Director of Marketing, Admissions & Student Recruitment

Director of Marketing, Admissions & Student Recruitment

Location: Bahrain
Job Type: Full-Time, Executive Leadership
Industry: Higher Education / University Establishment
Start Date: Immediate

About the Role

We are establishing a new international university in Bahrain in collaboration with a leading UK institution. We are seeking an experienced Director of Marketing, Admissions & Student Recruitment to lead all branding, outreach, enrollment, and recruitment activities as we prepare for launch.

This role is responsible for building the university’s brand presence, designing the full marketing and admissions strategy, managing the student recruitment funnel, and ensuring enrollment targets are achieved. The ideal candidate is a strategic leader with hands-on experience in higher education marketing and student recruitment across local and international markets.

Key ResponsibilitiesMarketing Leadership & Brand Development

• Create and execute the full marketing strategy for the university’s launch and ongoing growth.
• Develop brand identity, messaging, and creative direction aligned with international standards.
• Manage digital marketing, social media, paid advertising, content production, PR, and campaigns targeting both local and regional audiences.
• Conduct market research, competitor analysis, and positioning to differentiate the university in Bahrain and the GCC.

Admissions & Recruitment Management

• Build and lead the admissions team, establishing processes for inquiry handling, application review, and enrolment.
• Develop recruitment pipelines through high schools, education fairs, counselors, and partnerships across Bahrain and the region.
• Implement and manage a CRM system to track leads, conversion rates, and student lifecycle stages.
• Ensure a positive applicant experience from first contact to enrollment.

Enrollment Strategy & Target Achievement

• Set annual recruitment goals and develop tactics to achieve enrollment targets for Year 1 and beyond.
• Monitor performance metrics and regularly report on admissions progress to the Executive Team.
• Optimize conversion at each stage of the recruitment funnel through data-driven decision-making.

Outreach, Events & Partnerships

• Plan and execute open days, school visits, parent sessions, corporate partnerships, and outreach campaigns.
• Build relationships with educational consultants, counselors, and community organizations.
• Represent the university at conferences, expos, and industry events.

Cross-Department Collaboration

• Work closely with Academic Affairs to ensure clarity of program offerings, entry requirements, and academic communication.
• Collaborate with the COO on admissions operations, systems, and student onboarding workflows.
• Support Finance in aligning scholarship strategies, pricing, and student payment structures.

Qualifications & ExperienceEssential

• Proven leadership experience in student recruitment, admissions, or marketing within higher education.
• Demonstrated success developing and delivering enrollment strategies.
• Strong digital marketing experience including campaign management, social media, and analytics.
• Experience managing admissions operations and CRM systems.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Ability to build teams, systems, and processes from the ground up.

Preferred

• Experience in the GCC education sector, especially Bahrain or KSA.
• Background in marketing for international universities or transnational education partnerships.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Business, or a related field; Master’s preferred.

Key Competencies

• Strategic leadership and planning
• Brand development and digital marketing expertise
• Data-driven decision making
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Ability to manage multiple campaigns and deadlines simultaneously
• High attention to detail and commitment to service excellence

What We Offer

• Opportunity to lead the full marketing and admissions strategy for a new international university.
• Executive-level role shaping the institution’s growth and reputation from day one.
• Competitive compensation package.
• Collaborative, innovative working environment.

How to Apply

Please submit your CV and a short cover letter outlining your relevant experience and your approach to student recruitment and enrollment growth.

Job Type: Full-time