Head – Admissions & Business Development

About Firebird Institute of International Studies

Firebird Institute of International Studies (FIIS), located in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, specializes in international undergraduate pathway programs in partnership with INTO University Partnerships. These programs prepare students for study at universities in the UK and USA.

Role Overview

The Head of Admissions & Business Development will lead the entire admissions function, holding full profit and loss responsibility for the 2026–27 undergraduate pathway cycle aimed at enrolling approximately 200 students annually. This leadership role involves building and expanding the admissions operations, growing market reach, and managing the admissions team to deliver results.

Program Models

• Standard Foundation Programme: A structured pathway preparing students for international undergraduate progression.
• Accelerated Foundation Programme: An intensive option for eligible students seeking expedited progression.
• Year One at FIIS–Coimbatore: Students complete the first year locally before transferring to partner universities abroad.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and execute a comprehensive 200-student admissions strategy.
• Manage the P&L, revenue generation, admissions pipeline, and overall business performance of the international pathway vertical.
• Develop a reliable acquisition funnel guiding inquiries through to enrolments.
• Forge and maintain strong partnerships with overseas education consultants, agencies, schools, colleges, and institutions.
• Expand outreach networks across Tamil Nadu and other strategic Indian markets.
• Lead strategies to convert counselling sessions, applications, offers, and deposits into confirmed enrolments.
• Strengthen connections with INTO and other university partners.
• Plan and implement campaigns, events, education fairs, seminars, and digital marketing for student acquisition.
• Identify and cultivate new markets, channels, and partnerships for continued growth.
• Manage, mentor, and evaluate the admissions and business development team’s performance.
• Set measurable KPIs, conversion benchmarks, and revenue monitoring dashboards.
• Collaborate with marketing, counselling, operations, and academic teams to ensure smooth student onboarding.
• Analyze competitive landscape, market trends, pricing, student preferences, and demand for international education.
• Ensure delivery of quality students, sustainable revenue streams, and successful student progression outcomes.

Leader Profile

The ideal candidate will be entrepreneurial, driven, and capable of leadership beyond conventional admissions, demonstrating qualities such as:

• Building and scaling a high-performance admissions ecosystem.
• Connecting effectively with consultants, schools, parents, and education networks.
• Converting queries into applications and enrolments efficiently.
• Strong business acumen including handling budgets, revenues, and P&L.
• Strategic vision to explore new markets and student acquisition methods.
• People management skills to energize and coach teams.
• Proactive market engagement through visits, relationship-building, and opportunity creation.

Qualifications and Experience

• Graduate or postgraduate degree; MBA or equivalent preferred.
• 8 to 15 years of experience in admissions, international education, study abroad recruitment, higher education, or business development.
• Proven success in recruiting students for UK/USA international education highly desirable.
• Extensive network among study-abroad consultants and education counselors advantageous.
• Track record of meeting challenging recruitment and revenue targets.
• Experience managing teams, budgets, and business operations.
• Excellent commercial negotiation, communication, and presentation skills.
• Willingness to travel frequently for outreach and business development activities.

Success Metrics

Performance will be evaluated based on achieving student intake goals, revenue growth, maintaining a healthy profit and loss statement, expanding consultant networks, converting admissions efficiently, growing the market, leading the team effectively, and supporting strong student progression.

Work Location

This position is based at FIIS in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India, requiring full-time onsite presence.

Additional Information

This is a unique opportunity to lead and grow an international undergraduate education business, shaping the educational journey of hundreds of students annually.