Admissions Director

ABOUT ALU

At the African Leadership University (ALU), we're more than just an institution—we're a catalyst for transformation. Our mission is to develop a new generation of ethical and entrepreneurial leaders who will shape Africa's future. Through our innovative curriculum, focus on experiential learning, and vibrant pan-African community, we empower students to become changemakers, problem-solvers, and innovators. At ALU, we're not just teaching; we're nurturing the leaders who will drive Africa's progress and prosperity in the 21st century

We are dedicated to fostering an open yet secure environment, balancing the safety of students, staff, and visitors with respect for individual rights, and safeguarding responsibilities.

HOW WE WORK

The ALU Team works in starkly different ways to traditional academic bureaucracies. We approach education from first principles, empower individuals to design, test, and implement creative new ideas, and work closely together to craft transformative learning experiences. We are deeply passionate about our students and excited by the challenge of building something entirely new.

The African Leadership University is committed to ensuring the safety and Well-being of all students under our care. As part of this commitment , we have a comprehensive safeguarding policy in place , which outlines our Zero-tolerance approach to any violation of safeguarding.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Admissions team is ALU's frontline for identifying, attracting, and welcoming the next generation of African leaders. We are a driven, data-savvy, and student-obsessed team that combines strategic thinking with genuine care for every prospective student's journey. We move fast, collaborate closely, and hold ourselves accountable to ambitious enrollment goals — because we know that the students we recruit today will be shaping Africa's future tomorrow.

ABOUT THE ROLE

The Admissions Director provides strategic leadership for undergraduate recruitment and admissions across the university. This senior role is responsible for developing and executing a comprehensive enrolment strategy that attracts, recruits, and admits a diverse and academically talented undergraduate cohort, while meeting institutional enrolment goals. Reporting to the VP of Enrolment, this role leads the full admissions function and plays a pivotal part in shaping ALU's student community.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and implement a multi-year undergraduate recruitment and admissions strategy aligned with the university's enrolment targets and institutional mission
• Diversify ALU’s admissions approach across multiple recruitment channels and models — including traditional direct recruitment, reverse recruitment (proactively identifying and approaching high-potential candidates), pathway programmes (pre-university, summer, and feeder school partnerships), and digital-first recruitment strategies — ensuring a balanced and resilient enrollment pipeline.
• Drive ALU’s presence and performance on key university discovery and application platforms, including Meto, Unifrog, and similar platforms used by students and counselors across Africa and globally, ensuring ALU’s profile, content, and engagement on these platforms is current, compelling, and actively converting prospective students.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Own and drive tuition revenue targets for the admissions function, working closely with senior leadership to set annual fee-paying enrollment goals, monitor progress against revenue projections, and deploy tactical interventions when pipeline performance falls short of target.
• Report regularly to the VP Enrolment on tuition revenue forecasts, fee-paying conversion rates, and yield performance, ensuring senior leadership has accurate and timely data to support institutional financial planning​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​
• Lead, mentor, and manage the admissions team, fostering a high-performance culture focused on exceptional prospective student experience.
• Oversee all stages of the undergraduate admissions lifecycle, from prospect identification and outreach through application review, decision-making, and yield activities.
• Build and maintain relationships with high schools, college counselors, community organisations, and feeder institutions to strengthen the university's recruitment pipeline.
• Design and manage recruitment events including open days, campus tours, school visits, and virtual engagement programmes.
• Use data analytics and CRM systems to monitor pipeline health, conversion rates, and yield trends, providing regular reporting to senior leadership.
• Collaborate with Marketing and Communications to develop compelling recruitment materials, digital campaigns, and brand messaging targeted at prospective undergraduates.
• Ensure admissions policies and procedures comply with relevant regulations, ethical standards, and accreditation requirements.
• Partner with Financial Aid, Enrolment, and other departments to create coordinated yield and retention strategies.
• Represent the university at national and international recruitment fairs, conferences, and industry bodies.
• Manage the admissions budget, ensuring efficient allocation of resources across recruitment channels and activities.
• Monitor competitor activity and higher education market trends to inform strategic planning.

Qualifications & Experience

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE

• Significant experience (typically 7+ years) in university admissions or student recruitment, with at least 3 years in a leadership role.
• Demonstrated track record of meeting or exceeding undergraduate enrolment targets.
• Experience managing and developing teams in a fast-paced, target-driven environment.
• Proven ability to build external relationships with schools, counselors, and community organisations.
• Experience managing budgets and reporting on resource allocation.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally, and to work evenings and weekends during peak recruitment periods.

REQUIRED COMPETENCIES

Functional Skills

• Strategic planning and enrollment management across multi-year cycles.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using CRM and student information systems (e.g. Slate, Banner, Salesforce).
• Data-driven decision-making — ability to translate pipeline metrics into actionable strategy.
• Budget management and resource allocation across recruitment channels.
• Digital campaign literacy and recruitment marketing acumen.

Soft Skills & Mindset

• Exceptional communication and stakeholder management skills — comfortable engaging students, parents, schools, and senior leadership.
• Inspirational leadership with the ability to build and sustain a high-performing team culture.
• Mission-driven and deeply committed to expanding access to quality higher education in Africa.
• Adaptable and resilient — thrives in ambiguity and evolving institutional priorities.
• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred in Higher Education, Student Affairs, or a related field.