Head of Student Acquisition

ECA Global

Head of Student Acquisition, ECA-UniSC

Lead the Growth of a Strategic University Partnership

Education Centre of Australia (ECA) is a dynamic and diverse education group that stands at the forefront of Australia’s higher education sector, with campuses across Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as international operations in the United Kingdom and India. For almost two decades, ECA has partnered with leading universities to deliver world-class education experiences for both international and domestic students. Through strategic partnerships with institutions including Victoria University, Charles Sturt University, University of Canberra, University of Tasmania, University of the Sunshine Coast and London Metropolitan University, ECA continues to redefine student success through innovation, quality and growth.

We are seeking an experienced, commercially minded and strategically focused Head of Student Acquisition, ECA-UniSC to lead the growth, diversification and performance of the ECA-UniSC partnership across current and future campuses.

This executive leadership role will be instrumental in driving enrolment growth, market expansion, portfolio development and student acquisition excellence across international and domestic student markets.

This position is based in Adelaide, South Australia.

ECA welcomes applications from candidates across Australia who are willing to relocate to Adelaide.

Relocation support may be available for the successful candidate, subject to experience and circumstances.

Applicants must hold unrestricted working rights in Australia at the time of application.

https://www.unisc.edu.au/study/life-at-unisc/study-locations/unisc-adelaide

About UniSC At ECA

The University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) is one of Australia’s fastest-growing public universities, recognised nationally for its outstanding student experience, teaching quality and graduate outcomes.

Through its partnership with Education Centre of Australia (ECA), UniSC has expanded its presence beyond Queensland with campuses in Adelaide and Sydney, creating exciting opportunities for students seeking a globally recognised Australian degree in major metropolitan centres.

UniSC Adelaide, located in the heart of Adelaide’s CBD at Victoria Square, offers students access to a vibrant city-campus experience, modern learning facilities and strong industry connections. The campus currently offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Information and Communications Technology, Cyber Security and Forensics, with additional programs being introduced in response to student demand and workforce needs.

The Adelaide campus represents a significant milestone in UniSC’s national growth strategy, bringing the University’s award-winning student experience and academic excellence to South Australia.

As the ECA-UniSC partnership continues to evolve, both organisations are committed to expanding student opportunities, launching new programs, entering new markets and exploring future campus locations across Australia and internationally.

This role will play a critical leadership role in shaping and delivering that growth agenda.

About The Role

Reporting to the Director Operations, ECA-UniSC, with a dotted-line reporting relationship to the Vice President, Student Acquisition (ECA), the Head of Student Acquisition will lead the end-to-end student acquisition strategy across the ECA-UniSC partnership.

The role is responsible for driving international and domestic student growth through the leadership of marketing, recruitment, admissions, conversion and agent management functions.

As a key member of the leadership team, you will be responsible for developing and executing integrated recruitment and marketing strategies, identifying new market opportunities, supporting new program development, advising on future campus growth opportunities and ensuring sustainable enrolment growth across current and future partnership locations.

You will also serve as ECA’s primary representative for student acquisition matters within UniSC governance forums, including Joint Operations Committees, Recruitment Committees and Visa Risk Committees.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Growth, Planning & Governance

Develop and execute student acquisition strategies across all ECA-UniSC campuses and future partnership locations.
Develop and implement annual Marketing and Recruitment Plans aligned to enrolment targets, budgets and partnership objectives.
Lead market research, competitor analysis and environmental scanning activities to identify growth opportunities, student demand trends and emerging markets.
Provide strategic recommendations to ECA and UniSC regarding new program development, portfolio expansion, campus growth opportunities and market positioning.
Develop enrolment forecasts, pipeline management strategies and market diversification initiatives to support sustainable growth.
Oversee ECA’s offshore office network to maximise market performance and recruitment outcomes.
Manage acquisition budgets across marketing, recruitment, admissions and conversion functions.
Ensure acquisition activities deliver agreed return on investment and operate within approved budgets.
Monitor and manage recruitment-related risk indicators including visa approval rates, market concentration, student quality and compliance performance.
Develop strategies to diversify source markets and reduce reliance on high-risk recruitment channels.
Ensure compliance with ESOS, National Code, CRICOS, TEQSA and university partner requirements.
Prepare and present strategic papers, market analyses, business cases, enrolment forecasts and performance reports to UniSC governance forums, including Joint Operations Committees, Recruitment Committees and Visa Risk Committees.
Identify, assess and escalate risks where appropriate and implement mitigation strategies.
Manage partner university risk indices and recruitment quality requirements.

