Marketing Consultant

Cognita is a global leader in independent education. Founded in 2004, we are a growing community of 90 schools in 20 countries - in Europe, North America, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East - serving more than 100,000 students. Each of our schools are proudly unique, however our collective purpose is to create an environment where everyone can, "Thrive in a rapidly evolving world".

Marketing Consultant, UK | 6 month Fixed Term Contract | UK-based, with regular travel across our school sites | Marketing, Sales & Experience| Immediately available to start

Great schools deserve full classrooms. We're looking for a senior marketing lead to make that happen across Cognita's UK schools: sharper brands, stronger propositions, better-quality enquiries and more joiners. You'll own the strategy, follow the money, and show exactly what marketing delivers.

• Set the strategy. Turn Group and regional priorities into clear, school-specific growth plans across the UK portfolio.
• Make every brand count. Give each school a distinctive, compelling parent proposition, and hold a high bar for messaging, creative and content at every touchpoint.
• Drive demand. Decide the audience, channel and investment mix across digital, paid, SEO, social, PR, partnerships, events and offline, with clear conversion pathways.
• Own the whole parent journey. Work with Sales, Admissions and Parent Experience to understand what happens after the enquiry, and use it to improve lead quality and conversion.
• Prove the ROI. Set the KPIs, track cost per enquiry, conversion and campaign return, and give senior leaders decision-ready recommendations on what to invest in, fix or stop.
• Direct the budget. Put money behind the schools, audiences and channels with the biggest growth opportunity, and challenge spend that isn't earning its place.
• Partner with Principals. Bring customer, competitor and market insight to the table, and push back where the evidence says to.
• Turn schools around. Diagnose what's holding back demand, positioning or brand in priority schools, and lead the fix.
• Lead the team and the agencies. Set the priorities and standards, build capability and keep delivery high quality and efficient.
• Simplify. Share best practice, cut unnecessary process and reuse common content and capability wherever it improves quality, speed or ROI.

You're a commercially minded marketer who loves a brand and lives by the numbers. You can set a creative bar and defend it with data.

• 6 to 8 years' marketing experience, ideally in a multi-site, premium consumer, education, agency or service-led organisation
• A track record of building and delivering integrated 360 campaigns
• Experience working closely with Sales, Admissions, Parent Experience or other customer-facing teams
• Experience managing agencies, suppliers or creative partners
• Strong strategic and commercial judgement, linking brand and marketing to demand, conversion, enrolment, retention and return on investment
• A sharp analytical eye for marketing, customer and funnel data, and the knack of turning it into clear actions
• Excellent brand and creative judgement: you know premium, distinctive and effective when you see it
• The influencing skills to challenge Principals and senior stakeholders with confidence
• The ability to juggle multiple schools and priorities, and make evidence-based investment trade-offs
• A Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Business or a related field

• Competitive salary depending upon qualifications and experience
• Aviva Pension
• 25 Day Holiday Allowance + Bank Holidays
• School fee discount
• Exclusive third-party discounts
• Professional Development

Cognita Schools is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people. We expect all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. All appointments are subject to safer recruitment checks, including an enhanced DBS check. Our Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy is available on the school website. Details on Recruitment of Ex-Offenders is included within the Application Guidance.

We are an equal opportunities employer committed to diversity and treating all employees with dignity and respect regardless of background.

Early applications are encouraged, we reserve the right to interview and appoint prior to closing date for the right applicant.