Student Success Manager

Job description

Overview Indigo Research is dedicated to transforming the education landscape by pairing high school students with research mentors to complete and publish research projects. We aim to deliver transformative educational experiences and cultivate the next generation of scholars. The Student Success Manager (SSM) is an essential, high-impact role responsible for guiding students through their research journey and ensuring their successful program completion, with a strategic eye on their research completion, publication and college admissions goals. SSM Role The SSM serves as the primary relationship owner for our students and their families, ensuring a seamless, high-touch, and goal-oriented experience . This role is ideal for a highly organized professional with a background in student counseling, advising, or academic success who can navigate complex educational roadmaps and manage high-value client relationships. The SSM will be the project management expert overseeing the student's entire research timeline, translating high-level program goals into actionable roadmaps, collaborating closely with research mentors, and ensuring the student's progress aligns with their personal and academic objectives, especially with an eye to university admissions. Key Responsibilities Student Success Program Roadmap Management: Guide students and families through their customized research program, ensuring all milestones (from topic selection to publication) are completed on schedule to meet the student’s goals within their chosen timeframe. Relationship Excellence: Serve as the trusted, primary point of contact for students and parents, proactively communicating progress, managing expectations, and resolving concerns to ensure stellar client satisfaction (including for VIP and partnership-referred clients). Strategic Intervention: Continuously monitor student progress, identify potential roadblocks, and implement timely, strategic interventions to get off-track students back on course. Conflict & De-escalation: Skillfully engage in conflict resolution and high-stakes de-escalation scenarios, demonstrating professionalism, empathy, and patience in all communications. Internal Program Coordination Mentor Alignment: Work closely with research mentors/tutors to ensure the mentoring relationship is productive, positive, and aligned with the student’s program goals and pace. Client Advocacy: Represent the client's voice internally, sharing critical student/family feedback with the wider team to drive service improvements and preemptively align on issue resolution strategies. Reporting & Handoffs: Utilize CRM tools to track and report on student progress, ensuring a smooth and successful transfer of the client relationship from the sales team. Operational Improvement & Business Growth Client Retention & Upsell: Contribute to company growth by proactively building client loyalty, facilitating retention, and identifying opportunities for additional service purchases or referrals. Process Enhancement: Identify, highlight, and assist in the implementation of service and operational improvements to ensure Indigo Research continues to meet the evolving needs of high-achieving students and families. Qualifications & Skills Qualifications Required: 2–4 years of demonstrated success in student admissions counseling, academic advising, mentoring, or program management within a high-achieving educational context. Strong Asset: Direct experience with the US college admissions process and/or international education systems (e.g., advising on Common Application, essays, extracurricular profiles). Technical Proficiency: Advanced proficiency in CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce), Microsoft Office Suite, and Google Workspace. Skills Client Management & Professionalism: Proven ability to build immediate rapport and trust with high-net-worth clients/families, command attention in meetings, and maintain a high level of composure in emotional or difficult situations. Analytical & Project Management: Highly organized with demonstrated analytical ability to recognize patterns, predict roadblocks, and manage complex, multi-stakeholder project timelines effectively. Communication & Negotiation: Exceptional verbal and written English proficiency. Proven ability to lead and negotiate, employing strong de-escalation and conflict resolution skills. Adaptability & Cultural Awareness: High degree of cultural awareness and agility to efficiently manage the dynamics of diverse international customers and stakeholders. What Success Looks Like Success in this role is measured by the ability to deliver predictable, high-quality outcomes for every student. Achieving target Net Promoter Scores (NPS) and response rates Ensuring 100% timely student progress and tailoring and intervention/s Utilisation of purchased support packages Continued progression of milestone targets and goals Strategic intervention to correct an off track student Identifying additional opportunities for student both locally and globally Establishing trust and rapport with families quickly and effectively Creating a successful transfer of the relationship from Indigo sales team Being the first point of contact for any family inquiries, complaints or concerns Providing consistent, proactive updates to families, minimizing the need for them to follow up Identifying and capitalizing on additional opportunities that enhance the student's profile Maintaining a high rate of client retention and referrals Appropriate issue handling and escalation, taking feedback and initiating change / improvements to service delivery where necessary