Description
CRM & Performance Reporting Manager (Dubai)
Grade: 7
Directorate: Marketing Recruitment Admissions & Communications (MRAC)
Reports to: Associate Regional Director Prospect Experience & Global Admissions Hub
Overall Job Purpose:
The CRM and Performance Reporting Manager is a mission-critical MRAC role responsible for owning the Universitys CRM platform performance reporting and admissions intelligence capability across the role exists to ensure MRAC leaders Recruitment Admissions Finance and Senior Leadership have accurate timely decision-grade data to drive student recruitment admissions performance revenue optimisation cost-of-acquisition (CoA) control and strategic planning. This role acts as the single point of accountability for CRM enablement executive reporting analytics and data governance across the prospect-to-enrolment lifecycle ensuring consistency integrity compliance and scalability across campuses.
Why This Role Matters
This role underpins MRACs ability to recruit effectively manage risk control cost and make evidence-based decisions. Without it the institution loses visibility consistency and strategic control across the student recruitment and admissions lifecycle.
Core Accountability Areas
1. CRM Platform Ownership & Enablement
- Own the regional CRM platform (including Recruit and integrated systems) as the authoritative system for prospect applicant and admissions data.
- Ensure CRM usability adoption and optimisation across Recruitment and Admissions teams.
- Design maintain and continuously improve CRM workflows automations and processes to support recruitment admissions and conversion objectives.
- Lead CRM configuration administration access control and release management in line with institutional priorities.
- Provide best-practice guidance documentation and training to ensure consistent and effective CRM usage across campuses.
2. Performance Reporting & Executive Intelligence
- Own and deliver all MRAC performance reporting including:
- Design build and maintain Power BI dashboards and reporting tools that provide real-time decision-ready insights
- Lead SLT intake updates census reporting and end-of-intake executive summaries and infographics.
- Ensure reporting outputs are consistent auditable and trusted as the single source of truth.
3. Data Analytics Planning & Cost of Acquisition
- Lead analytics across the recruitment and admissions lifecycle.
- Partner closely with Finance Recruitment and Planning to align forecasts reconciliations and assumptions.
- Support strategic planning cycles (e.g. November and March planning) with robust data models and insight.
- Translate complex datasets into clear actionable insight for senior stakeholders.
4. Lead Scoring & Propensity Modelling
- Lead the development and continuous optimisation of lead scoring and propensity models to prioritise prospects based on likelihood to apply convert and enrol using behavioural demographic engagement and historical conversion data.
- Work with Recruitment Admissions and Marketing to ensure lead scores are operationalised within the CRM
- Design test and refine scoring logic using data-driven and evidence-based approaches incorporating sensitivity analysis and performance monitoring to ensure models remain accurate and fair across markets and intakes.
- Translate propensity insights into actionable dashboards and recommendations for recruitment strategy channel investment and lifecycle communications.
5. Data Governance Compliance & Integrity
- Act as MRACs lead for data governance ensuring data quality integrity and consistency across systems.
- Own and oversee data hygiene initiatives validation rules and exception monitoring.
- Ensure compliance with GDPR DPIA and institutional data protection requirements working with legal and governance teams as required.
- Maintain clear documentation of data definitions reporting logic and governance standards.
6. Marketing Automation & Lifecycle Support (in partnership)
- Support and enable lifecycle communications and marketing automation in collaboration with Marketing and Prospect Engagement colleagues.
- Provide CRM and data expertise to support:
- Drip campaigns and mailer automation
- Open Day programme and tactical communications
- Timing and optimisation of prospect engagement
- Ensure automation activity is measurable governed and aligned to conversion outcomes.
7. Regional Standardisation & Capability Building
- Lead the standardisation of CRM reporting and analytics practices across Dubai and Malaysia aligned with global frameworks.
- Work collaboratively with UK and EU counterparts to ensure consistency while respecting regional needs.
- Deliver training guidance and capability-building initiatives to strengthen MRAC data maturity across campuses.
- Act as a trusted partner to Admissions Managers Recruitment Managers Academic stakeholders and central services.
8. Operational Leadership & BAU Resilience
- Ensure continuity and resilience of critical MRAC BAU functions including:
- Admissions inbox and enquiry management oversight (process and data perspective)
- Inbound admissions telephony and LiveAdmins webchat / WhatsApp reporting
- FSAC metrics related to CoA revenue and intake performance
- Proactively identify operational risks related to data systems or reporting and implement mitigation plans.
- Support peak-intake periods with increased reporting cadence and insight.
9. Future Readiness & Innovation
- Shape the future roadmap for CRM reporting and analytics in line with MRAC and institutional strategy.
- Identify opportunities for:
- Advanced automation
- Predictive analytics
- AI-enabled insight (where appropriate and governed)
- Ensure the CRM and reporting ecosystem is scalable sustainable and not dependent on single-person knowledge.
Knowledge Skills & Experience
Essential
- Significant experience owning and operating CRM platforms within a complex organisation.
- Strong expertise in performance reporting dashboards and analytics (Power BI or equivalent).
- Proven ability to translate complex data into executive-level insight.
- Experience working with recruitment admissions or commercial funnels.
- Strong understanding of data governance data quality and compliance principles.
- Ability to influence and lead without direct line management authority.
Desirable
- Experience within Higher Education or similarly regulated multi-stakeholder environments.
- Experience with cost-of-acquisition revenue modelling or financial analytics.
- Exposure to marketing automation and lifecycle communications.
- Experience working across multiple regions or campuses.
Education & Professional Background
- A degree in Data Analytics Information Systems Data Science Computer Science Business Analytics Statistics Economics Marketing or a related discipline or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
- Postgraduate qualification or professional certification in data analytics business intelligence CRM or digital transformation is advantageous.
- Continuous professional development in data analytics CRM platforms or automation technologies is strongly encouraged.
Data Analytics & Business Intelligence (Essential)
- Advanced experience designing and delivering Power BI dashboards including:
- Data modelling
- Performance forecasting and scenario analysis
- Row-level security and controlled executive access to dashboards
- Performance optimisation and refresh governance
- Strong capability in data analysis across recruitment admissions and revenue funnels
- Ability to transform raw multi-source datasets into clear decision-ready insight for senior leadership.
- Experience producing executive-ready outputs (SLT packs census reporting infographics and governance submissions).
CRM & Systems Expertise (Essential)
- Proven hands-on ownership of enterprise CRM platforms (e.g. Ellucian Recruit Salesforce MS Dynamics or equivalent).
- Strong understanding of:
- CRM data architecture and relational data models
- Workflow design automations and lifecycle triggers
- Integration with admissions systems marketing platforms telephony and webchat tools
- Experience managing CRM governance including:
- User access and role management
- Data standards and validation rules
- System change control and documentation
- Ability to bridge technical teams and non-technical stakeholders translating business needs into scalable CRM and reporting solutions.
How to Apply
Please submit your CV and a cover letter setting out how you meet the criteria for this role.
Shortlisted candidates may be invited to complete an on-demand-video interview as the first stage of the selection process. Successful candidates will then proceed to in-person formal interviews at our Dubai campus where you will be asked to deliver a brief presentation on a relevant topic. Following the formal interview the preferred candidate will attend a second interview with senior staff at the Dubai campus before a final offer decision is made.
At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.
Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.
Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected trained promoted appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities. Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.
The appointment is conditional upon successful completion of all Labor and Immigration formalities and the start date will need to be delayed if the employment visa is not in place.
Required Experience:
Manager
Key Skills Arabic Speaking,Access Control System,B2C,Account Management,Legal Operations,Broadcast
Employment Type : Full-Time
Experience: years
Vacancy: 1