Dean of Admissions & Marketing

Position Overview

The Dean of Admissions and Marketing plays a vital role on the Senior Leadership Team (SLT), responsible for managing the Academy’s complete admissions processes, enrollment management, and marketing strategies. This position entails leading strategic planning, implementing operational activities, and driving continuous enhancement in recruitment initiatives, market positioning, communication approaches, and applicant evaluations. Furthermore, the role includes overseeing the Talent Identification & Development (TID/ITID) and Rebalancing programs.

This role is crucial for boosting the Academy’s visibility, credibility, and outreach both domestically within India and internationally, ensuring that enrollment practices align with the institution’s mission and effectively represent the Academy’s educational offerings in line with the principles of the Aga Khan Academies and AKDN.

The Dean will report to the Head of Academy and work closely with various departments, including Network Communications, Financial Aid, Residential Life, Academic Leadership Teams, along with counterparts from AKS/AKES and external partners.

Core Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership in Admissions & Enrollment Management

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Lead the development, execution, and annual evaluation of a data-informed enrollment management strategy that covers recruitment, pipeline development, conversion, retention, and projected enrollment needs.

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Set medium- and long-term admissions objectives that align with the Academy’s strategic vision, values, financial framework, and diversity goals.

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Oversee the applicant assessment process, ensuring it maintains quality, integrity, fairness, and alignment with the Academy’s mission.

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Collaborate with the ITID manager to supervise and ensure the quality of TID/ITID programs, concentrating on the effective identification, assessment, and onboarding of high-potential students facing resource constraints.

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Ensure all policies and practices adhere to network-wide standards, national regulations, and AKDN guidelines.

2. Marketing, Communications & Brand Visibility

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Develop and execute a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy that elevates the Academy’s profile and visibility on regional, national, and global stages.

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Guide the Academy’s Communications Specialist in managing digital engagement, including website content, online campaigns, social media, email marketing, and digital storytelling in partnership with the Network Communications team.

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Ensure consistency and high quality in the Academy’s brand identity across all print, digital, and multimedia communications.

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Oversee the creation of brochures, prospectuses, videos, event materials, and promotional content that aligns with the Academy’s mission.

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Ensure that crisis communication protocols are current, regularly practiced, and integrated with network standards.

3. Recruitment, Outreach & Relationships

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Lead strategic outreach initiatives across India and neighboring countries, identifying new markets while strengthening existing ones.

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Build relationships with feeder schools, educational consultants, corporations, embassies, NGOs, and community organizations.

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Represent the Academy at educational fairs, corporate briefings, community events, and international school networks.

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Design and implement innovative engagement activities for prospective families, partners, and alumni.

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Oversee international outreach efforts related to diversity objectives and potential scholarship opportunities.

4. Admissions Operations & Applicant Journey

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Ensure exceptional customer service and responsiveness throughout the applicant lifecycle.

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Enhance parent-facing systems to ensure admission processes are transparent, timely, data-informed, and predictable.

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Collaborate with academic teams, residential life, college counseling, finance, and other departments to facilitate a smooth applicant evaluation and onboarding process.

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Monitor competitive trends, analyze market behavior, and provide insights into the Academy’s competitive position within India and the surrounding region.

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Ensure compliance with data protection regulations and confidentiality standards.

5. Financial Aid & Scholarship Processes

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Work closely with the Financial Aid Committee to uphold fairness, rigor, confidentiality, and alignment with the Academy's mission.

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Provide data-informed recommendations on aid distribution to support diversity, sustainability, and enrollment goals.

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Communicate transparently and sensitively with families regarding aid decisions and related processes.

6. Data, Analytics & Reporting

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Oversee comprehensive data systems for tracking inquiries, applications, conversions, withdrawals, and market trends.

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Prepare regular analyses and reports for the Head of Academy, Board/Board Committees, AKS/AKES/AKDN partners, and Network Leadership.

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Ensure effective data utilization for forecasting, decision-making, and strategic planning.

7. Leadership & Team Management

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Recruit, lead, mentor, and evaluate the Admissions and Marketing teams, ensuring clarity in roles and opportunities for professional development.

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Cultivate a culture of accountability, service excellence, ethical behavior, and continuous improvement.

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Manage departmental budgets responsibly and transparently.

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Collaborate effectively with network colleagues and consultants.

8. Institutional Contribution

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Participate actively in SLT decision-making processes and Academy-wide initiatives.

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Engage with faculty and residential teams to gain insights into the student experience and accurately reflect it in marketing efforts.

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Contribute to school events, accreditation efforts (e.g., MSA), strategic planning cycles, and community relations.

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Undertake additional responsibilities as assigned by the Head of Academy.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

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A Bachelor’s degree is required; a Master’s degree is preferred (in Education, Management, Marketing, Communications, or a related field).

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A minimum of 7 years of leadership experience in admissions, enrollment management, or educational marketing is essential.

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Demonstrated success in leading teams, managing complex operations, and achieving growth targets.

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Strong analytical skills and familiarity with CRM/enrollment platforms (e.g., OpenApply or similar).

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Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.

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Comprehensive knowledge of India and the regional educational landscape.

Desirable

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Experience in international or IB boarding schools.

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Experience managing diverse teams and enrolling a varied student body.

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Familiarity with digital marketing tools, analytics platforms, and brand strategy.

Personal Attributes

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Strong alignment with the Aga Khan Academies' mission and the values of AKDN.

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Exhibits high integrity, sound judgment, resilience, and emotional intelligence.

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A visionary yet practical leader, strategic thinker with operational discipline.

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Collaborative and inclusive, capable of building trust across diverse teams.

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Possesses empathy, cultural sensitivity, and excellent listening skills.

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A creative problem-solver, able to navigate ambiguity with composure.