Head of Student Recruitment (Lead Generation)
Posting Start Date: 29/10/2026
School/Department: Communications & External Relations
Work Arrangement: Full Time (Hybrid)
Contract Type: Permanent
Salary per annum (£): 48,822 - £58,225, potential to progress to £65,509 per annum
Closing Date: 20.11.2026
The University of Sheffield is a remarkable place to work. Our people are at the heart of everything we do. Their diverse backgrounds, abilities and beliefs make Sheffield a world-class university.
We offer a fantastic range of benefits including a highly competitive annual leave entitlement (with the ability to purchase more), a generous pensions scheme, flexible working opportunities, a commitment to your development and wellbeing, a wide range of retail discounts, and much more. Find out more about our benefits (opens in a new window) and join us to become part of something special.
Overview
This leadership role oversees all areas of student recruitment lead generation, focussing on activities which take place off campus and securing the long-term pipeline through developing sustainable relationships with schools and colleges. The role covers all levels (undergraduate, postgraduate, lifelong learning etc) and aims to raise awareness of the University early in the customer journey with prospective students and their influencers. The role requires a confident creative leader who proactively identifies and executes insight-driven opportunities, bringing exceptional communication, organisational strength, and a passion for delivering inspiring experiences The post is part of a central team which includes a range of high performing marketing, recruitment and events professionals.
Main duties and responsibilities
- Lead, motivate and empower a high performing student recruitment team of Lead Generation and Lifelong Learning professionals, ensuring effective delivery of plans and team objectives; monitoring individual and team performance.
- Responsible for the Lead Generation strategic plan in line with the Communication & External Relations (CER) vision, to inform Regional and Lifelong Learning Recruitment plans
- Lead the development, oversight and implementation of activities to recruit high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate students from the UK, embedding evaluation to demonstrate return on investment.
- Provide written and verbal reports to senior university leadership, using accurate monitoring and reporting tools to demonstrate ROI
- Be proactive in the sector, creating networks with schools and external partners, as well as fellow recruitment professionals, demonstrating sector leading practices
- Identify and roll out new recruitment activity opportunities, based on evidence, insight, and risk assessment. Ensuring Sheffield is ahead of competitors in terms of its lead generation offer and pipeline growth.
- Maintain up-to-date knowledge of sector guidance and government policy, interpreting key updates, implementing reactionary changes (e.g. student finance) and providing insight and guidance to university colleagues
- Effectively manage the Lead Generation budget to ensure best value and return on investment in line with University protocols whilst allowing for innovation
- Ensure Health, Safety and Wellbeing of all colleagues and student ambassadors supporting lead generation activity across the UK; including risk assessments, emergency procedures and business continuity exercises
- Proactive member of the CER leadership group, working on cross-departmental projects, leading departmental sessions, and contributing to department updates
- Ensure Access is embedded across all lead generation activity, creating a pipeline of high-quality Access students in line with the Access and Participation Plan
- Any other duties commensurate with the grade and remit of the post, including attendance at events and other critical business activity throughout the year including evenings and weekends (e.g. Open Days)
- This role will require postholders to engage in regulated activity relevant to children and young people through school and college engagement. The postholder will be required to complete an enhanced DBS check and relevant safeguarding training and uphold these principles to safeguard all participants
Person Specification
Our diverse community of staff and students recognises the unique abilities, backgrounds, and beliefs of all. We foster a culture where everyone feels they belong and is respected. Even if your past experience doesn't match perfectly with this role's criteria, your contribution is valuable, and we encourage you to apply. Please ensure that you reference the application criteria in the application statement when you apply.
| Criteria | Essential or desirable | Stage(s) assessed at |
|---|---|---|
| A good honours degree (or equivalent experience). | Essential | Application |
| Significant experience in developing and implementing recruitment strategies within a complex organisation. | Essential | Application/interview |
| An excellent understanding of the HE student recruitment lifecycle and market with experience in planning and delivering lead generation activity to support recruitment targets. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Significant recent experience working with schools and colleges at a senior level and planning organisational presence at large scale recruitment events off campus. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Excellent communication and presentation skills, with evidence of building credibility with a wide range of stakeholders | Essential | Application/interview |
| Proven experience in successfully leading, managing, and motivating a high performing diverse team of staff. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Strong project management skills with evidence of a focus on the delivery of targets and objectives. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Experience of working collaboratively with colleagues and stakeholders across a complex organisation to deliver interdisciplinary projects and plans, providing strong leadership and making informed decisions. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Extensive experience of planning and managing a large complex budget. | Essential | Application/interview |
| Relevant IT skills including Google and Microsoft packages. | Essential | Application/interview |
Further Information
Grade
8
Salary
£48,822 - £58,225 per annum with the potential to progress to £65,509 per annum through sustained exceptional contribution.
Work arrangement
Full-time
Duration
Permanent
Line manager
Deputy Director, Global Student Recruitment & Partnerships
Direct reports
Student Recruitment Managers
Right to work in the UK
If you do not currently hold the right to work in the UK, you can find more information here to help determine your visa eligibility. Additional guidance is also available on the UK Visa & Immigration website.
Our website
Schools and colleges | The University of Sheffield
For informal enquiries about this job contact Louise McCarthy on louise.mccarthy@sheffield.ac.uk
Next steps in the recruitment process
We intend to let candidates know of they have been shortlisted 2 weeks after the closing date. The interviews for this role will take place mid December.
Our vision and strategic plan
We are the University of Sheffield. This is our vision: sheffield.ac.uk/vision (opens in new window).
What we offer
- A minimum of 41 days annual leave including bank holiday and closure days (pro rata) with the ability to purchase more.
- Flexible working opportunities, including hybrid working for some roles.
- Generous pension scheme.
- A wide range of discounts and rewards on shopping, eating out and travel.
- A variety of staff networks, providing opportunities for social interaction, peer support and personal development (for example, Race Equality, LGBT+, Women’s and Parent’s networks).
- Recognition Awards to reward staff who go above and beyond in their role.
- A commitment to your development access to learning and mentoring schemes; Professional Services Shared Skills Framework
- A range of generous family-friendly policies
- paid time off for parenting and caring emergencies
- access to menopause support in the workplace
- paid time off and support for fertility treatment
- and more
More details can be found on our benefits page: sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/benefits (opens in a new window).
We are a Disability Confident Leader (opens in a new window). If you have a disability and meet the essential criteria for this job you will be invited to take part in the next stage of the selection process.
Criminal record
A enhanced with barred lists DBS check will be needed for this role. More details on the checks can be found on the Government website: gov.uk/criminal-record-checks-apply-role (opens in a new window).
Possession of a criminal record is not an automatic bar to employment at the University of Sheffield. We recognise the value of steady employment in the rehabilitation process and examine each case in its own right. More information can be found on our Information for candidates page:- sheffield.ac.uk/jobs/candidates
We are a research university with a global reputation for excellence. Our ideas and expertise change the world for the better, making a real difference to society. We know that when people come together with different views, approaches and insights it can lead to richer, more creative and innovative teaching and research and the highest levels of student experience. Our University Vision (www.sheffield.ac.uk/vision) outlines our commitment to building a diverse community of staff and students that recognises and values the abilities, backgrounds, beliefs and ways of living for everyone.
