Country Manager, China supporting Swinburne University of Technology

We are looking for a talented, dedicated professional to be a China-based Country Manager supporting Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). The role is employed by Grok to represent SUT in the region/market and will receive operational direction from the Senior Country Manager (China). The successful candidate will recruit quality international students to Swinburne’s Melbourne campuses and will also support recruitment activity for the Malaysia campus.

About Grok Global Services

Founded in 2005, Grok Global Services is a best-in-class provider of international engagement services for higher education institutions. By joining our team, you will be working in a supportive environment full of like-minded professionals, each committed to advancing the internationalization of higher education institutions from around the world.

A pioneer of in-country staffing in the international education sector, Grok remains at the forefront of this model and currently delivers this service across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the Americas. The company also boasts industry-leading divisions in digital marketing and strategic consulting.

About Swinburne University of Technology

Swinburne is a world-ranked university leading the way in innovation, industry engagement and social inclusion. Our education, high-quality research and industry partnerships create positive change for students, staff and the community.

Over 110 years ago Swinburne opened its doors with a driving focus in mind: to offer education to a section of society otherwise denied further education. Today, we continue our commitment to provide and transform education through strong industry engagement, social inclusion, a desire to innovate and, above all, a determination to create positive change.

We have an international reputation for quality research that connects science and technology with business and the community. Our standing in prestigious world academic rankings reflects our commitment to high-quality teaching, research and graduate outcomes. No matter who our students are or how they want to drive their future — we will help them fulfil their goals in a connected world.

About the Role

The Country Manager will drive international student recruitment to SUT from a designated international region to attain agreed targets. The role will recruit high-quality, genuine international students across courses at SUT Melbourne campuses, promote SUT’s unique value proposition and student experience, and lead recruitment activity for the Malaysia campus. The Country Manager is responsible for ensuring recruitment is undertaken within the University’s set risk profile and for upholding the reputation of the University.

The role supports China’s education articulation arrangements, agent management, school recruitment, other educational partnerships and sponsor relationships, and direct sales channels to generate new leads and increase conversion from leads to applications and from accepted offers to enrolments.

The position also supports the Senior Country Manager, China, and Regional Manager North Asia to understand existing and emerging opportunities for student recruitment across SUT Melbourne and Malaysia offerings, including the deployment of new and emerging digital technologies.

The role involves extensive travel within the region/market, and possibly across the broader region, at approximately three (3) months in a calendar year, with local channel engagement in addition to this. From time to time, the role will be required to work on weekends and outside standard office hours.

Main responsibilities and duties

The key responsibilities of the role are:

• Under the direction of the supervisor, deliver sales and recruitment activities for a specified region and/or locations to generate international student enrolments for SUT Melbourne.
• Grow Swinburne’s student recruitment and achieve annual recruitment targets, deploying all available tools such as scholarships and GS processes.
• Develop and support Swinburne’s articulation partnerships with universities to maximise international student transfers to the Melbourne campus through pathway arrangements. This includes conducting online and in-person promotional and conversion activities such as Open Days, information seminars and conversion workshops; supporting student recruitment and conversion; and identifying and assessing new partnership opportunities based on their potential to generate international enrolments.
• Work closely with the Future Students and Marketing teams to implement innovative plans with strong digital components, including social media posting, to build and maintain the SUT brand and support lead acquisition.
• Maintain current knowledge of SUT products and processes to ensure accurate advice is provided to future international students.
• Working closely with the International Conversion team, utilise the CRM to manage and engage with qualified leads across multiple channels, including direct, agencies and partner institutions, to facilitate conversion to application and manage ongoing qualified lead communications.
• Support the delivery of quarterly activity plans for the region/market of operation and deliver monthly activity reports covering activities undertaken and relevant market updates, ensuring all travel and expenditure is consistent with SUT requirements.
• Under guidance from the supervisor, deliver training updates for the SUT international agent and school counsellor network, and ensure SUT agents are compliant with Australian and international legislation and represent SUT accurately and effectively.
• Develop and maintain specialist knowledge of relevant Australian and international education legislation, including the ESOS Act, DIBP regulations, AVCC National Code and Privacy legislation, and comply accordingly. Ensure education agents and other suppliers of students meet ESOS/National Code requirements and provide training as required.
• Develop and maintain specialist knowledge of education systems, qualifications (including pathways) and admission requirements in China, and provide timely, considered advice on new opportunities for international student recruitment and market dynamics.
• Generate performance data, contribute to evaluation reports and make recommendations to management on pre-qualified lead follow-up, recruitment activities, plans and agent performance. Provide analysis and insights into future trends and competitor activity to inform the development of country and/or regional strategies.
• Working closely with the International Admissions team, research and interpret qualifications and experience to ensure University entry standards are maintained.
• Maintain knowledge of University policies regarding entry requirements and criteria.
• As required, assess applications and issue offer letters and eCoEs in line with University policies and protocols.
• Monitor visa statuses in the International Students Management System (PRISMS) and follow up to convert students throughout the admissions cycle.
• Provide a high level of customer service to future students, education agents, partner networks and other internal and external stakeholders, ensuring enquiries are dealt with in a timely, accurate and efficient manner.
• Undertake any other duties as directed by the line manager in the region that are commensurate with and in keeping with the role.

