Vice Principal - Student Recruitment & Marketing

The vacancy

About The Role

DN Colleges Group is seeking an exceptional and strategic leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Vice Principal – Student Recruitment & Marketing. This is a pivotal role responsible for shaping and delivering a long-term vision for student growth, brand positioning and market engagement across our further and higher education provision.

You will lead a high-performing function that drives recruitment across 16–18, adult, apprenticeships and higher education, ensuring an outstanding and seamless journey from first enquiry through to enrolment.

In this role you will oversee and help to shape the future of over 5000 students annually, leading student recruitment across 4 campuses and mentoring a team of over 20 professionals.

Working closely with the Group Principal, Corporation Board and senior leaders, you will provide insight on market trends and opportunities, ensuring the organisation remains innovative, competitive and responsive to regional and national priorities.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership for student recruitment, admissions and marketing across the Group.
• Develop and deliver a multi-year recruitment and marketing strategy aligned to curriculum and financial priorities.
• Lead and optimise recruitment pipelines, digital channels, campaigns and CRM systems to maximise conversion and growth.
• Oversee the delivery of a sector-leading customer journey from enquiry to enrolment.
• Build and maintain strong partnerships with schools, employers, universities and key stakeholders.
• Act as a senior ambassador for the Group at regional and national level.
• Drive performance through data-led decision making, KPIs and forecasting models.
• Lead and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability and continuous improvement.

Essential Criteria

• Proven track record of delivering successful marketing or recruitment strategies that drive measurable growth.
• Significant senior leadership experience within a complex organisation, including budget responsibility.
• Strong strategic, analytical and data-driven decision-making capability.
• Excellent communication and influencing skills, with the ability to engage at executive level.
• Experience leading and developing high-performing teams through change and transformation.

Why Join Us?

• Competitive salary
• 35 Bookable annual leave days, bank holidays, and 2 weeks off at Christmas.
• Professional development opportunities.
• Access to same-day GP appointments, high street discounts, discounted hair and beauty treatments, electric car scheme.
• On-site gym & florist (site dependent).
• Access to our In-house Food Hall & Coffee Shops.

Additional Information

• Safer Recruitment: As part of the recruitment process and in line with keeping children safe in education, we will conduct social media checks on shortlisted candidates. Additionally, before commencing employment, all employees undergo safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS.
• Right to Work: Applicants must be authorised to work in the UK. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

For an informal discussion or further details about the role, please contact:

***email_hidden***

Here at Doncaster College and University Centre we understand that choosing what to do next can be a huge decision. It’s not just about the course you choose to study, it is about the tutors, the experiences and the friends you meet along the way.

We have over 120 courses at full and part-time, from entry level right up to university level. As well as the vast amount of courses on offer, we ensure all our students get the right support and guidance whether it is through our careers service, our additional learning support, counselling, student finance and many other services all tailored to each individual.

Our exciting and modern campus is in a central location, packed with workspaces designed to industry standard. We work directly with employers allowing you real work experience and industry insight that you will not get from sitting behind a desk.

The Benefits

All employees at DN Colleges Group enjoy a generous annual leave allowance, as well as an additional 2 weeks closure over the Christmas period. We encourage all our teams to take regular breaks, no longer than 3 weeks, to enjoy a healthy work life balance.

DN Colleges Group are committed to Health and Wellbeing of all our employees. We have an increasing number of provisions exclusive to our employees, designed to help you stay at your best or to assist and provide support when you need it.

Health and fitness suite

Generous annual leave

2 weeks off at Christmas

Electric car scheme

• Vivup – Employee Wellbeing and Benefits platform
• Wellness initiatives, onsite during your working week. This could include health visitors, financial advisers, or physio specialists.
• Onsite fitness classes, at lunchtime or after work in conjunction with our Sports colleagues.
• Cycle to Work and Electric car scheme
• Free Eye Care Vouchers
• Discounted Hair and Beauty services
• On site nursery
• Online access to Remploy which is our 24/7 confidential mental health and counselling resource.
• In house counselling/safeguarding specialists to assist in Wellbeing

Lets Teach Programme

Let’s Teach The LET’s teach programme supports new members of teaching staff in terms of college systems and key teaching and learning areas including new staff lesson visits and postcard peeps. Each new member of staff has an allocated Lead Practitioner who works closely with them throughout the programme.

Let’s Bloom

The LET’s Bloom Programme aims to connect our experienced and qualified teachers to share best practice and support continued risk-taking as we continue to add depth to our teaching craft. Teachers volunteer on this one year programme, working closely with the Learning Enhancement Team, capturing their experimentation in a journal.

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