Senior UK Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer

Location: University of Portsmouth London / Hybrid

Start Date: ASAP

Reporting To: Head of Marketing & Student Recruitment

Proposed Interviews: Week commencing 23 June 2025

Northchild Education (UK) Ltd is the employer for this position.

Be the Driving Force Behind UK Student Recruitment at a London-Based Campus!

Are you a passionate and strategic recruitment professional ready to take your career to the next level? Do you thrive in dynamic environments, building impactful networks and delivering results? This is your chance to shape the future of UK student recruitment at University of Portsmouth London.

As the Senior UK Student Recruitment and Outreach Officer, you’ll lead on developing and delivering recruitment strategies that make a difference — not just to numbers, but to lives. Working closely with schools, colleges, and community groups, you’ll be the face of our London campus, driving forward outreach, engagement, and conversion activities that support ambitious growth targets.

This is a high-impact role for someone who blends strategy, relationship-building, and delivery excellence. You’ll play a pivotal role in shaping how we engage with students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, ensuring we attract, inspire, and support the next generation of learners.

What You’ll Be Doing:

As a key member of the student recruitment team, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping and delivering our recruitment strategy for the University of Portsmouth’s London campus. Here's how you’ll make an impact: 

Drive Strategic Planning

You’ll contribute to the development and execution of an integrated student recruitment plan that’s guided by data, with clear targets and KPIs. Your efforts will directly influence engagement, applications, and enrolments at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Build Meaningful Relationships

Using your networking skills, you'll identify and develop productive relationships with schools, colleges, education providers, and organisations across London that align with our recruitment goals. 

Lead Conversion Activities

You'll support the delivery of a multi-channel conversion plan, guiding prospective students seamlessly through every stage of their journey—from awareness and consideration through to application, engagement, and enrolment. 

Collaborate with Academics

Working closely with our academic colleagues, you’ll help design and deliver tailored recruitment activities that promote our academic offering and drive student interest.

Champion Widening Participation

You'll actively support the University’s Access and Participation Plan by helping us attract and engage London-based students from underrepresented backgrounds, ensuring they have pathways to success at both our London and Portsmouth campuses. 

Manage Data with Precision

You’ll maintain accurate, GDPR-compliant records in our systems and databases, ensuring every interaction and insight is captured to improve student experience and operational efficiency.

Deliver Outstanding Events

From Open Days to school fairs, you’ll lead on the planning, execution, and evaluation of high-impact recruitment events—making sure every event runs smoothly, professionally, and leaves a lasting impression.

Handle Enquiries with Care

You’ll be the first point of contact for prospective students—responding to web, email, chat, phone, and walk-in enquiries with warmth and professionalism. Every interaction will be logged accurately in our CRM system to ensure a high-quality customer journey.

Analyse Data to Drive Success

You’ll monitor key performance indicators and student recruitment targets, spotting risks early and adjusting plans to stay on track. Your analysis will also evaluate ROI and market trends, helping to refine our approach and maintain a competitive edge.

About you:

You're a confident communicator and a strategic thinker, driven by a genuine passion for student access and widening participation. With a natural ability to build relationships and influence others, you're just as comfortable presenting to a room full of prospective students as you are working behind the scenes with data and strategy.

Highly organised and detail-focused, you manage multiple projects with ease and bring structure to complexity. You take a proactive, data-led approach to your work—using insights to shape decisions, evaluate performance, and continuously improve outcomes.

You’re motivated by impact. Whether you're developing partnerships with schools, designing outreach activities, or analysing recruitment trends, you're focused on creating opportunities and breaking down barriers for all students—especially those from underrepresented backgrounds.

With your blend of creativity, professionalism, and purpose, you’ll be a driving force in helping us meet our recruitment goals while making a real difference to students’ lives.

Essential Requirements:

Specific Knowledge & Experience

• Experience delivering student recruitment and outreach activities
• Proven track-record in student recruitment strategy development and implementation for growth/diversification
• Experience in complex, successful domestic student recruitment or sales environments
• Event management experience (e.g. Open Days, careers fairs)
• Skilled in data-driven planning and ROI analysis
• Proven relationship-building with internal and external stakeholders
• Experience forming partnerships with schools and colleges for recruitment

Skills & Abilities

• Self-motivated and able to work independently
• Flexible and able to manage multiple projects concurrently
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation communication skills
• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and influencing skills
• Effective organiser with project management expertise
• Results-driven and performs well under pressure
• Strong analytical thinker with data interpretation skills
• Creative and proactive problem-solver
• Excellent time management
• Proficient in Microsoft Office and CRM systems

Qualifications, Education & Training

• A good degree or equivalent work experience

Other Requirements

• Professionalism with the ability to earn respect from stakeholders
• Willingness to travel within London and across the UK (including overnight stays)
• Flexibility to work evenings and weekends as required

Desirable Requirements:

Specific Knowledge & Experience

• Student recruitment experience in Higher Education or education settings, particularly in London
• Knowledge and connections within London’s schools and colleges, and awareness of local enablers/inhibitors
• Understanding of UK Higher Education policy and market trends
• Experience working with UoPL’s target groups (e.g. 16–19-year-olds, mature/non-traditional London students)

Qualifications, Education & Training

• Professional marketing or leadership qualification

Application Process:

To apply, please submit your CV and a supporting statement outlining how you meet the essential and desirable criteria. Shortlisted candidates will be invited to interview in the week commencing 23 June 2025.

At University of Portsmouth London, we are committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse environment where everyone is treated with dignity and respect. We provide equal opportunities for all, regardless of age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation. We actively encourage applications from all sections of the community and are dedicated to eliminating discrimination through fair and supportive policies and practices. Our goal is to create a vibrant academic community that reflects the diversity of society and enables all staff and students to achieve their full potential.

If you're looking for a role where you can make a real difference in student lives, influence the future of higher education, and join a passionate and collaborative team we’d love to hear from you.

Apply now and help shape the future of student recruitment at University of Portsmouth London.

If you have any questions please reach out to our recruitment team at talent@northchild.com