Recruitment, Marketing & Admissions Leadership

Lead the student acquisition function encompassing marketing, recruitment, admissions and conversion activities.
Ensure all acquisition activities align with ECA and UniSC strategic objectives and student growth targets.
Oversee admissions processes to ensure compliance, operational efficiency and a positive student experience.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives across recruitment, admissions, marketing and conversion functions.
Utilise CRM systems, business intelligence tools and analytics to optimise acquisition performance.
Monitor market trends, student demand, competitor activity and emerging opportunities to maintain competitive advantage.
Develop scalable recruitment and admissions frameworks to support future campus launches and partnership expansion.
Champion innovation and the adoption of AI-enabled recruitment, marketing and conversion strategies.
Collaborate with offshore and onshore shared services teams to support sustainable business growth.

Agent Performance & Market Development

Develop and implement the ECA-UniSC Agent Management Framework.
o Applications
o Enrolments
o Conversion rates
o Visa approval rates
o Student retention outcomes
o Student quality indicators
o Compliance performance
o Revenue contribution
Conduct quarterly and annual agent business reviews and strategic planning meetings.
Monitor and report on agent performance across all recruitment channels and source markets.
Develop action plans to improve agent performance, student quality and recruitment outcomes.
Make recommendations regarding agent growth, investment, rationalisation or termination based on performance outcomes.
Build strong relationships with education agents, pathway providers, schools, colleges and strategic recruitment partners globally.
Identify new recruitment partnerships and market opportunities that support long-term growth and diversification.

Leadership & Stakeholder Engagement

Lead, coach and develop a high-performing student acquisition team.
Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration and continuous improvement.
Lead geographically dispersed teams across multiple campuses and markets.
Build strong relationships with UniSC stakeholders and senior ECA leadership.
Represent ECA-UniSC at industry conferences, recruitment events and partner meetings.
Serve as ECA’s primary student acquisition representative within UniSC governance and operational forums.
Support strategic growth initiatives including new campus launches, partnership expansion opportunities and new program introductions.

Qualifications

About You

Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, Education, Management or a related discipline.

Postgraduate qualifications are highly regarded.

Experience

Minimum 7 years’ experience in international education, higher education, university partnerships or student acquisition leadership roles.
Demonstrated success leading recruitment, marketing, admissions and conversion functions.
Experience developing and executing acquisition strategies that deliver significant enrolment growth.
Experience managing large recruitment agent networks and strategic recruitment partnerships.
Experience presenting to executive leadership teams, university partners and governance committees.
Experience leading market diversification, business growth and strategic planning initiatives.
Experience supporting new campus launches, partnership expansion or market entry strategies.
Experience in both international and domestic student recruitment is highly desirable.
Experience managing budgets and achieving commercial performance targets.

Knowledge

Strong understanding of the Australian international education sector.
Strong knowledge of ESOS, National Code, CRICOS, TEQSA, student visa requirements and visa risk management.
Understanding of international and domestic student recruitment channels and market dynamics.
Understanding of university partnership models and governance structures.
Knowledge of admissions, conversion, student lifecycle management and enrolment planning.

Skills

Proven track record in developing and implementing successful student acquisition and conversion strategies.
Strong strategic planning and commercial acumen.
Exceptional stakeholder engagement and relationship management skills.
Excellent presentation, communication and executive reporting capabilities.
Strong analytical and data interpretation skills.
Advanced budgeting and financial management capability.
Strong negotiation and influencing skills.
Demonstrated ability to lead, motivate and develop high-performing teams.
Strong project management and change leadership capability.
Experience leveraging CRM platforms, data analytics and AI tools to improve recruitment performance.

Why Join ECA?

We offer a supportive and rewarding environment where our people can thrive and grow.

Benefits

Company-paid parental leave (14 weeks at 100% pay or 28 weeks at 50% pay)
Employee Assistance Program (Uprise) for staff and immediate family members
Staff Education Assistance Program (25% fee discount on ECA courses)
Professional development opportunities
Free access to LinkedIn Learning
Travel insurance discounts
Wellbeing and lifestyle discounts
Opportunity to shape the growth of one of Australia’s most exciting university partnerships

Diversity & Inclusion

At ECA, we celebrate diversity and inclusion and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.

We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples, people living with disability, women, people who identify as LGBTQIA+, and people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds.

This position is open to Australian Citizens, Permanent Residents and applicants who hold a current visa with full working rights in Australia.

How To Apply

Applications, including a cover letter and CV, can be submitted via the Apply button.

Due to the expected volume of applications, only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

For further information regarding this opportunity, please contact: Rodrigo Guimaraes Vice President, Student Acquisition ***email_hidden***