External Relations & Outreach Officer in Leicester

Fairfield School of Business (FSB) is an ambitious, community-focused higher education provider committed to making high-quality higher education accessible to people from all backgrounds.

Working with UK university partners, FSB delivers industry-relevant programmes to a diverse student community, including many learners taking non-traditional routes into higher education.

FSB is committed to developing strong relationships not only with recruitment outreach partners, but also with local organisations, community groups, employers, charities, schools, colleges and other stakeholders.

Through meaningful engagement with local communities, FSB aims to raise awareness of higher education opportunities and create accessible pathways into further study.

Job Purpose

The External Relations & Outreach Officer will be responsible for managing and developing relationships with recruitment outreach partners, local organisations and community stakeholders to support high-quality student applications, improve conversion rates, strengthen FSB’s presence within local communities, and contribute to agreed recruitment and engagement targets.

Responsibilities (Not limited to)

• Outreach Partners Sourcing and Expansion
• Identify, evaluate and onboard new recruitment outreach partners to diversify and strengthen the student recruitment pipeline and make recommendations to the Admissions Manager and/or senior authorised member of staff for approval and onboarding.
• Conduct appropriate due diligence and performance assessments for prospective outreach partners to ensure quality, compliance and alignment with FSB’s objectives and provide findings and recommendations to the Admissions Manager and/or senior authorised member of staff for review and approval.
• Develop and maintain a strong network of outreach partners across relevant markets and communities.
• Identify new opportunities to expand FSB’s reach through outreach partnerships and community-based recruitment activity.
• Outreach Reach Partner Relationship Management
• Regularly communicate with outreach partners via phone, email, online meetings and scheduled visits to their offices.
• Host outreach partners at FSB campuses for face-to-face meetings, presentations, briefings and campus tours.
• Maintain professional, productive and mutually beneficial relationships with all outreach partners.
• Provide outreach partners with appropriate training and information regarding FSB, its programmes, entry requirements, admissions processes and relevant policies.
• Local Community Engagement and Partnerships
• Develop and maintain positive relationships with local organisations, community groups, charities, schools, colleges, employers, voluntary organisations and other relevant community stakeholders.
• Identify opportunities for FSB to engage directly with local communities and increase awareness of higher education opportunities.
• Attend and support local community events, careers fairs, education events, information sessions and other outreach activities.
• Build relationships with organisations that support individuals who may face barriers to accessing higher education.
• Work collaboratively with local organisations to identify opportunities to provide information, guidance and pathways into higher education.
• Develop community-focused outreach activities that reflect the needs and priorities of the communities FSB serves.
• Encourage greater participation in higher education by engaging with individuals and groups who may be underrepresented in higher education.
• Represent FSB positively within local communities.
• Gather feedback from local organisations and community members to understand local needs, challenges and opportunities.
• Develop longer-term partnerships with community organisations to create sustainable engagement and progression opportunities.
• Performance Monitoring
• Track and monitor outreach partner performance against agreed recruitment targets.
• Monitor engagement activity with local organisations and community stakeholders.
• Prepare regular performance and engagement reports highlighting progress, challenges, opportunities and areas for improvement.
• Provide feedback and recommendations to management regarding outreach partner performance and relationship development.
• Monitor the effectiveness of community outreach activities and make recommendations for future activity.
• Maintain accurate records of outreach partners, community organisations, events, meetings and engagement activity.
• Admissions and Finance Support
• Serve as the first point of contact for outreach partners regarding application processes, document submissions and offer issuance.
• Liaise with the Admissions team to resolve application and documentation queries efficiently.
• Liaise with Finance to ensure outreach partner commission queries and payments are processed efficiently and accurately.
• Resolve issues raised by outreach partners promptly, maintaining high levels of service and professionalism.
• Ensure that information provided to outreach partners and external stakeholders is accurate and consistent with FSB policies and procedures.
• Operational and Strategic Support
• Collaborate with Admissions, Marketing, Finance and Recruitment teams to ensure consistent messaging and streamlined processes.
• Support recruitment events, open days, community events, information sessions and outreach activities
• Support the development of external engagement initiatives that strengthen FSB’s profile within local communities.
• Provide insight into market trends, outreach partner feedback, local community needs and competitor activity to inform strategic decisions.
• Identify emerging opportunities for FSB to develop new external partnerships and community engagement initiatives.
• Contribute to the development and implementation of outreach and engagement strategies.
• Represent FSB at external meetings, networking events and relevant community and education forums.