[Hiring] Country Manager @Grok Global

Role Description

We are looking for a talented, dedicated professional to be a China-based Country Manager supporting Swinburne University of Technology (SUT). The role is contracted 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.

Main Responsibilities and Duties

• 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.
• Conduct online and in-person promotional and conversion activities such as Open Days, information seminars, and conversion workshops.
• Support student recruitment and conversion; identify and assess 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.
• Maintain current knowledge of SUT products and processes to ensure accurate advice is provided to future international students.
• Utilise the CRM to manage and engage with qualified leads across multiple channels, including direct, agencies, and partner institutions.
• 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.
• Deliver training updates for the SUT international agent and school counsellor network.
• Develop and maintain specialist knowledge of relevant Australian and international education legislation.
• Generate performance data, contribute to evaluation reports, and make recommendations to management on pre-qualified lead follow-up and recruitment activities.
• Research and interpret qualifications and experience to ensure University entry standards are maintained.
• 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.
• 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

• 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, and sponsoring organisations.
• Contributing to the development of international student recruitment plans and compliance-related audits.
• Completing genuine student background checks.

Qualifications

• 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.
• 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.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to establish positive organisational relationships across a broad range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills and attention to detail.
• Proven ability to meet deadlines, achieve target outcomes, and resolve problems without supervision.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain effective relationships with colleagues and clients from all levels and backgrounds.
• Excellent English communication skills and fluency in Mandarin.
• Valid passport and the ability to travel domestically and internationally.

Desirable Qualifications

• 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.
• 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

• Strong written and oral communication skills and ability to influence others.
• Strong analytic and strategic skills.
• Sound judgment and internal moral compass.
• Able to multi-task and manage a balanced agenda.
• Strong customer sensitivity.
• Attention to detail.
• Intelligence and creative problem-solving skills.
• Emotional maturity and confidence.
• Ambitious and driven to results.
• Initiative and resourceful.
• Self-motivated, hardworking, and persistent.
• Ability to work during unsociable hours in the evenings and at weekends, and travel extensively in China and overseas when required.