School Manager - Marketing and Communications
Listing reference: manco_000604
Listing status: Under Review
Apply by: 14 November 2024
Position summary
Industry: Education & Training
Job category: Others: Education and Training
Location: Durban
Contract: Fixed Term Contract
EE position: Yes
Introduction
Management College of Southern Africa (MANCOSA), a DHET registered and CHE accredited private higher education distance education provider, offering undergraduate and postgraduate business qualifications, has the following vacancy available: School Manager - Marketing and Communications
Job description
CORE PURPOSE
The purpose of the School Manager is to provide strong academic and commercial leadership for the respective schools (existing and planned). The school Manager will contribute towards MANCOSA achieving its strategic objectives, namely: Academic excellence, Student success, Employability, Growth and Enterprise Digital Transformation, for the purpose of building a sustainable enterprise and ensuring that MANCOSA’s academic project is fit-for-purpose and serves the needs of industry and MANCOSA’s student profile.
CORE FUNCTIONS INCLUDE:
Academic, Research & Community Engagement
- Develop and approve appropriate rules, regulations, guidelines and codes related to the school
- Chair and participate in relevant committee structures, as pertains school affairs
- Curriculum Development: Collaborate with faculty and subject matter experts to develop and refine the curriculum for the formal and short learning programs(FLPs/SLPs). Ensure that the curriculum aligns with industry needs, covers relevant topics, and incorporates the latest advancements in information and digital technology.
- Program Assessment and Improvement: Monitor and assess the effectiveness of the academic programs by analyzing student feedback, conducting evaluations, reviewing student outcomes and best practise benchmarking. Use this data to identify areas of improvement and adjust to enhance the learning experience and program outcomes.
- Learning Resources and Materials: Collaborate with faculty and instructional designers to ensure the availability of appropriate learning resources and materials for academic programmes. Facilitate access to relevant textbooks, online resources, software tools, and other materials necessary for effective instruction.
- Student Support and Success: Implement strategies and initiatives to support student success and engagement.
- Quality Assurance and Accreditation: Ensure compliance with quality assurance processes and accreditation standards. Collaborate with accrediting bodies, regulatory agencies, and external stakeholders to maintain accreditation and uphold academic excellence.
- Regulation/CPD/Accreditation/Industry Endorsement: Pursue CPD recognition and recognition of School SLPs. Ensure that the school and its offerings meet necessary regulations. Pursue industry endorsement of the school and its associated components.
- Continuous Improvement and Innovation: Stay abreast of emerging trends, research, and best practices in information and digital technology education. Encourage a culture of continuous improvement and innovation in teaching methodologies, assessment techniques, and program delivery to ensure the school remains at the forefront of educational practices.
- Develop an appropriate plan to integrate TnL, Research and Community engagement in relation to school’s strategy
- Demonstrating value of school through well crafted narratives pertaining to alumni success and graduate employability
Strategic planning, risk management, resourcing and New Product Development
- Align school strategic planning process with institutional strategic planning process
- Develop a 5 year strategic plan for the school, including annual budgets and resources
- Develop appropriate key performance areas and indicators for the school, including a risk mitigation plan (aligned to institutional risk register)
- Engage with other school managers to plan for and achieve hybridity of schools, as pertains resources, and outcomes.
- Manage new SLP development in line with school strategy
- Contribute towards FLP development, in line with school strategy
- Contribute towards FLP design, delivery, assessment and overall quality
School Awareness, Growth and Market Penetration
- Develop articles/ blogs/posts and other written communications for publication on appropriate platforms to promote school awareness
- Plan and host events with appropriate stakeholders, to improve school awareness in market
- Develop niche/s for school, in line with school strategy, data trends and demand
- Bi-weekly Newsletter to promote SLPs
- Develop and implement marketing strategies and campaigns to promote the school's programs and offerings.
- Collaborate with the marketing team to create compelling marketing materials, including brochures, website content, social media campaigns, and advertisements.
- Identify target markets and segments, and tailor marketing efforts to effectively reach and engage prospective students.
- Monitor marketing performance, analyze data, and adjust strategies as needed to optimize outcomes.
Relationship Management, Business Development & Partnerships
- Identify and pursue new business opportunities, both domestically and internationally, to expand the school's reach and student base.
- Pursue strategically appropriate partnerships, in line with the strategy of the school, to enhance school reputation and association.
- Identify and establish partnerships with other academic institutions, industry organizations, and professional associations. Collaborate on joint programs, research initiatives, and exchange opportunities to enrich the academic experience and expand the school's reach and impact.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with industry partners, academic institutions, and other key stakeholders.
- Conduct market research and analysis to identify trends, competition, and potential areas for growth.
- Develop and execute business development plans aligned with the school's strategic goals.
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key industry partners, government agencies, and relevant organizations to leverage opportunities for collaboration, sponsorship, and funding.
- Collaborate with academic departments, faculty members, and other internal stakeholders to align commercial strategies with program offerings and ensure quality delivery.
- Serve as a primary point of contact for potential partners, clients, and sponsors, providing excellent customer service and addressing inquiries and concerns.
- Manage existing vendors, including relationship and procurement management
- Expand the pool of vendors, in line with the strategy of the school
- Oversee quality assurance of vendor inputs and contributions
Enrollment Management
- Manage (plan and execute) activities aimed at growing school enrollment in SLPs
- Manage (plan and execute) activities aimed at growing school enrollment in FLPs
- Responsible for overall annual revenue (SkillMe) and enrollment targets for the school
- Interface with B2C and B2B teams to support revenue and enrollment growth for the school
- Oversee the enrollment process and develop strategies to attract and convert prospective students into enrolled learners.
- Collaborate with admissions teams to ensure smooth and efficient enrollment procedures, providing support and guidance when necessary.
- Develop and implement pricing strategies, discount structures, and incentives to optimize student enrollment and revenue generation.
- Monitor enrollment trends, analyze data, and make recommendations to improve conversion rates and achieve enrollment targets.
- Identify and implement revenue optimization strategies across various channels, such as corporate training programs, professional development courses, and customized offerings.
- Explore funding opportunities, grants, and sponsorships to support revenue growth and expand access to the school's programs.
- Collaborate with finance and operations teams to develop and manage budgets, financial forecasts, and pricing models to maximize profitability.
Office Management and Reporting
- Ensure that direct reports are appropriately managed.
- Performance management of academic programme leaders and academic programme coordinators of the school
- Recruitment and appointment of staff (internal and external)
- Develop and implement initiatives and measures aimed at demonstrating high levels of staff motivation
- Oversee the submission of weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly and event-based reports
- Oversee performance management and improvement plans for direct reports
- Reporting to Senate and Academic Exco.
Minimum requirements
Qualifications
- An appropriate honors, master, or doctoral level qualification
Experiences
- 2 - 5 years Academic Management
Skills
- Educational Expertise
- Institutional Understanding & Knowledge
- Regulatory Compliance Knowledge
- Communication Skills
- Organizational Skills
- Problem Solving
- Interpersonal Skills
- Project Management:
- Adaptability
- Initiative
- Collaboration
- Integrity
- Leadership Qualities
General
- Willingness to work weekends and/or overtime when required
