Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting a Manu Tāiko - Associate Director, Future Students to join the Future Students and Student Operations Team on a permanent, full-time basis.
Key responsibilities:
- Provide operational leadership across the Future Students teams in Wellington and Auckland.
- Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture while overseeing health and safety, risk, business continuity, budgets, strategic projects and deputising for the Manutaki - Director.
- Design and deliver an evidence-based domestic recruitment strategy and annual operational plan.
- Run the nationwide schools programme and major events.
- Ensure robust data capture/CRM follow-up and effective digital, web and collateral.
- Oversee segment-led recruitment programmes for school leavers, career changers/mature learners, and postgraduate/professional learners, including targeted initiatives for Māori and Pasifika.
- Drive course advice and conversion by training and enabling advisers, monitoring service metrics, and collaborating across Admissions, Enrolments, Marketing, Accommodation and Scholarships to lift applicant-to-enrolment outcomes.
- Build and steward relationships with faculties, central services, secondary schools, sector bodies and community partners.
- Work with Strategy and Planning to provide market intelligence and strategic advice to inform new initiatives and continuous improvement.
Ō pūmanawa - About you
You will be an experienced student-recruitment leader who blends strategic thinking with a hands-on, data-driven approach to deliver growth. You build trusted relationships across diverse communities and communicate with impact, with a strong commitment to equity and Te Tiriti o Waitangi. The ideal candidate will thrive in dynamic environments, mentoring teams to high performance while juggling competing priorities with calm, sound judgment.
Key requirements:
- Senior experience (5+ years) in tertiary student recruitment/transition with a track record delivering recruitment and conversion strategies informed by data.
- Demonstrated leadership of high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams; strong project/change management, budgeting and meaningful reporting/metrics capability.
- Advanced relationship-building, presentation and influencing skills; confident representing the University with schools, whānau, communities and sector organisations.
- Proven commitment to Te Tiriti o Waitangi and equity.
- Experience working cross-culturally (especially with Māori and Pasifika learners).
- Solid knowledge of degree structures and university policies.
