Careers Marketing Director, IELTS

Cambridge University Press & Assessment; Hartford; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading academic publisher and assessment organization in the UK is seeking a Marketing Director for IELTS. This role involves defining customer-centric marketing strategies, managing substantial budgets, and collaborating with global teams to elevate the IELTS brand. The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in marketing within the education sector and demonstrate strong leadership skills to drive team performance. The organization offers a competitive rewards package and values diversity in its workforce.

Benefits

28 days annual leave plus bank holidays

Private medical and permanent health insurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Group personal pension scheme

Life assurance up to 4x annual salary

Green travel schemes

Qualifications

• Proven track record in leading marketing strategies and campaigns.
• Experience with global education trends and compliance.
• Ability to inspire and mentor marketing teams.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute customer-centric marketing strategies.
• Represent IELTS at international leadership forums.
• Collaborate with global marketing teams and establish partnerships.
• Manage substantial marketing budgets for maximum ROI.
• Lead and develop a performance-driven marketing team.

Skills

Customer-centric strategy

Data-driven decision-making

Stakeholder management

Budget oversight

Team leadership

Strategic marketing

Education

Experience in education or assessment sectors

Job description

Overview

As our next Marketing Director for IELTS, you'll take the lead in defining and executing a bold, customer-centric marketing strategy for the world's most trusted English test. This is your opportunity to make a profound impact on a renowned brand that transforms the lives of millions every year.

Responsibilities

• Lead with Purpose: Champion a data-driven, customer-first approach, harnessing insights to create authentic, powerful brand positioning and messaging that inspires learners, educators, and professionals worldwide.
• Shape the Global Vision: Represent Cambridge IELTS at senior leadership forums and major international events, influencing the landscape of global education and making our voice heard where it matters most.
• Build Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate closely with marketing teams across Cambridge English, IDP, and the British Council. Develop and manage high-value relationships to align marketing initiatives and maximize our brand's impact in every region.
• Safeguard our Reputation: Be the guardian of the IELTS and Cambridge brands—proactively managing risk, elevating our standing, and ensuring IELTS remains the preferred English test for governments, universities, and employers around the globe.
• Deliver Commercial Results: Oversee substantial marketing budgets, drive measurable ROI, and directly support IELTS revenue growth through innovative, multi-channel strategies.
• Inspire High Performance: Lead, develop, and energize a talented marketing team—fostering a culture of collaboration, creativity, and continuous growth.
• Stakeholder management and influence: Build relationships and trust at every level, internally and externally, including cross-functional teams, C-suite executives, government, and regulatory bodies.
• Thought leadership and strategic marketing: Shape and deliver innovative, multi-channel marketing strategies to position the brand as a sector leader and influence industry direction.
• Expertise in highly regulated environments: Balance compliance with commercial opportunities and innovation within strict regulatory frameworks.
• Senior marketing leadership within a global brand: Experience in education, assessment, or international sectors is preferred, but exceptional professionals from other industries are welcome.
• Multi-channel & AI-enabled marketing: Lead integrated, multi-channel campaigns using digital platforms and AI-enabled tools to achieve measurable outcomes and enhance reputation.
• Commercial acumen: Oversee significant budgets, monitor ROI, and ensure marketing initiatives deliver value and impact.
• Team leadership and development: Nurture and develop a small, high-performing team in an innovative, collaborative environment.

Desirable qualifications

• Knowledge of English language assessment products and services (such as IELTS and competitors).
• Understanding of global higher education, international student mobility, and migration policy trends.

About the role and the organisation

Jointly owned by Cambridge University Press & Assessment, the British Council, and IDP Education, IELTS is the world’s most trusted English test for study, work and migration—accepted by over 12,500 organisations worldwide. IELTS helps millions of people every year to unlock life-changing opportunities by proving their skills to employers, governments and educational institutions around the world. We are seeking an inspiring and visionary Marketing Director to shape the future of English language assessment. As part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment, a world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation, you’ll join a collaborative team of over 7,000 colleagues spanning more than 170 countries. We support more than 100 million learners worldwide, helping them build skills and achieve their ambitions. Our commitment to reinvesting all profits into research and innovation ensures we continuously advance our mission to create exciting, relevant, and inspiring educational solutions for the world. Cambridge University Press & Assessment is an approved UK employer for the sponsorship of eligible roles and applicants under the Skilled Worker visa route. Please refer to the gov.uk website for guidance to understand eligibility based on the role you are applying for.

Why join us

Joining us is your opportunity to pursue potential. You’ll belong to a collaborative team that’s exploring new and better ways to serve students, teachers and researchers across the globe—for the benefit of individuals, society and the world. We welcome applications from all candidates, regardless of demographic characteristics. We believe better outcomes come through diversity of thought, background and approach and welcome applicants from all backgrounds and communities.

We will support you to be at your best in work and to live well outside of it. In addition to competitive salaries, we offer a world-class, flexible rewards package, featuring family-friendly and planet-friendly benefits including:

• 28 days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Private medical and permanent health insurance
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Group personal pension scheme
• Life assurance up to 4x annual salary
• Green travel schemes