Key performance indicators for the role

The role will have a set of SUT annually approved key performance indicators (KPIs) which the Country Manager will be expected to meet. Successful attainment of these KPIs may be linked to performance-related pay subject to the signed contract. KPIs will be provided in the contract but will likely include:

Achieving agreed:

• Student enrolment targets
• Application to offer rates (application quality metric)
• Complete application rate metrics (through robust agent training)
• Visa approval rate

Delivery of:

• Recruitment plans and reviews, including event ROI
• Market insight reports
• Agent training and reviews, recorded in SUT systems
• Regular social media posting in the region

Developing strong relationships that lead to student recruitment outcomes with:

• Education agents
• International schools
• Educational partners, particularly articulation arrangements
• Sponsoring organisations

Contributing to, and in some cases leading on the development of:

• International student recruitment plans
• Compliance-related audits
• Education agent reviews
• Market-specific promotional materials
• Completing genuine student background checks

Swinburne values

The Country Manager must commit to the Swinburne Values:

• One Swinburne - We work together, bringing our unique skills to achieve our common purpose and strategy.
• Future-focused - We commit to taking bold strides – “moon shots” – and are constantly innovating, disrupting, renewing and changing to create tomorrow’s technology and talent today.
• Engaged - We strive to be the most industry-engaged university, to amplify our impact and support all students to be future-ready.
• Empowered - We are trusted, and expected, to act and make decisions commensurate with our roles and skills, and to drive continuous improvement, to deliver our common goals.
• Accountable - We are accountable for our contributions to Swinburne’s success and sustainability, for the ways we work together, and for the outcomes that we deliver for students, partners and society.

Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Essential

• Completed a Bachelor or Master degree with 5–10 years of relevant experience; or extensive experience and specialist expertise or broad knowledge in a highly relevant field; or an equivalent combination of relevant experience and/or education/training.
• Expert knowledge of international student recruitment and/or admissions practices.
• The ability to rapidly acquire knowledge of SUT’s products, courses, policies and procedures.
• Experience working with international students and in a stakeholder relationship marketing capacity using a Customer Relationship Management system, with demonstrated ability to close sales with this target group.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to establish positive organisational relationships across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders from different cultural backgrounds; influencing skills leading to successful business outcomes; and the ability to develop high-quality documentation including reports, plans, policies and correspondence.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail, including the ability to evaluate and interpret complex data and make admissions assessments.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines, achieve target outcomes and resolve problems without supervision, using sound judgement, flexibility and initiative.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and clients from all levels and backgrounds and deliver responsive customer service.
• Excellent English communication skills and fluency in Mandarin.
• Valid passport and the ability to travel domestically and internationally.

Desirable

• Knowledge and demonstrated proficiency in the use of customer relationship management systems (CRMs).
• Knowledge of StudyLink Connect platforms.
• Knowledge and skills in using Chinese social media tools, such as WeChat and Red, as promotion and sales tools to convert student leads and promote Swinburne University of Technology.
• Background in customer acquisition, engagement and conversion strategies.
• Understanding of nurture marketing, the student decision-making process and future student lifecycles.
• Other Chinese languages and dialects or North Asian languages.

The Most Important Traits to Succeed

1. Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to influence others
2. Strong analytic and strategic skills – evaluate issues, data and make tactical recommendations.
3. Sound judgment, internal moral compass.
4. Able to multi-task and manage a balanced agenda.
5. Strong customer sensitivity.
6. Attention to detail.
7. Intelligence, creative problem-solving skills.
8. Emotional maturity and confidence.
9. Ambitious and driven to results.
10. Initiative and resourceful.
11. Self-motivated, hardworking and persistent.
12. Ability to work during evenings and weekends, and travel extensively in China and overseas when required.