Head of Admissions Basic

About the school

The Lisboan International School is the flagship European school within the Artemis Education network. Located in the heart of Lisboa, the school combines the entrepreneurial energy of a start-up with the backing of an established international schools group. Artemis Education places student development, wellbeing and learning at the centre of every decision, distinguishing the group from operators driven primarily by growth targets and financial metrics.

The role

The Head of Admissions leads the successful promotion of the school to drive student recruitment and retention. Acting as a key ambassador, the role delivers an exceptional admissions experience that reflects the values, excellence and personalised approach of a premium private international school. The position guides prospective families from first enquiry through to enrolment, combining commercial acumen with outstanding relationship-building, analytical thinking and operational excellence. The role has two direct reports within the Admissions and Administrative team and requires strong leadership, teamwork and organisational skills.

Key responsibilities

• Lead and implement the school's admissions and enrolment strategy to achieve student recruitment and retention targets.
• Deliver a personalised, premium admissions journey that creates a welcoming and memorable experience for every prospective family.
• Build trusted relationships with prospective parents, understanding their needs and confidently presenting the school's educational offering and community.
• Drive enquiry-to-enrolment conversion through a consultative, customer-focused approach while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism and integrity.
• Analyse admissions data, market trends, pipeline performance and conversion metrics to inform strategy and support leadership decision-making.
• Produce regular reports and KPIs for the Senior Leadership Team.
• Plan, organise and deliver outstanding events such as Open Days, private tours, education fairs and information evenings.
• Work collaboratively with Marketing, Academic and Administrative teams to align recruitment campaigns and ensure a consistent brand experience.
• Curate the annual school Outreach Strategy to cultivate meaningful partnerships that drive student growth.
• Develop relationships with relocation companies, embassies, corporate partners, nurseries and community organisations.
• Ensure the admissions process is efficient, compliant and delivered with exceptional attention to detail.
• Oversee the admissions budget and evaluate the return on investment of recruitment initiatives and events.
• Continuously review and improve admissions processes to enhance the family experience and maximise conversion rates.

Requirements

Essential

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, Education or a related field.
• Minimum of three years' experience in admissions, business development, consultative sales, customer experience or communications within a customer-facing environment.
• Proven success in achieving ambitious sales, recruitment or enrolment targets.
• Previous experience leading and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience organising premium events and engaging with international communities.
• Fluency in English and Portuguese, both spoken and written.

Desirable

• Master's degree or postgraduate qualification.
• Experience within an international school or premium education environment.
• Experience using OpenApply or other admissions CRM platforms.
• Additional language beyond English and Portuguese.

Skills and competencies

• Strong commercial acumen with highly developed consultative sales skills.
• Excellent negotiation, influencing and closing skills, with a proven ability to convert enquiries into enrolments.
• Outstanding relationship-building abilities with prospective families from diverse international backgrounds.
• Strategic thinking, with the ability to analyse data and develop effective recruitment initiatives.
• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, both written and verbal.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail and strong analytical and numerical skills.
• Excellent project management and event planning skills.
• Resilient, proactive and results-driven, with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining high standards.
• Experience using CRM systems, admissions platforms, Microsoft Excel and reporting tools.

Benefits & package

• Competitive salary commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• 100% school fee remission for eligible children.
• Private health insurance.
• 30 days of annual leave plus local public holidays.
• Lunch provided during term time.
• Ongoing professional development through Artemis Education.
• Opportunities for career progression within a growing international schools group.
• Employee wellbeing initiatives.

How to apply

Candidates can apply via TheTeacherJob or request the school contact after signing in.