Student Recruitment Marketing Manager

Role Description University College Cork, a comprehensive, globally ranked, research intensive university, is seeking to appoint a Student Recruitment Marketing Manager to lead the delivery of its ambitious student recruitment plan. Attractive to highly motivated professionals, the successful candidate will have a proven track record of delivering creative and innovative student recruitment services to a high standard.

The Student Recruitment Marketing Manager will be responsible for shaping the university’s student recruitment marketing plan and leading the delivery of campaigns, initiatives and processes that support the delivery of the university’s student recruitment goals. By devising sector-leading, student-centred approaches to awareness, nurture and conversion activities, the successful candidate will play a pivotal role in attracting students to the University in support of our commitment to excellence and diversity, positioning UCC as the university of choice, nationally and internationally, for our comprehensive range of undergraduate and postgraduate courses.

Based in the Office of the Vice President Global Engagement, the role will contribute to the successful delivery of the University’s Strategic Plan and, in particular, its Global Engagement Plan.

• Lead the creation and delivery of the annual student recruitment marketing plan to support the University’s enrolment and student recruitment goals across undergraduate and postgraduate courses for Irish and international markets.

• Provide expert guidance, coordination and oversight for student recruitment marketing plans across the University, ensuring a One University approach in terms of consistency, coherence and alignment.

• Contribute to the delivery of the University’s global objectives through collaboration across the Office of Global Engagement.

Student Recruitment Marketing (SRM) Campaigns

• Integrated with the Student Recruitment Office, develop, deliver and evaluate an annual student recruitment marketing plan, with agreed KPIs and budget, designed to support the University’s enrolment targets.

• Coordinate campaigns on traditional and digital platforms, across domestic and international markets, that deliver value for money and meet agreed KPIs.

• Develop and roll out Student Recruitment Marketing (SRM) guidelines across the University to advance the One University approach and the implementation of best practice in student recruitment marketing.

• Work across the Global Engagement team to develop and curate content for recruitment and programme materials, with an approach that is innovative, creative and student focused.

• Liaise with the web content team to establish KPIs for core landing and course pages, ensuring these are optimised for search engines, evaluating traffic, sources and engagement points, improving performance, converting applications and optimising the student journey.

• Collaborate across the University’s student recruitment, marketing and communications teams to deliver and coordinate recruitment marketing activities that maximise impact and resource efficiency.

• Chair the Student Recruitment Marketing Group to promote a University-wide approach to all marketing plans and targets.

• Develop and deliver training and capacity building across the University to enhance performance in campaign planning and the use of digital tools and techniques.

Branding and Communications

• Develop creative assets to cultivate consistency and high standards in marketing across the University.

• Work directly with Student Recruitment to create and update the full range of student recruitment marketing collateral for events and fairs across undergraduate, postgraduate, international and domestic activity, including major Open Days, Postgraduate Expo, and domestic and overseas events.

• Create original copy and editorial for key student recruitment collateral and activities, and manage the production of multimedia assets, working with UCC’s creative services and suppliers as appropriate.

• Manage and update editorial requirements for advertising in guides, websites or third-party platforms and course display online portals (e.g. Studyportals, FindAMasters).

• Act as a brand and visual identity guardian.

Social Media

• Work with the Social Media Manager to develop and implement a strategy for paid and organic social media campaigns designed to meet agreed KPIs in student recruitment.

• Research the latest trends and techniques to ensure the optimal use of UCC’s social channels for student recruitment marketing.

• Evaluate analytics and disseminate information that fosters a culture of continuous improvement for SRM campaigns.

• Lead, advise and support student recruitment and marketing staff to cultivate best practice in the delivery of SRM campaigns and communications.

Compliance and Advertising

• Lead on developing student recruitment marketing advertising requirements and plans.

• Develop and implement policies designed to promote best practice and reporting on advertising effectiveness and cost efficiency.

• Work with the Head of Marketing to ensure compliance with Irish language requirements in all SRM advertising.

Health and Safety In addition to the statutory safety duties of all employees (as prescribed in safety legislation and the relevant local safety statement), each staff member is responsible for:

• Discharging any safety functions delegated to them by their Head of College, School, Department, Centre or Unit in relation to the areas or activities under their control

• Co-operating and assisting the University and the Head of College, School, Department, Centre or Unit in the discharge of their statutory safety responsibilities

• Ensuring that all work under their control is undertaken safely and without risk to health and complies with the provisions of all relevant statutory legislation

Essential Criteria

Desirable Criteria

Salary Appointment may be made on the Admin III Salary Scale: €60,862 - €72,665 (Scale B) or €57,949 - €69,147 (Scale A).

Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with public sector pay policy.

As required by public pay policy for the higher education sector, new appointments to a direct entry recruitment grade will generally be at the minimum (first point) of the relevant scale.

For existing public servants, the restriction to the first point on the scale may be varied where a person is appointed to the same or an analogous grade, role or position as their previous public service employment.

The rate of remuneration for all appointments may be adjusted from time to time in line with government policy.

Working Hours The working hours for administrative staff are 35 hours per week, with normal hours of duty from 9.00 am to 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday, with 1 hour for lunch break.

Due to the nature and seniority of the post, however, it may be necessary to extend and vary these hours from time to time in order to meet the exigencies of the post.

Annual Leave Annual leave will be 29 days per annum. This leave is exclusive of public holidays and Good Friday. The leave year commences on 1 July annually and four days annual leave must be held for the Christmas closure period.

Sick Leave Sick leave will be granted in line with University policy in this regard, which may change from time to time. You should familiarise yourself with the University Sick Leave Policy and University Sick Leave Management Policy.

Tenure The tenure of the post is permanent, whole-time, based on the following provisions:

a) A probationary period of twelve months shall apply from commencement of employment in the post, during which the contract of employment may be terminated by either party in accordance with the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973 to 2005

b) Except in circumstances of gross misconduct justifying immediate dismissal, the appointee will receive one month’s notice of termination of employment or, if greater, such notice as is provided for in the Minimum Notice and Terms of Employment Acts 1973

c) The appointee is required to give one month’s notice of termination of employment

Pension The Public Service Pensions (Single Scheme and Other Provisions) Act 2012 established the Single Public Service Pension Scheme. In general, anyone taking up pensionable public service employment on or after 1 January 2013 is a member of the Single Scheme.

The Act provides that most members of the Single Scheme have a minimum pension age consistent with the age of eligibility for the State Pension (Contributory) and a compulsory retirement age of 70. A member of this group is generally referred to as a Single Scheme member.

However, applicants who have previously worked in a pensionable post (non-Single Scheme terms) in the Irish Civil or Public Service may be offered membership of the UCC Pension Scheme. The normal retirement date in this scheme is age 65. A compulsory retirement date of 70 may apply depending on the date of first employment in the Irish Civil or Public Service.

The relevant pension scheme will be confirmed to the successful applicant on completion of the Pensions Declaration Form prior to taking up employment.