INTERNATIONAL ADMISSIONS MANAGER

Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation

JOB DESCRIPTION AND PERSON SPECIFICATION

School	Durham School	Reporting to	Director of Admissions andMarketing
Department	Marketing and Admissions	Location	Durham School
Role focus	International pupil recruitment	Working pattern	Flexibility and overseas travelas required
	and admissions

Job purpose

To enhance Durham School’s reputation as a boarding school of choice for international pupils, their parents and education agents. The International Admissions Manager is responsible for the recruitment and administration of overseas pupils, ensuring a professional, compliant and welcoming journey from first enquiry through to enrolment and beyond.

Key relationships

The postholder will work closely with the Director of Admissions and Marketing, the International Admissions Officer, the wider Marketing and Admissions team, senior leaders, boarding and pastoral colleagues, Finance, academic departments, education agents, international families and external partners.

International marketing and recruitment

• Be an ambassador for Durham Cathedral Schools’ Foundation representing the School with professionalism, enthusiasm and loyalty at all times.

• Understand and appreciate the ethos, aims and objectives of Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation and be able to relate these to the wider community.

• Lead international marketing and enquiry generation activity to sustain and increase international pupil recruitment.

• Work with the Director of Admissions and Marketing to develop and deliver a targeted International Marketing Plan aligned with the School’s wider marketing strategy and operational plan.

• Identify, appoint and build productive relationships with suitable education agents to recruit pupils from a diverse range of countries and year groups.

• Build relationships with agents and families through exhibitions, recruitment fairs, visits, meetings, taster days and tours.

• Act as a prominent public representative of Durham School in international markets, promoting the School’s values, attributes and aims.

• Understand the cultural expectations of different geographical markets and brief senior leaders ahead of international visits.

• Work with British Boarding Schools Connected, BBSW and other relevant organisations to strengthen the School’s profile with overseas agents.

• Identify opportunities arising from immersion programmes and short-stay activity, including opportunities to promote future boarding enrolment and repeat business.

• Gather stories and evidence of international pupils’ achievements and success for agent relations and marketing activity.

Agent management and market intelligence

• Draft agency agreements for approval by the Director of Admissions and Marketing and coordinate their issue, renewal and maintenance with the International Admissions Officer.

• Agree appropriate tactical marketing initiatives with agents and relevant colleagues.

• Maintain accurate and current agent records, including contracts, referrals, activity and performance.

• Provide regular management information on international pupil recruitment and report on the quality and quantity of agent referrals.

• Provide informed market intelligence on established and emerging markets to support strategic planning and recruitment decisions.

International admissions and family experience

• Act as the first point of contact for education agents and international families, providing a responsive, knowledgeable and welcoming service.

• Deliver high-quality administration throughout the international admissions process so that pupil and parent expectations are met before and after arrival.

• Coordinate enquiries, applications, interviews, assessments, tours, taster days and offer processes with relevant colleagues.

• Work collaboratively with the domestic admissions team to ensure a consistently high-quality experience for all prospective families.

• Coordinate and support immersion programmes and other international recruitment activity.

• Attend School open events, international boarding dinners and events, and new-starter welcome events, including the BBQ or Cream Tea, as required.

UKVI sponsorship and regulatory compliance

• Maintain an up-to-date working knowledge of UKVI regulations and ensure that Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation remains compliant with its sponsor duties.

• Keep all UKVI records, documents and processes accurate, current and audit-ready.

• Issue the pre-CAS questionnaire and review supporting documentation, including guardian forms, passports, visas, birth certificates and financial evidence, for authenticity, completeness and errors.

• Prepare and process Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) records for incoming sponsored pupils, obtaining approval from the Director of Admissions and Marketing before issue.

• Collect and record all required new-starter documentation in line with UKVI regulations.

• Complete enrolment checks and the DCSF Enrolment Checklist for each sponsored pupil.

• Run and review reports for visa expiry dates, passport expiry dates and course end dates, taking timely action where required, including for pupils leaving the School roll.

• Report relevant changes in sponsored pupils’ circumstances through the Sponsor Management System, including changes to guardians, addresses or course completion, and liaise with Finance and other colleagues as appropriate.

• Pass details of any private fostering arrangement to the Deputy Head Pastoral promptly.

• Escalate concerns, suspected breaches or compliance risks immediately to the Director of Admissions and Marketing and other relevant senior colleagues.

Administrative & Other Responsibilities

Provide administrative support to both senior and prep schools, supporting other members of the wider administration team during busy periods.

