Headington Rye Oxford is a vibrant and welcoming school set in 35 acres of playing fields and grounds. In an environment where individuals come first, the School is renowned for its commitment to academic excellence, pastoral support and an impressive range of extra-curricular opportunities.
We are delighted that you are interested in joining our wonderful School. Headington Rye Oxford is a highly successful, vibrant and welcoming day and boarding School for girls aged 3-18 and boys aged 3-11 set on two stunning sites a mile from the dreaming spires of Oxford.
This is a fantastic opportunity for an exceptional candidate to take up a critical influential and strategic role. Marketing and Admissions is embedded within the culture of the School and the postholder will sit on the wider whole school executive team. You will regularly meet with the Headmistress, Head of Prep, Executive Team and Governors to deliver your strategic plan.
This is a key role for the School and the Director of Marketing and Admissions reports directly to me. The post holder is a member of our whole school Executive Team and is involved in the strategic planning discussions across both sites. This is a particularly exciting time to work in this role following a merger with Rye St Antony, the introduction of boys to our Prep School and a new Head of Prep joining the School from the co-educational sector in September. We are conscious that the Independent Sector is having to work even harder to attract children in an environment where there are political and economic challenges. It is clear that Headington Rye Oxford will come through this period, but we need to be agile and adept over the coming few years.
We are looking for an outstanding individual who will be able to build on the excellent work of their predecessor and demonstrate the agility and strategic skills to respond to future challenges and opportunities. We are happy to receive applications from outside the school sector as well as within.
Headington Rye Oxford’s diverse, lively community of academically curious, confident and compassionate pupils, inspirational staff and a hard-working professional parent body is a truly dynamic and exciting place to work and I would be thrilled to welcome you as a key part of our team.
Executive Summary
This is a fantastic opportunity for an exceptional candidate to take up a critical influential and strategic role.
The Director of Marketing and Admissions will sit on the wider whole school Executive Team and work with the wider Senior Leadership Team of both schools. Managing a team of nine marketing and admissions professionals, they will lead and shape our marketing and admissions strategies and play an integral role in implementing the School’s development plan.
The successful candidate will work closely with teaching and non-teaching staff along with overseas agents, partner schools and other stakeholders to continue to attract, recruit and retain pupils who will thrive at Headington Rye Oxford.
The Marketing and Admissions teams are located together in Boundary Cottage on the Senior School site with an additional office located in the neighbouring Prep School site. The postholder will lead a team of nine, with two direct reports, and the line management remit will evolve over time. Our team of Admissions staff manage local, national and international enquiries for places across all entry points to the School, from initial contact to enrolment. The Marketing team generates interest in the School through advertising, press, publications and social media and manages the website, PR, the Headington Rye Oxford brand, marketing events and communications.
The Marketing and Admissions teams work closely together to present a strong and welcoming image of the School to feeder schools and prospective families alike, running open events and entrance days and attending Future Schools Fairs both at home and abroad.
Role Description
The Director of Marketing and Admissions is a full-time, permanent, all-year round position.
Key responsibilities
Strategic direction
* Provide awareness of market intelligence, sector developments and best practice in the fields of marketing and admissions.
* Develop the school Marketing Strategy, contribute to the School Development Plan, determining target audiences for EYFS, Prep, Senior, Sixth Form, day and boarding and execute strategies to reach them.
* Develop and implement a strategy to increase the size of the Prep School by successfully recruiting and retaining boys.
* Foster and nurture internal and external stakeholder relationships including feeder school heads, key agents and consultants, Senior Leadership Team and Senior Management Group.
* Develop a positive and proactive customer-focused culture amongst teaching and support staff.
* Manage the Marketing and Admissions budget.
* Ensure that CRM systems are in place and optimised for provision of accurate data and information.
* Oversee the programme of Marketing and Admissions events to ensure their effectiveness.
* Create reports for the Governors, Head and Head of Prep, as required.
* Oversee and review KPIs for Marketing and Admissions.
* Membership of Executive Committee and Senior Management Group.
* Clear appreciation of all roles within the department and the ability to step in and provide cover as required.
Marketing
* Lead and oversee all Marketing activity and its development.
* Provide strategic oversight of advertising and promotional campaigns.
* Establish marketing collateral requirements and oversee the publications schedule and production of all publications, display materials and promotional items.
* Provide strategic oversight of the website, school brand and internal/external communications.
* Undertake strategic market research to guide the Executive Team and Governors on the future direction of the School.
* Analyse key marketing performance metrics and use tracking tools to provide market research, forecasts, competitor analysis and consumer trends to formulate actionable marketing and admissions targets.
* Develop and implement a strategy for communicating with prospective and joining families.
* Lead strategic and operational relationships with key external suppliers, including designers, web developers, photographers, videographers and digital media providers.
