Admission Manager

Key Responsibilities

Below are the major duties and responsibilities expected of the Admission Manager:

1. Strategic Planning & Enrollment Management

• Develop an annual admissions plan aligned with the University's strategic goals, academic programme growth and demographic targets.
• Set admission targets (undergraduate, postgraduate, international, domestic, reserved categories) and monitor progress.
• Forecast demand, analyze market and demographic trends to anticipate changes (e.g. competition, regulatory, student preferences).

2. Admissions Operations & Process Management

• Oversee the full admissions cycle: from enquiry, application, document verification, eligibility assessment, admission offer, to enrollment.
• Ensure the admissions process is efficient, user‑friendly, transparent, and with high service quality (communications, turnaround times).
• Manage the selection criteria for different programs (merit, entrance tests, interviews where relevant).
• Ensure proper record keeping, data integrity, and use of systems (admission portal / CRM / ERP).

3. Outreach, Marketing & Student Recruitment

• Lead student recruitment efforts: school visits, open houses, webinars, educational fairs, online/offline counselling.
• Collaborate with marketing/communications to develop campaigns (digital, print, social media) to promote programmes.
• Build relationships with feeder schools, coaching institutes, educational agents, alumni, community organizations.
• Coordinate international recruitment (if applicable): agents, foreign school partnerships, virtual fairs, visa‐process guidance.

4. Stakeholder Management & External Relations

• Liaise with internal stakeholders: academic departments, finance, registrar, scholarships office, student affairs, etc.
• Handle interactions with parents, prospective students, school counsellors.
• Maintain external relationships: education boards, government/regulatory bodies, accrediting agencies.

5. Team Leadership & Staff Development

• Lead, supervise, motivate, and manage the admissions team (counsellors, officers, administrative staff).
• Assign roles & responsibilities; track performance, provide feedback; identify training and development needs.
• Promote a culture of customer‑service, continuous improvement, and accountability.

6. Data & Analytics / Reporting

• Implement and maintain systems (CRM or admission management software) to track applicant pipelines, conversion rates, dropouts, and admission funnel metrics.
• Analyse data and metrics to identify bottlenecks, areas for improvement, successes, and ROI of recruitment efforts.
• Prepare regular reports/dashboards for senior management (on application numbers, yield, diversity, financials, etc.).

7. Policy, Compliance & Quality Assurance

• Ensure admissions policies comply with University regulations, national regulatory bodies, reservation / affirmative action norms, accreditation requirements.
• Maintain integrity, fairness and confidentiality in all admission decisions and handling of applicant data.
• Review and update admissions policy as required.

8. Customer Experience & Student Support

• Ensure prospective students and parents have a positive experience: clear communication, timely responses, transparency.
• Manage grievance/complaint systems for admission‐related issues.
• Ensure guidance on scholarships, fee structure, financial aid, visa/immigration (if relevant).

9. Budgeting & Resources Management

• Prepare and manage budgets for admissions & recruitment activities.
• Optimize resource utilisation: staff, marketing spend, outreach travel, promotional materials.

Qualifications & Experience

Here are the typical qualifications and experience desirable:

• Master's degree in Education, Business Administration, Marketing, Management, or related field. (Additional qualifications/certifications relevant to higher education administration are a plus.)
• Significant experience in admissions / enrollment management in higher education (ideally 7‑15 years, with at least some in a leadership role).
• Experience with international admissions or recruiting students from diverse backgrounds is advantageous (if the role includes that).
• Demonstrated experience with CRM / admissions management systems, data analytics / reporting.
• Strong understanding of the Indian higher education regulatory environment, reservation policies, accreditation, and possibly international education systems.

Skills & Competencies

Desired skills include:

• Excellent strategic planning, organizational and project management abilities.
• Strong leadership, ability to motivate teams.
• Excellent communication skills: verbal, written, presentation; comfortable interacting with diverse stakeholders (students, parents, school counsellors, academic staff).
• Customer‑centric mindset; service orientation.
• Analytical, data‑driven, ability to interpret metrics and take action.
• Marketing mindset: comfortable with digital marketing, branding, outreach campaigns.
• Ability to multitask, manage timelines and deadlines, work under pressure.
• Integrity, fairness, professionalism.

Working Conditions

• Office‑based role with standard working hours; but may involve travel (for school visits, fairs, outreach) and some evening/weekend work (events, webinars).
• Fast‑paced environment, often with peak periods (application deadlines, entrance exams etc.).