Senior Academic Planner

Role: Senior Academic Planner

Location: Chengdu, China

Job type: Fixed Term Contract for 3 years – Full time

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst flourishing personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

The role

The Senior Academic Planner is responsible for guiding students through the full study‑abroad journey, from goal-setting and positioning to test planning, academic path design, extracurricular enhancement, and application strategy support.

This role requires a highly collaborative mindset. The Academic Planner must work fluidly with front-end consultants, application teams, and other colleagues to ensure every student and family receives an exceptional, seamless service experience. Operating in silos is not aligned with how QS delivers excellence; teamwork is central to the role.

Role responsibilities

Academic Planning & Positioning

• Provide accurate application positioning based on students’ long‑term goals, academic backgrounds, and target institutions.
• Develop personalised study-abroad roadmaps tailored to destination countries, majors, and competitive requirements.

Test & Course Guidance

• Offer structured planning for TOEFL, IELTS, SAT, GRE, and other standardised tests.
• Advise on school course selection and monitor academic performance to ensure students remain on track.

Background Enhancement Design

• Recommend suitable extracurricular opportunities and design personalised background enhancement plans.
• Provide ongoing follow-up to ensure engagement and progress.

Application Strategy Support

• Advise on university selection, major choice, application strategy, essay preparation, and interview readiness.

Progress Tracking & Family Communication

• Track students’ progress and ensure timely completion of tasks.
• Maintain regular and transparent communication with parents.

Cross-Functional Collaboration & Team Support

• Actively contribute to a collaborative team environment by supporting colleagues across functions.
• Proactively share updates, knowledge, and insights with front-end consultants and back-end application teams.
• Step in to assist teammates during peak workloads or bottlenecks.
• Ensure smooth handovers and integrated service delivery, recognising that student success depends on coordinated teamwork.

Team Culture Expectations

At QS, collaboration is core to delivering world‑class outcomes. All Academic Planners are expected to:

• Support teammates across roles and departments when needed.
• Communicate openly, share information, and co-own solutions.
• Avoid working in isolation when collaboration enhances outcomes.
• Demonstrate initiative in offering help beyond formal responsibilities.
• Foster a positive, solutions‑focused environment where collective success is prioritised

Key skills and experience

• Bachelor's degree or above, with an experience in academic planning or high-end application consulting within the study abroad industry. Solid understanding of the education systems and application frameworks of major study destinations (U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, etc.).
• Strong professional competency, capable of independently delivering comprehensive student planning, background enhancement strategies, and application guidance.
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills. Willingness to support front-end consultants in client engagement and back-end teams in application delivery, going beyond the scope of a single role.
• Strong sense of responsibility, with the ability to manage multiple students' timelines simultaneously while balancing student mentoring and parent communication.
• Open-minded and collaborative, eager to share expertise within the team and contribute to a shared vision of success centered around student outcomes.

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11 international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

We take investing in our people very seriously.

• Free subscription to the Calm App – the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
• A focus on welfare which is led by our global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally
• Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups
• Strong recognition and reward programs – including a peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual personal development event
• Support for volunteering and study leave
• Free subscription to LinkedIn learning – with over 5,000 courses and programmes at your fingertips
• Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive. 

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