Category (cf Policy 5.101): Administrative Management and Technical Support
Reports to: School Director
Department: Admissions, Marketing and Communications
Start date: 1 August 2021
IST Foundational Documents
IST Mission
Challenging, inspiring and supporting all our students to fulfil their potential and improve the world
IST Vision
IST will be a global leader in the education of internationally-mobile young people.
All students, regardless of their starting point, will think critically, achieve academically and develop the wisdom to make good choices. They will show curiosity and creativity in addressing authentic problems, local and global.
They will pursue their varied passions with enthusiasm, developing resilience, perseverance, and confidence. Understanding the diversity of people and cultures, they will act kindly, fairly, and responsibly.
All members of the IST community will work together to fulfil this vision.
Statement of Values
All members of the IST community are:
- Responsible – We act responsibly, positively and constructively towards ourselves and other people. We learn from our mistakes and accept the consequences of our actions.
- Inquiring – We show curiosity, perseverance and open-mindedness in seeking to understand and solve problems. We persevere in the face of difficulties and we embrace the learning that comes through failure as well as the joy of success.
- Compassionate – We empathise with others and act with care, kindness and courage. In our interactions, we behave with patience, generosity and integrity.
- Balanced – We believe in a broad education for our students, seeing the value of participation in a varied curriculum.
- Diverse – We treasure the diversity within the IST community, using the rich opportunities for deeper understanding that come from our differences.
IST Strategic Plan
Our Strategic Plan is in place to help our community align efforts to better reach our school’s mission, vision and values. This plan is focused on three aims.
- Personalized Learning:
- Ensure alignment between the written, taught and assessed curriculum
- Implement a strong, multi-tiered system of support to students, consistent with IST’s common understanding of inclusion
- Improve our ability to offer a balanced program with opportunities for excellence in academics, the arts and athletics
- Provide exemplary transition programs between campuses and other institutions of learning
- Ensure reporting models support effective partnerships with parents and their child’s learning
- Develop a strong internal professional learning community to embed successful professional learning experiences
- Ensure IST students’ appropriate use of technology supports their learning
- Engaged Community:
- Improve IST’s local, global and international reputation
- Provide opportunities for IST students and faculty to connect with local and global experts
- Develop partnerships within the local community to improve student experiences
- Improve processes and systems to improve communication within the IST community
- Build reciprocal structures to connect alumni with current student
- Establish sustainable and supportive relationships with government ministries
- Promote positive school spirit within and across campuses
- Ensured Sustainability:
- Review the master site plan to ensure school facilities support learning experiences
- Maintain fiscal discipline and transparency within IST community
- Develop the school’s capacity to recruit/retain excellent employees
- Lessen IST’s environmental footprint
- Align governing models with best practice
Summary of the Role
The Enrollment Manager role at IST represents an exciting opportunity to be at the heart of the school’s strategic focus across both the Elementary School (3-11) and Senior School (11-18). The post holder will provide strategic planning and leadership in each of the areas named in the job title and will manage the admissions and communications/marketing team.
S/he will be responsible for the development and successful implementation of a strategic development plan and for ensuring that the following strands are brought together under one umbrella:
Admissions – to oversee students recruitment and develop and implement recruitment strategies to ensure that the school’s recruitment targets are met; to be responsible for all aspects of the school’s admissions process with a view to maximising the number of enquiries, visits, registrations and joiners, whilst ensuring that retention levels remain strong
Marketing – to take responsibility for the development and implementation of the marketing strategy for the whole school and to act as ‘brand guardian’. To promote and develop the School’s image and reputation amongst its key constituencies including parents, feeder schools, business and the wider community
Communications – to oversee and maintain continuous dialogue and feedback with key internal and external stakeholders, ensuring that the school communicates in a consistent, professional and prompt fashion. Oversight of key literature, the IST’s website, Parent Portal and its social media.
Events – management of / guidance on all pupil recruitment and public relations events from open days to speech days, including social events and special occasions.
Alumni – to oversee the maintenance and development of the IST’s alumni engagement program Preferred Qualifications and Experience
- A Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Communications or related field
- At least five years experience in marketing and communication is required; Experience of independent schools’ marketing and admissions (or similar environment) experience is desirable.
