Business Development Manager – Student Recruitment & Partnerships

About the RoleCapital is seeking an experienced and highly driven Business Development Manager – Student Recruitment & Partnerships to expand our student recruitment network and develop new education-sector partnerships in the UAE and international markets.This is a hands-on, target-driven business development role with three primary objectives:Student RecruitmentEducation Agent Recruitment & DevelopmentInstitutional Partnership DevelopmentThe successful candidate will be expected to proactively generate opportunities, develop relationships and convert those relationships into measurable student enrolments and active recruitment partnerships.We are looking for a business developer who actively creates opportunities, rather than someone who relies primarily on incoming enquiries.Key ResponsibilitiesStudent RecruitmentProactively identify and engage prospective students through direct outreach, referrals, events, networking and other recruitment channels.Counsel prospective students and follow up enquiries through the recruitment process.Develop new sources of prospective student enquiries.Maintain consistent follow-up with prospective students and work towards agreed enrolment targets.Build and manage an active student recruitment pipeline.Identify new markets and recruitment opportunities in the UAE and internationally.Represent the organisation at relevant student recruitment events, exhibitions and education fairs.Education Agent Recruitment & DevelopmentIdentify and approach education consultants, student recruitment agencies and other potential recruitment partners.Recruit and develop new education agents in the UAE and international markets.Conduct meetings and presentations with prospective agents.Develop productive long-term relationships with recruitment partners.Support agents with the information and materials required to generate suitable student enquiries.Maintain regular communication and follow-up with active and prospective agents.Monitor agent activity and work with partners to increase student recruitment.Continuously expand the organisation's international agent and recruitment network.Institutional PartnershipsIdentify suitable colleges, training institutes, education providers and other organisations for potential collaboration.Proactively approach decision-makers and develop new institutional relationships.Arrange and conduct partnership meetings and presentations.Develop commercially valuable recruitment and referral partnerships.Identify opportunities for collaboration with education providers in the UAE and internationally.Follow potential partnerships from initial contact through negotiation and successful activation.Maintain and develop existing institutional relationships.Business Development & ReportingWork towards agreed student recruitment, agent-development and partnership targets.Maintain an active pipeline of prospective students, agents and institutional partners.Record activities, opportunities, follow-ups and outcomes accurately.Provide management with concise weekly reports covering pipeline activity, progress and results.Research new geographical markets and recruitment channels.Identify relevant education fairs, exhibitions and networking opportunities globally.Represent the organisation professionally at meetings, events and international education activities where required.Candidate ProfileWe are looking for candidates who can demonstrate:Relevant experience in student recruitment, education business development, admissions, education consultancy, international education or institutional partnerships.A proven ability to generate new student recruitment opportunities.Experience developing relationships with education agents, consultants or institutional partners.Strong prospecting and relationship-development skills.Confidence independently approaching prospective students, agents and institutions.Strong follow-up, negotiation and conversion skills.Ability to build new relationships and business opportunities from the ground up.Ability to work independently and take ownership of agreed targets.Strong organisational and pipeline-management skills.Excellent written and spoken English.Professional communication and presentation skills.Ability to provide regular and accurate progress reports to management.Particularly Relevant ExperienceCandidates with experience in any of the following would be particularly suitable:International student recruitmentEducation consultancyStudent admissionsEducation-agent managementStudy-abroad recruitmentInternational education business developmentInstitutional partnershipsTraining or education-sector salesEducation fairs and exhibitionsDeveloping international recruitment marketsAn existing network of education agents, consultants or institutional contacts would be an advantage, but is not essential. We are equally interested in candidates who can demonstrate a strong ability to build a new network independently.Previous UAE experience is not mandatory.Performance ExpectationsThis is a commercial and target-driven position.The successful candidate will be expected to actively contribute to measurable growth through:Student enrolments | New recruitment agents | Active education partnershipsThe role requires proactive outreach and consistent follow-up. Candidates should be comfortable independently contacting prospective students, agents and institutions rather than relying solely on incoming enquiries.Regular reporting and accountability for agreed recruitment and partnership targets form an important part of the position.LocationThis is a full-time, Dubai-based position requiring regular physical attendance at the workplace.The role may also involve meetings with prospective students, agents and partners, attendance at education fairs and recruitment events, and international travel where commercially appropriate.ApplicationPlease apply through LinkedIn with an up-to-date CV clearly demonstrating relevant experience in student recruitment, education-agent development and/or institutional partnerships.Shortlisted candidates should be prepared to discuss:student recruitment results they have previously achieved;agents or recruitment networks they have personally developed;institutional partnerships they have originated;how they generate new student enquiries;how they would build an international education-agent network; andwhat they would aim to achieve during their first 90 days.