Lead - Admissions and Outreach

Role & responsibilities

We are looking for an experienced professional to lead the vision, strategy, and management of admissions function, working to build a purpose-driven admissions ecosystem that attracts high-quality applicants, strengthens brand positioning, and ensures a seamless experience from first contact to onboarding. This is a mission-critical leadership role that requires a strategic thinker and hands-on executor someone who can operate at both the vision and detail level.

The ideal candidate will bring an entrepreneurial mindset and a strong ability to build and scale functions in a dynamic environment. Were looking for a leader who can inspire and engage diverse stakeholders, from prospective applicants and internal teams to senior leaders and external partners. The role also demands a sales-oriented, target-driven approach, comfort with ambiguity, and the ability to balance creativity with systems thinkingall while thriving under pressure and building a high-performing team.

• Define and implement the strategic direction for admissions aligned with mission and growth goals.
• Study the admissions processes of other relevant institutions and fellowships, and recommend a contextually appropriate model for the organization.
• Build a robust, end-to-end admissions roadmapfrom first contact to onboarding—with seamless applicant experience across all touchpoints.
• Use data and insights to segment target audiences, refine messaging, and optimize conversions across platforms.
• Lead the design and continual refinement of admissions policies, templates, and evaluation rubrics.
• Oversee content strategy across the website, social media, email campaigns, and webinars to support the admissions funnel.
• Design and monitor digital ad campaigns to drive high-quality leads for PGP program.
• Represent at national forums, student fairs, and outreach events to enhance visibility and positioning.
• Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing admissions and counselling team.
• Establish robust MIS and dashboards to track lead flow, conversion ratios, applicant profiles, and team performance.
• Collaborate closely with Academic, Placements, and other teams to ensure smooth onboarding of each cohort.
• Co-create digital campaigns and storytelling strategies with the Marketing team to attract diverse and mission-aligned applicants.
• Design structured counselling journeys that increase applicant satisfaction and conversion.
• Manage budgeting, financials, and vendor relationships to ensure cost-effective and efficient admissions operations.
• Present regular insights, reports, and strategic recommendations to senior leadership.
• Adopt an entrepreneurial, outcome-focused mindset with accountability for achieving admissions targets.
• Effectively engage stakeholders across age and experience—from senior decision-makers to youth aspirants—with clarity and empathy.
• Combine systems thinking with creativity to develop scalable and human-centered processes.
• Work effectively under pressure and manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, high-stakes environment.

Preferred candidate profile

• Master's degree in Education, Communication, Marketing, or a related field is preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of relevant experience in admissions, outreach, or sales, with at least 8 years in a managerial capacity.
• Proven track record in scaling high-touch admissions or outreach systems using digital tools and performance-driven strategies.
• Demonstrated experience in sales or customer acquisition with a target-oriented approach to conversions.
• Deep knowledge of digital marketing tools, audience segmentation, SEO, content strategy, CRM systems, lead nurturing platforms, and analytics.
• Strong ability to link big-picture strategy with ground-level execution and planning.
• Excellent team leadership, stakeholder management, and communication skills.
• Self-driven, resilient, and comfortable navigating ambiguity and pressure.
• Creative problem-solver with a disciplined, systematic approach to operations.