- Experience of having worked within a service delivery sector
- Familiar with international education and have some understanding of the expatriate community in Dar es Salaam;
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Fluency in English and Kiswahili;
- Experience with building, nurturing and empowering effective teams
Professional Competencies:
- Demonstrated leadership skills and an ability to engage with and inspire trust in faculty members, students, and members of the IST community
- Ability to develop a shared vision and accountability in a community of diverse cultures
- Maintain high ethical standards and ensure appropriate levels of confidentiality
- Ability to work effectively with wide range of stakeholders in a diverse community
Personal Attributes:
- Self-motivated, flexible and adaptable
- Proficient communicator both oral and written
- In depth knowledge and understanding of effective customer care and management
- Excellent organisational skills
- Good team player within a multifunctional team
- Affinity with and interest in education
Responsibilities
The primary functions and responsibilities of the Enrollment Manager are:
Admissions Management
- Manage the International Admissions Officers, who are responsible for recruiting new families and the administration of the admissions process
- Work closely with the ICT department to ensure the database meets the needs of the admissions department and to provide database training and development where appropriate
- Oversee the process for all admissions enquiries and requests for prospectuses – ensuring the processes as a whole are timely, effective, efficient and mirror best practice
- Develop best practice admissions management processes and accompanying follow up and relationship management practices for the school to ensure that all families are nurtured from enquiry through to registration and assessment
- Ensure that the assessment process is a well-managed, personal and positive experience for pupils and parents alike, taking every opportunity to positively influence decision making throughout the assessment and offer process
Event Management
- Project manage arrangements for Open Days, Open/Snapshot Mornings and other visits by prospective parents, pupils and external community members.
- Manage student recruitment efforts, representing IST’s alongside other academic colleagues where appropriate;
- Continuously review school events, offering suggestions for new ones and improvements to existing ones
Data management
- Implement and manage a system of regular forecasting of admissions figures
- Maintain the database, ensuring that all information on the enquiry form and in subsequent interactions by phone, email or in person is captured and recorded to facilitate proactive admissions management
- Track, manage, analyse and report on all elements of the admissions process including enquiries, visits, registrations, assessments, new joiners and premature leavers
- Conduct regular analysis of source of business, including a geographical analysis, to aid marketing planning
Relationship Management
- With the Admissions Officers, to be the face and voice of IST’s, providing a welcoming, warm, professional and efficient point of contact between prospective families / agents and the school
- Ensure that all front of house staff and those involved with admissions, communications and marketing offer a consistently warm welcome and outstanding customer care, offering advice and training where necessary
- Oversee communications with prospective parents by telephone, email and letter and at school events
Marketing and Communications Management
- Ensure that the school maintains a continuous stream of newsworthy items showcasing the breadth and quality of School activities across both digital and traditional media
- Manage and measure the school’s current ‘advertising year’ and make recommendations for when, where and how to advertise
- Provide content, style management and design oversight of the school website ensuring that it is pertinent to target audiences
- Ensure the website is kept up to date and is living, breathing, dynamic reflection of IST’s, regularly updated with a steady stream of news and content
- Develop and implement a Search Engine Optimisation programme, ensuring that IST’s has a highly visible online presence
- Oversee the school’s social media activity, advising on the appropriate channels, messages and activity; manage the school’s presence on networking / social media sites
- Manage the reporting of the key digital metrics, including Google Analytics and social media statistics, to inform future marketing activity
- Manage the existing suite of publications and make recommendations for any additional/alternative publications
- Oversee the production of additional communication material, branded items and signage as required
- Manage the School’s relationship with its external suppliers e.g. printers;
- Develop an annual event programme aimed at prospective parents, current parents, alumni and the wider community e.g. open days, alumni events, fairs;
- Work with colleagues at IST to ensure that internal publications (school profile, handbooks, school documents) are published on schedule and regularly updated
Compliance
- To ensure that the school’s admissions and data management is compliant with Tanzanian requirements
- Perform any other duties as designated by the School Director
Particulars of the Search
Prospective applicants should be based in Tanzania and need to formally apply. Applicants should submit a letter (in English) describing her/his fit and interest in the position along with an up-to-date curriculum vitae/resume which includes the names, addresses and contact details of three (3) referees.
Applications and enquiries should be directed to staffrecruitment@istafrica.com before close of business on Tuesday, 25 May 2021.