* Develop and deliver an annual programme of marketing events such as Open Mornings and Future Schools events.
* Liaise with and closely monitor the performance of overseas recruitment agencies.
Admissions
* Lead and oversee all admissions-related activity from EYFS to Sixth Form.
* Ensure the effective implementation of the Admissions Policy.
* Review admissions processes and systems regularly as required.
* Ensure compliance with admissions legislation, implementing best practice and disseminating guidance as appropriate.
* Ensure compliance, in consultation with Newland Chase Education, with the latest policy guidance issued by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) regarding sponsorship of international students, maintaining appropriate records throughout a student's time at the school.
* Set the tone for friendly, professional, proactive customer engagement.
* Determination of key admissions dates for each entry year, including Marketing events, application deadlines, entrance and scholarship days, marking deadlines, decision meeting dates and results publication dates.
* Oversight of admissions events such as Entrance Days, Meet the Head events and New Pupil's Day.
* Liaison with the Bursar regarding applications for financial assistance.
* Presentation of results and supporting information to the decision panel, advising on number of offers to be made, setting the tone and content for communication of results and responding to feedback and appeal requests.
* Management of the Admissions Register and liaison with the Local Education Authority (LEA) regarding joiners and leavers in line with LEA policy.
* Management of the numbers forecast for each academic year.
* Management, in liaison with the Head of Boarding, of the boarding houses forecast.
* Represent the School at events as appropriate both in the UK and overseas.
* Overseas travel will be required to continue to foster and develop relationships with our agents.
Please note this list is not exhaustive but is indicative of the types of responsibility you will be expected to undertake.
Person Specification
* Degree and/or equivalent professional qualification or experience relevant to the role.
* In-depth experience and appreciation of the principles and practices of marketing based on good commercial awareness and strong analytic skills.
* Strong grounding in data management and customer service and the ability to use data to inform strategy.
* Highly IT literate - Word, Excel, Outlook, Gmail, Google Doc/Sheets and databases.
* Good understanding of digital communications and social media as appropriate for a school.
* Strong organisational and planning skills with experience in event planning and management and a proven ability to work under pressure with multiple priorities.
* Strategic planning and the energy and ability to lead, motivate and guide others, as well as building rapport and interacting with others.
* A positive attitude, willingness to engage fully where required and willing to adopt a flexible attitude to working hours (some evening and weekend work will be required).
* Experience in a similar post at a high-achieving independent school.
* Experience of managing admissions databases.
* Interest in and understanding of the broader educational landscape.
Terms of Appointment
Type of Contract
Permanent, full time, all year round.
Pension
Contributory membership of the School’s Support Staff Pension Scheme with a School contribution of up to 9.95 per cent upon successful completion of six months’ service.
Fee remission
In accordance with the School’s policy, which may be subject to change, up to 50 per cent fee remission for pupils attending Headington Rye Oxford and up to 20 per cent fee remission for boys attending Magdalen College School (under a reciprocal agreement) and subject to the terms of their policy. Fee remission is calculated on the number of weeks and hours worked and is pro rata for part-time staff who work at least 50 per cent of a normal working week.
Salary will range from £70,000 to £75,000 dependent on skills and experience.
30 days annual leave plus eight bank holidays.
Additional Benefits
Free school lunches are provided. All staff have access to a broad programme of wellbeing activities. The programme currently includes access to the School’s gym and swimming pool, weekly Step and Tone and Zumba classes and regular staff social activities such as Book Club and Staff Choir. Staff also benefit from free access to the Employee Assistance Programme, a free, confidential helpline that offers advice on a range of issues. Free restricted parking is available for all staff on site.
Appointment Process and How To Apply
Applicants should submit an application form and a covering letter detailing their skills and experience to recruitment@headington.org
* Applications will only be accepted from candidates completing the application form in full. CVs will not be accepted in substitution for completed application forms. However, they may be sent in addition to the application form.
* We will seek references on shortlisted candidates and will approach previous employers for information to verify particular experience or qualifications, before the interview. References will ask about your suitability to work with children.
* If you are invited to interview you will receive notification outlining the interview process and guidance regarding the documentation you are required to provide.
Interviews: week commencing Monday 10th March 2025
Applications are reviewed and shortlisted on a rolling basis and we reserve the right to interview, appoint and close adverts early depending on the volume of applications we receive. We therefore encourage you to apply at the earliest opportunity to avoid disappointment as once we have closed a vacancy you will be unable to submit your application form.
All appointments are subject to satisfactory completion of all employment checks, ie references, Disclosure and Barring Service, medical questionnaire, Right to Work in the UK. Headington Rye Oxford is an equal opportunities employer and is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. Applicants must undergo child protection screening, including checks with past employers and DBS and barred lists checks. The School expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment.
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