Organise venues and hospitality for meetings, events, and functions, including staff training days, scheduling these in the calendar and preparing papers and liaise as appropriate with staff and parents.

Support the administration of key School public events, such as Speech Day.

Work closely with other staff in a collaborative and collegial manner in the best interests of Durham Cathedral Schools Foundation.

• To cover for Reception on any School site as a shared responsibility as part of the wider administrative team [until 5.30pm necessary if not too much short notice].

• Answer and direct all incoming phone calls transferred from Reception.

• To undertake other reasonable duties as might be required.

Safeguarding, equality and general responsibilities

• Understand and implement the School’s safeguarding, equality, diversity, health and safety, data protection and confidentiality policies and procedures.

• Promote and safeguard the welfare of pupils at all times and report concerns in accordance with School procedures.

• Maintain confidentiality and handle personal information with care, accuracy and professional judgement.

• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the role, as reasonably directed by the Director of Admissions and Marketing.

Professional Development

• Maintain and update own knowledge and skills in line with legislation and the needs of the role and the independent schools' sector.

Equal Opportunities

Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of Equality and Diversity legislation and the School’s Equality and Diversity policies and procedures, in particular regarding the recruitment and retention of staff.

Safeguarding

• Maintain an up-to-date knowledge of Safeguarding legislation, and the Schools’ safeguarding policies and procedures.

Health and Safety

Ensure that an up-to-date knowledge of Health and Safety legislation as applicable to the role is maintained and that the School’s Health and Safety policies and procedures are fully implemented and adhered to.

• Keep up-to-date with legislation, guidance, rule changes and leading-edge practices and, in conjunction with the Health and Safety Officer, annually review policies and risk assessments.

Maintaining good order and discipline among the pupils and safeguarding their health and safety both when they are on the School premises and when they are engaged in authorised school activities elsewhere.

Revisions to the Job Description

According to the development and requirements of the Schools, Job Descriptions will need to be revised and updated periodically, after consultation with the post holder

General

This job description is current at the date of issue but may be changed to reflect or anticipate changes in the job commensurate with the salary and role. Annual objectives will be agreed between the postholder and their line manager. The job description and person specification does not form part of a contract of employment and each individual task may not have been precisely identified within the duties and responsibilities above. It would be expected that the post holder would carry out any reasonable request made to undertake work of a similar level that is not specified in this job description.

Person specification

The successful candidate will demonstrate the following qualifications, experience, skills and personal qualities.

Area	Essential	Desirable
Education and qualifications	• Educated to A level or equivalent standard • Eligible to live and work in the UK • Excellent spoken and written English	• Relevant further or higher education qualification
	• Ability to undertake international travel and hold the necessary travel documentation	• One or more foreign languages
Experience	• Experience in education marketing and/or admissions • Experience of building effective professional networks and relationships	·A successful track record in international pupil recruitment • Demonstrable experience of working
	• Understanding of the role and value of boarding schools in international pupil recruitment	across different cultures and international markets
		• Experience of education agent
		management
		• Experience of UKVI sponsor compliance
Skills and knowledge
	• Excellent written and verbal communication skills	• Working knowledge of isAMS
	• Strong relationship-management, influencing and	• Knowledge of the Sponsor
	customer-service skills	Management System and CAS
	• Comprehensive working knowledge of Microsoft office	processes • Knowledge of international education
	• Confident use of databases, reporting tools and	markets and agent networks
	digital systems ● Meticulous record-keeping and a process-driven
	approach
	• Ability to analyse recruitment information and
	produce clear management reports
Personal attributes	• Proactive, organised and efficient
	• Flexible approach to duties, working hours and travel
	• Able to work independently and as part of a team
	• Able to meet deadlines, manage competing priorities
	and maintain attention to detail
	• Discreet and able to maintain confidentiality and
	privacy • Culturally aware, diplomatic and confident when

Safeguarding statement

Durham School is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. The successful applicant will be required to undertake the School’s safer recruitment process, including appropriate pre-employment checks and enhanced disclosure through the Disclosure and Barring Service.

Equal opportunities

Durham School is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion and welcomes applications from suitably qualified candidates from all backgrounds.

Note

This job description is intended to describe the principal duties and responsibilities of the role. It is not exhaustive and may be reviewed and amended from time to time following consultation with the postholder and in response to the needs of the School. We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive a sufficient number of suitable applications or appoint a suitable candidate. Early applications are therefore encouraged.