Senior Manager, Strategic Insights and Thought Leadership

ApplyBoard simplifies the study abroad search, application, and acceptance process by connecting international students, recruitment partners, and educational institutions on one intuitive and personalized platform. ApplyBoard is a mission-driven, hyper-growth organization. It has been attracting dedicated individuals for more than eight years who are inspired every day to break down barriers to international education and take their careers to new heights at a company that will invest in their career growth. Our six core values are our compass in our mission to Educate the World and the foundation of our unique company culture. As an organization built on a foundation of diversity, it's important that our team members are representative of the students from more than 150 countries that we support.

The opportunity:

This role is about shaping how an entire sector understands global education. We're looking for a strategic thinker with a strong analytical backbone, someone who can synthesize data, policy, and market dynamics into clear points of view that influence decision-makers. Strong, digestible data storytelling is central to the work in order to drive insight generation, interpretation, and leadership: define what matters, why it matters, and how ApplyBoard should lead the conversation.

You'll be responsible for developing strategic narratives rooted in research and analysis, then guiding a team to translate those insights into high-impact communications that influence institutions, governments, and industry partners.

What you'll do every day:

• Own ApplyBoard's strategic insights and thought leadership agenda, defining the key narratives, points of view, and industry conversations the company should lead across education, technology, and policy

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of strategic content creators, setting direction and standards while ensuring insights are translated into high-impact communications across channels

• Identify, source, and analyze first- and third-party data, market signals, and policy developments to generate original insights that inform industry reports, trend analyses, and executive-level communications

• Synthesize complex information into clear strategic perspectives, determining what (and why it) matters most to institutions, governments, and partners

• Guide the creation of insight-led assets (eg., industry reports, research publications, executive briefs, and select long-form pieces), ensuring depth, credibility, and relevance over output volume

• Co-create government relations and sector advocacy material for all major destination markets, in conjunction with ApplyBoard's legal team

• Build and refine presentation decks for key ApplyBoard events

• Champion the responsible use of AI and emerging technologies to enhance research, analysis, and distribution, without compromising originality or intellectual rigor

• Collaborate with marketing and design partners to translate insights into compelling formats and ensure ideas reach the right audiences effectively

• Conduct ongoing market, competitive, and regulatory analysis to identify emerging trends and inform long-term content, marketing, and positioning strategies

• Facilitate cross-functional insight generation, leading structured brainstorming and synthesis sessions to surface perspectives from across the organization

This role is not measured by content volume. Success is defined by the quality of insights, clarity of thinking, and the influence those perspectives have on the industry, customers, and policymakers.

What you bring to the table:

• 7+ years of professional writing and editing experience in a fast-paced environment, ideally in a tech industry

• Exceptional written communication skills with strong attention to detail and editing ability

• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to build trust and maintain relationships cross-functionally and with leadership

• Experience analysing, manipulating, and parsing data using tools such as Excel, Google Sheets, and Tableau is an asset

• Experience with marketing and automation tools, including Hubspot, WordPress, and Canva is an asset

• Demonstrated time management and multi-tasking skills resulting in the ability to hit aggressive deadlines

• Previous experience managing and/or mentoring writers and content creators

• Experience creating technical, editorial, and keyword-targeted content

• Strong understanding of marketing principles and SEO best practices

• Strong understanding of the international education landscape, esp. in relation to government policies

• Ability to translate complex information into clear, user-friendly content

• Ability to work well under pressure while producing high-quality work

The starting salary range for this role begins at 86, ,060.00 CAD. The compensation offered to the successful candidate will be determined through a wide variety of factors including but not limited to their relevant skills, knowledge, experience, education, and internal equity. More information about our total rewards package will be available during the hiring process.

About ApplyBoard

ApplyBoard empowers students around the world to access the best education. With more than 1,000,000 students from over 150 countries helped with their journey in less than a decade, we are just getting started.

ApplyBoard's global team assists students and our 1,500+ partner institutions by empowering the international student sector with innovative technology and insights. As a five-time consecutive Deloitte Fast 50 and Fast 500 ranked company, ApplyBoard keeps international students at the heart of everything we do.

Thank you for your interest in joining the ApplyBoard Team and being part of our mission to Educate the World. While we are lucky to attract a high level of interest in each of our roles, only qualified applicants will be contacted and selected for an interview.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, and/or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

ApplyBoard welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Accommodations are available upon request for candidates in all aspects of the hiring and selection process.