Chief Marketing Officer

We are seeking an exceptional Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) to lead the global marketing and communications strategy across our diverse portfolio of 30+ higher education institutions.

This pivotal role demands a strategic, creative, and digitally focused leader who can blend vision with operational excellence. The CMO will drive brand strategy at a group level, creative excellence, marketing performance, and communications delivery to support student recruitment, brand growth, and institutional reputation worldwide.

Reporting to the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) for the Group and working in closed partnership with senior executives, Academic leaders, and institutional marketing teams, the CMO will lead a global team, working directly with institutional marketing leaders to ensure delivery of initiatives that drive brand awareness, student recruitment and revenue growth.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Brand

• Define and deliver the group-wide brand strategy, ensuring consistency while enabling local market adaptation.

• Partner with our institutions worldwide to embed brand strategy into recruitment and revenue growth plans.

• Champion marketing innovation, data-driven decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Digital, Creative & Marketing Excellence

• Oversee all digital channels to drive communications, student recruitment and engagement

• Lead the Group Creative Director and team to deliver best-in-class creative outputs and storytelling across all channels and working in tandem with our institutions, globally, ensuring cohesive brand positioning across diverse markets while allowing for localized adaptations.

Communications & Reputation

• Oversee group-wide communications and PR, including internal communications, employee engagement, and executive positioning.

• Lead multi-jurisdictional crisis communications in partnership with senior leadership.

• Drive ESG-related initiatives and communications to reinforce GUS’s commitment to

sustainability and social impact.

Stakeholder Engagement & Partnerships

• Act as a strategic partner to the executive team on growth, market entry, and programme launches.

• Build strong relationships across academic leadership, admissions, operations, and student services to align marketing with business needs.

• Engage with external partners, agencies, media, and industry groups to expand visibility and influence

Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and inspire a global marketing and communications team, fostering creativity,

accountability, and innovation.

• Work closely with institutional marketing and senior leadership to collaborate, drive

performance, campaigns and revenue growth.

• Invest in talent development and succession planning across the marketing and

communications function.

Performance & Growth

• Manage budgets and ensure strong ROI across marketing and communications investments.

• Use analytics and performance metrics to inform strategy and optimize campaigns.

• Commission and apply market research to identify opportunities for differentiation and growth.

Experience & Qualifications

• 12-15+ years of senior marketing leadership experience.

• Demonstrated success in building and managing multi-brand strategies and navigating complex, multi-stakeholder environments across diverse markets.

• Creative mindset with proven ability to deliver compelling brand storytelling and campaigns.

• Strong background in digital and performance marketing, and marketing technology.

• Proven leadership large, global and cross-cultural teams.

• Significant experience in communications, media relations, crisis management, and

executive communications.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with senior stakeholder engagement capability.

• Experience with data analytics, CRM systems, marketing automation platforms, and digital optimization tools.

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, or a related field required; MBA or relevant

postgraduate qualification preferred

Global University Systems equal opportunity employer. We provide equal opportunities and are committed to the principle of equality regardless of race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, citizenship, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, record of offences, marital status, family status or disability.

The post holder may be asked to undertake different or additional duties in line with business requirements at the request of their line manager. There is an expectation that all employees will maintain the values of the Group and will comply with the code of conduct as well as equality and diversity, health and safety and safeguarding policies.