Directors of Marketing, Admissions & Development/Fundraising

Directors of Marketing, Admissions, Development & Fundraising

Finding first-class external relations professionals for your school

Whatever the shape, size and structure of your school, whether your external relations function is in its infancy or established, we approach each project with the same determination, commitment and attention to detail.

We can help you recruit:

• Fundraising professionals: Development Directors
• Marketing experts: Directors of Marketing and/or Communications
• Admissions professionals: Directors of Admissions

With 100+ marketing, admissions and development/fundraising appointments completed to date, our network across the education sector, both in the UK and globally, is unrivalled. We have an informed eye for the best talent and the best up-and-coming talent. We nurture rising stars as well as experienced, successful professionals. We know who is looking for a first role, or a new role, and who is not looking but could be the ideal person. Our search strategies are ambitious, far-reaching, persuasive and bespoke to your needs. Candidates trust us, talk readily to us and listen to us.

Please contact Nina Lambert, Head of Bursar, Marketing and Development Search, at ninalambert@rsacademics.com

Our service

Our service covers every stage of the process:

• An initial visit and in-depth consultation with all key stakeholders
• Drafting and designing the candidate brief and building a dedicated client page on our website with links and videos
• An extensive and far-reaching search
• Pre-interviewing the strongest candidates, providing detailed candidate profiles and recommending the best candidates to you
• Assisting at Governors’ long list and short list interviews, providing questions, tasks and presentation topics designed to differentiate between the best candidates
• Conducting personality tests, should you wish to use them, and interpreting the results of these for you
• Advising on safeguarding
• Gaining detailed verbal as well as written references,
• Assisting Governors with the decision-making process
• Providing supportive candidate stewardship throughout the process

We remain at your side at every stage. We stay very close to the candidates too, reassuring, encouraging and addressing concerns, so that there is the best possible likelihood that your chosen candidate will accept the post with delight.

Our approach

We put together a team of three to work on each appointment: a Senior Advisor or Consultant, a Lead Search Consultant and an operations team member.

Our Senior Advisors and Consultants are former school or education-focused external relations professionals with a distinguished track record of success in your target area, whether marketing, admissions, development, fundraising or alumni relations. Now trained in the skills of consultancy, search and selection, they combine lived experience of their own specialist area, with advanced dexterity in questioning techniques.

They bring a deep understanding of the challenges of the marketplace, a hawk-like ability to spot potential and an eagle eye for weaknesses & bluff. They understand the differences between schools and know the prerequisites for success. They appreciate that a successful school is also a successful business reliant on income streams from a broad range of external relations activities.

Our Search Consultants are experienced professionals trained in the science and art of search. They bring a deep understanding of schools and candidates. Our network across the education sector means our contacts reach into every independent school in the country, many maintained schools and all the major ones internationally. Beyond schools, our influence extends to universities, the finance sector, education technology, charities, law, industry, the arts and medicine.

The operations team provide operations and administrative support at every stage of the process, ensuring that everything runs smoothly and efficiently.