- Are you interested in working with diverse student communities?
- Do you have excellent communication and relationship building skills?
- Can you demonstrate strong leadership and experience in tertiary student recruitment?
Kōrero mō te tūranga - About the role
Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington is currently recruiting an Associate Director, Future Students to join Te Kahupapa - Future Students Team on a 12-month fixed-term, full-time contract.
Key responsibilities:
- Provide operational leadership across the Future Students teams in Wellington and Auckland.
- Foster an inclusive, high-performing culture while overseeing H&S, risk, business continuity, budgets, strategic projects and deputising for the 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.
Close date for vacancy: 12 September 2025.
Contact details for vacancy: If you have any questions regarding this role, please get in touch with Monique Warder, Director - Future Students (0278988840, monique.warder@vuw.ac.nz).
We can only consider applicants who are citizens or residents of New Zealand or Australia or on a current working visa. Applications will be reviewed as they are received, and we may progress with suitable applicants prior to the application closing date. Applications from recruitment agencies are not accepted.