-LF1