Head of Admissions

Job Description

Full‑time position reporting to the Chief Operating and Administrative Officer. The Head of Admissions is responsible for the end‑to‑end management of admissions for programs across the GCC region, ensuring that high‑quality candidates are selected and enrolled through a fair, transparent, and efficient process. The role oversees admissions operations, including pipeline management, enrollment forecasting, data analysis, and reporting, and drives continuous improvement of policies, systems, and service standards.

The Head of Admissions works closely with academic leadership, recruitment teams, and alumni to ensure admissions outcomes align with the institution’s academic standards, strategic priorities, and reputation for excellence.

• Lead and oversee the end‑to‑end admissions function, ensuring alignment with enrollment targets, revenue objectives, and academic standards.
• Own the end‑to‑end admissions funnel, from application to enrollment, ensuring strong conversion and a seamless applicant journey.
• Lead enrollment forecasting and intake planning, monitor pipeline performance through defined KPIs, and take corrective actions to mitigate risks and optimize outcomes.
• Define and uphold robust admissions policies, frameworks, and decision‑making criteria in line with institutional requirements.
• Oversee admissions committees and governance processes, ensuring consistency, fairness, and transparency in all decisions.
• Work closely with internal stakeholders (faculty, recruitment, marketing, operations, and finance) to align admissions activities with enrollment objectives and ensure a smooth transition from admission to enrollment.
• Contribute to program development and intake planning, informed by pipeline dynamics and market insights.
• Partner with the Recruitment team to design and refine financial aid strategies (scholarships, grants, early‑bird incentives, discounts, etc.) aligned with recruitment and enrollment objectives.
• Engage and mobilise alumni involved in the admissions process, fostering their commitment and active participation in candidate assessment and selection.
• Serve as the escalation point for complex or exceptional applicant cases, in close coordination with senior leadership.
• Identify operational bottlenecks and lead continuous improvement initiatives across the admissions lifecycle.

• Drive CRM effectiveness, data analytics, and process standardisation to enhance accuracy, scalability, and operational excellence.
• Ensure the integrity, consistency, and reliability of admissions data and reporting, supporting audit readiness and informed decision‑making.
• Guide the development of reporting tools, dashboards, and analysis frameworks to support admissions performance, decision‑making, and enrollment objectives.
• Serve as the central point of accountability for institutional data, liaising with internal and external stakeholders to ensure data accuracy, consistency, and timely sharing.

• Lead and manage the admissions team, set clear objectives and KPIs, monitor performance, and ensure accountability through regular follow‑ups and timely corrective actions.
• Build team capability and efficiency by identifying development needs, providing coaching, fostering knowledge‑sharing, and encouraging innovation to enhance productivity and workflows.

• Master’s degree in business administration, management, marketing, education, or a related discipline. A bachelor’s degree with significant relevant experience may also be considered.
• 10+ years of progressive experience in admissions, enrollment management, student recruitment, or a closely related function.
• Proven experience managing admissions pipelines, performance metrics, and cross‑functional stakeholders.
• Experience in GCC markets is a strong advantage.

• Excellent written and spoken English. Arabic and French are advantageous.
• Strong leadership and decision‑making capability in a high‑volume, performance‑driven environment.
• Excellent analytical skills with the ability to translate data into…