Student Recruitment and Business Development Director
About this role
We are seeking a highly motivated, results-oriented Senior Business Development Manager to join our team in Hong Kong. This role is pivotal in driving recruitment activities to the next level within our growing regional team. You will be rewarded for your drive, innovative ideas, and ability to deliver against a clear set of KPIs.
Responsibilities
Business Development
- Build and manage relationships with education agents, third-party institutions, and flagship universities to increase brand awareness and generate high-quality inquiries.
- Lead on-campus and online events tailored to student needs, in collaboration with faculty and alumni, to promote our MBA and Master's programs.
- Leverage social media platforms, particularly LinkedIn, to engage with student club leaders and members and strengthen our brand presence in key networks.
- Collaborate with regional and global teams to design and execute targeted engagement initiatives with key stakeholders.
- Foster a strong community by connecting with alumni and confirmed students at partner universities to drive referrals and share success stories.
Student Recruitment
- Proactively follow up with prospective students to promote our postgraduate programs and meet enrollment targets and KPIs.
- Manage the full recruitment pipeline using our CRM system (Salesforce), with consistent follow-up via LinkedIn, WhatsApp, video calls, phone, and email.
- Maintain in-depth knowledge of our program offerings and competitive advantages to effectively advise and convert prospects.
- Travel to assigned markets to meet with education partners and prospective students. Travel averages approximately 1 week per month, depending on the recruitment cycle.
Qualifications
- 3-5 years of experience in sales, business development, or recruitment for a reputable organization, with a proven track record of consistently exceeding targets.
- Strong experience in prospecting and engaging leads on LinkedIn and other social platforms, successfully converting them into meetings or applications.
- Excellent communication and negotiation skills, with a confident and professional demeanor.
- Highly customer-focused, curious, and skilled at actively listening to and addressing candidate needs.
- Self-driven, ambitious, and entrepreneurial with a "nothing is impossible" mindset.
- Goal-oriented, resilient, and adaptable, with a willingness to learn and receive feedback.
- Fluency in written and spoken English is required. Native-level proficiency in another Asian language (Thai or Bahasa Indonesia) is mandatory.
Company at a glance
Founded in 1965 in Sweden, EF (Education First) is a global association of education companies that share a common mission of opening the world through education.
Some companies are in the business of banking. Others are in the business of shoes. Or sports. Or soft drinks. At EF, we're in a different kind of business. One that's a little less tangible, and a lot more important. Because our business, what we make, makes everything else possible. We're in the business of understanding. Between people. Between cultures.
For over half a century we’ve been the leader in international educational programs and experiences designed to foster such understanding. Through language, cultural exchange, academic studies, and educational travel, we create the kinds of immersive experiences that challenge biases, open minds, and pave the way for a more understanding world.
You’ll find our offices and schools located in some of the world’s greatest cities, and filled with smart, driven people (over 50,000 of us) who push each other to be better every day. But it’s what we do together - building greater understanding, breaking down barriers, and creating a better world - that makes all the difference.
Forbes 2025/2024 World’s Best Employers | Time100 Most Influential Companies 2026 | Fast Company 2025 Next Big Things In Tech | 2024 App Store Award winner in Cultural Impact
A notice on recruitment scams
We are aware that recruitment scams are increasingly common worldwide and affect job seekers across many organizations. These may appear on various messaging platforms, e.g., text messaging, WhatsApp, etc. To support your safety, we recommend that you do not respond to such unsolicited offers of employment. If you believe you are the victim of any fraudulent activity, we advise you to contact your appropriate authorities. Only submit your application to jobs through our official job board, jobs.ef.com. We never ask our applicants to pay a fee for any service whatsoever.
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