Position Summary The Head of Admissions leads the planning, development, and execution of Private University's student recruitment and admissions strategy. This role is responsible for building the admissions operation from the ground up, establishing enrollment targets, managing the admissions team, and ensuring alignment with MOHE regulations and ASU partnership requirements. In Year 1, the Head of Admissions will be critically focused on achieving the inaugural student enrollment target, implementing audit-ready admissions decision workflows, and establishing the university’s presence in the Saudi higher education market.
Key Responsibilities• Develop and implement a comprehensive admissions strategy aligned with the university's enrollment targets and strategic plan.• Lead and supervise the Admissions team (2 Admissions Officers), establishing workflows, performance metrics, and quality standards.• Design and implement the admissions process from application through enrollment, including criteria, evaluation rubrics, decision authority, exception handling, and documentation standards.• Implement applicant pipeline management in CRM/admissions system with communications cadence and yield conversion tracking.• Collaborate with the Marketing department to plan and execute student recruitment campaigns, open houses, school visits, and digital outreach.• Establish and manage relationships with secondary schools, guidance counselors, and educational agents in Saudi Arabia and the region.• Ensure all admissions processes comply with Saudi MOHE regulations, including Qiyas/Tahsili score requirements and credential evaluation.• Coordinate with ASU on dual-degree program admissions criteria, application requirements, and enrollment verification.• Define authenticity/verification steps for applicant documents and establish file-audit routines. Prepare admissions reports and enrollment updates for the Provost, President, and Board of Directors
Year-One Launch Prioritiesâ—† Implement a first-cycle admissions playbook: communications templates, SLA standards, decision workflows, and file completeness rules.â—† Define authenticity and verification steps for applicant documents; establish file-audit routines.â—† Stand up applicant service channels (email/phone/ticketing) with response-time metrics and escalation protocol.â—† Achieve inaugural enrollment target with documented yield and conversion performance.â—† Coordinate with Registrar on a seamless admit-to-enroll handoff process.
Required Qualifications• Bachelor's degree in Education, Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field; Master's degree strongly preferred.• Minimum 5 years of experience in university admissions, enrollment management, or student recruitment, with at least 2 years in a leadership role.• Deep knowledge of the Saudi higher education landscape, including MOHE admissions regulations, Qiyas, and Tahsili requirements.• Full professional proficiency in Arabic and English.• Proven track record of meeting enrollment targets in a competitive market.
Preferred Qualifications• Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Marketing, or a related field.• Experience launching admissions operations for a new institution or program.• Familiarity with CRM systems for admissions (e.g., Slate, Salesforce for Higher Ed).• Experience with international admissions and dual-degree program enrollment.• Network of relationships with secondary schools and educational stakeholders in Saudi Arabia.
Key Competencies & Skills• Strategic thinking with the ability to translate enrollment goals into actionable plans.• Strong leadership and team development skills.• Excellent public speaking and relationship-building abilities.• Data-driven decision-making and analytical skills.• Entrepreneurial mindset suited to launching operations in a startup environment.• Cultural sensitivity and marketing savvy in the Saudi education context.
Special Considerations & Compliance▸ Bilingual Arabic/English proficiency is mandatory.▸ Must ensure full compliance with MOHE admissions regulations and university licensing conditions.▸ PDPL compliance: Applicant records include personal data (IDs, contact information, photos/videos, education records) under SDAIA PDPL guidance; the admissions function must implement controlled access, data minimization, and secure retention.▸ NCA ECC: The admissions CRM/system and devices must align to baseline cybersecurity controls.▸ Close and ongoing coordination with ASU is required for dual-degree program admissions alignment.▸ The inaugural enrollment cycle is critical to the university’s success; the Head of Admissions must be a driven and results-oriented professional.▸ May need to travel within Saudi Arabia for school visits and recruitment events.▸ Coordination with Cintana Education on enrollment planning and market positioning is expected.