Director of Marketing Data Strategy

Director of Marketing Data Strategy - £85,000 - £95,000 – Permanent

Join us and be part of a mission-driven, independent publisher. You’ll work with a diverse group of people who share a passion for empowering researchers, educators, and institutions to shape the future.

About Sage:

Sage  is a global academic publisher of books, journals, and library resources with a growing range of technologies to enable discovery, access, and engagement. Believing that research and education are critical in shaping society, Sara Miller McCune founded Sage in 1965. Today, we are controlled by a group of trustees charged with maintaining our independence and mission indefinitely.  

Our guaranteed independence means we’re free to: 

• Do more – supporting an equitable academic future, furthering disciplines that drive social change, and helping social and behavioural science make an impact 

• Work together – building lasting relationships, championing diverse perspectives, and co-creating resources to transform teaching and learning 

• Think long-term – experimenting, taking risks, and investing in new ideas 

About our Team:

Our Global Marketing team is evolving how we use data to understand and engage our audiences. We work closely with Technology, Data, Sales, Editorial to build a joined‑up view of the customer and enable smarter, more effective marketing activity. You’ll join a collaborative, forward-looking group that focuses on improving data quality and strengthening governance to unlock the value tied to our marketing insights. The goal is to help teams make confident, evidence-based decisions.

Could you be our new Director of Marketing Data Strategy? Are you?

• An expert data professional with deep technical expertise and strong commercial understanding.

• Experienced in leading complex, enterprise-level data transformation programmes.

• Skilled in marketing data, including data warehouses, customer data, and audience data.

• Proven in improving data governance, data quality, and data hygiene at scale.

• Confident partnering with architects, engineers, and data scientists to deliver innovative solutions.

• Able to develop and implement data strategies and transformation roadmaps aligned to business goals.

• Strong in analytical thinking, translating complex challenges into clear, actionable recommendations.

• An excellent communicator who can influence senior stakeholders and align teams around a shared vision.

Your new role

As Director of Marketing Data Strategy, you will lead the transformation of our marketing data landscape. You will translate strategic priorities into practical, scalable solutions. Working at the intersection of Marketing and Technology, you will shape the target future state, anticipate risks and opportunities, and guide a multi‑phase transformation that balances immediate needs with long‑term outcomes.

• Translate marketing data needs into clear technical requirements, resolving ambiguity and ensuring shared ownership, scope, and success criteria.

• Partner with Technology to design and deliver the future-state marketing data environment.

• Build and maintain a strategic transformation roadmap, turning vision into prioritised, actionable initiatives.

• Strengthen data governance frameworks and resolve complex data challenges, finding opportunities for simplification, efficiency, and cost savings.

• Own and improve the quality, integrity, and usability of data within the marketing data warehouse.

• Ensure key customer and audience fields are consistently defined and available across email, CRM, web, partnerships, and paid media.

• Review and improve campaign planning, execution, and reporting processes to drive standardisation and efficiency.

• Lead cross-functional data initiatives, coordinating internal teams and external partners to deliver agreed outcomes.

Overview of Benefits

• 25 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) with 2 additional floating personal days.

• Hybrid working up to 2 days per week in office and a home working allowance.

• Life assurance, income protection, and travel insurance.

• Private medical cover and access to the company doctor.

• Tuition scheme and support for pursuing professional qualifications, including access to Sage books and journals.

• Variety of snacks and beverages available in the office.

• Healthy lifestyle reimbursement and anniversary trips.

• Access to Company loans (season ticket loan, rental deposit loan, cycle loan).

We’re a Disability Confident Employer (Level 1). If you’d like to apply under this scheme, please let us know in your application.

We’re committed to making our recruitment process accessible and inclusive. If you’d like to request reasonable adjustments, please email  [email protected] . Please note we only accept applications via email if an adjustment has been agreed.

Closing date for applications: May 24, 2026

To ensure we can give each application the attention it deserves, we may consider bringing the closing date forward. Therefore, we encourage you to submit your application as soon as possible to ensure it is considered.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

At Sage, we are committed to building a diverse and inclusive team and to sustaining a culture that celebrates diversity, encourages authenticity, and builds a deep sense of belonging. We encourage applications from all members of society irrespective of age, disability, sex or gender identity, sexual orientation, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion, or belief as crafting value through diversity is what makes us strong.