Counsellor Team Lead - AU/NZ

About IDP

IDP is the global leader in international education services, delivering global success to students, test takers and our partners, through trusted human relationships, digital technology and customer research. An Australian-listed company, we operate in more than 50 countries around the world.

Our team is comprised of over 7,000 people of various nationalities, ages and cultural backgrounds. Proudly customer-first, our expert people are powered by global technology. Together, we offer unmatched services, helping local dreams become realities, all over the world.

Learn more at www.careers.idp.com

Role purpose

• Achieve short-term goals in Student Placement while executing the long-term strategy of the company to strengthen its position as a leading student placement service provider. This will be accomplished by balancing local customer needs with the global operating model.
• Strengthen IDP's leadership presence in AU/NZ, ensuring the company remains a key player in the student placement industry in these regions.
• Develop and execute destination-specific activity calendars to drive leads and meet conversion targets per intake.
• Provide strong business leadership, instilling IDP’s organisational vision and a performance-driven culture within the office team.
• Offer mentoring, coaching, and ongoing communication to drive high engagement and excellent business results.
• Build and maintain strong client relationships through ongoing engagement and support.
• Foster effective working relationships with country teams, including destination and marketing teams, to deliver optimal results.
• Contribute to creating a world-class operating environment by exhibiting a collaborative yet decisive operating style.
• Effectively implement global priority projects at the country/office level.
• Work collaboratively with the Student Placement Assistant Manager AU/NZ, country finance team and people experience teams to ensure compliance with all relevant country and local laws and policies.

Key performance areas & Responsibilities

• Timely preparation, in collaboration with Marketing, of intake-based pipeline plans and activity calendars.
• Execute activity calendars, ASCENT reports, Counsellor Productivity reports, and commission calculations as per defined dates and timelines.
• Achieve targets for Leads, Applicants, and Finalised volumes by destination and intake. Ensure positive client satisfaction ratings.
• Meet company targets for Staff Engagement ratings.
• Recruit, train, and retain certified counselors, ensuring project success across the region.
• Develop and implement office business plans aligned with AU/NZ market needs and IDP’s strategic goals.
• Set and track KPIs to ensure business plan alignment.
• Leverage knowledge, skills, and infrastructure across offices to enhance performance.
• Contribute to budget planning and monitor pipeline/revenue, collaborating with finance to ensure performance and corrective action.

Other Responsibilities

• Work with Finance and Student Placement Assistant Manager AU/NZ to implement accurate forecasting for pipeline and revenue.
• Cultivate a strong sales and service culture within the team.
• Develop and implement strategies to achieve sales targets, adjusting as needed.
• Partner with Marketing Manager to create lead-generation programs, ensuring adequate counselling capacity.
• Establish best practices based on IDP SOPs and boost sales productivity with CRM adoption and pipeline management.
• Lead a high-performing Counselling and Sales team, fostering an inclusive and performance-driven culture.
• Represent IDP AU/NZ in regional and global forums (e.g., AIEC, Going Global).
• Identify issues for escalation and provide timely feedback to the Student Placement Assistant Manager AU/NZ.

Required experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Over 5+ years of experience leading teams in a customer-facing, multinational environment, with expertise in business planning, budgeting, and tracking progress.
• Proven success in motivating and leading large, diverse teams to achieve measurable outcomes.
• Strong track record of managing diverse stakeholders (clients and students), balancing their interests while staying focused on organisational goals.
• Exceptional problem-solving abilities and experience with CRM systems is a plus.
• A principled, ethical leader who prioritises integrity and the best interests of the business. Values and promotes diversity within teams.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills. Proficient in written and spoken English.