Marketing & Communications Officer

Shorefields; Hadleigh; Hybrid; GBP 35,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent pension provision

Annual Staff Awards

CPD days and mentoring

Free onsite parking

Eye care vouchers

Hybrid working available

EV scheme

Job summary

USP College seeks an experienced Events and Marketing Lead to plan and manage major college events, including Open Evenings, Graduation, and Student Awards. You will lead the creation of prospectus and marketing materials, and develop strategies to recruit and engage students.

You will analyse event data to inform future campaigns, oversee budgets, and maintain branding across campus. A degree or equivalent experience, plus 2+ years in events/marketing, are required.

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or equivalent professional experience.
• Minimum of two years experience in events management or marketing.
• Experience in developing marketing collateral.
• Demonstrable experience of running events from conception to completion.
• Excellent organisation and prioritisation skills.
• Strong communication across diverse audiences.
• Imaginative and practical problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to engage stakeholders and committees quickly.
• Self-motivated, energetic and proactive attitude.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage major college events such as Open Evenings, Graduation, and Student Awards.
• Lead creation of key publications including prospectus and event literature.
• Develop and execute internal and external communications strategies to support recruitment and engagement.
• Analyse effectiveness of marketing efforts using data from events and publications.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, and execution of recruitment campaigns and literature.
• Maintain strong stakeholder relationships to support marketing and events.
• Ensure consistent branding across campus during major events.
• Coordinate production and distribution of marketing content including photos and videos.
• Support innovative marketing approaches to achieve targets.
• Work flexibly, including off-site promotional events and outside standard hours.

Skills

Event marketing

Stakeholder management

Communications

Analytical thinking

Education

Degree or equivalent professional experience

Tools

Marketing collateral development

Job description

Position Start Date: Immediate Contract Type: Full-time Contract Term: Permanent

Application Close: 19/11/2026 Midday Date of Interviews: TBC

A role centred on event-focused marketing - Take the lead on the organisation and execution of major events, consisting of recruitment events such as Open Evenings as well as celebration events including Graduation Ceremonies. Communicating effectively and efficiently with attendees and wider stakeholders to ensure the success and monitoring of the event. Initiating new ideas, incorporating our brand, vision and digital expertise throughout all collateral, communication and events.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Plan and manage major college events such as Open Evenings, Graduation, and Student Awards.
• Lead creation of key publications including the prospectus, event literature, and marketing materials.
• Develop and execute internal and external communications strategies to support student recruitment and engagement.
• Analyse effectiveness of marketing efforts using data from events and publications to inform future strategies.
• Oversee planning, budgeting, and execution of recruitment campaigns and associated literature.
• Maintain strong stakeholder relationships internally and externally to support marketing and events.
• Ensure consistent branding and professional presentation across campus, particularly during major events.
• Coordinate the production and distribution of marketing content, including photos, videos, and promotional materials.
• Support and contribute to innovative marketing approaches to achieve recruitment and engagement targets.
• Remain flexible and proactive, including working outside standard hours and participating in off-site promotional events

The right candidate will have:

• Educated to a degree level or with equivalent professional experience
• Minimum of two years experience in either events management or marketing
• Experience in developing marketing collateral
• Demonstratable experience of running events from conception to completion.
• Excellent organisation skills and the ability to prioritise your work
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to communicate with a diverse range of audiences
• Ability to find imaginative and practical solutions
• Ability to engage and build effective relationships with stakeholders and committees quickly
• Self-motivated, energetic and proactive approach which reflects a positive, enthusiastic, resilient and committed attitude.

Why choose us?

Our strategy is to create a Career Focused, Digital Learning environment, ensuring that the learner experience and our relationship within our community, local and regional employers, are at the heart of everything we do. We are proud to be selected as finalists for the AoC Beacon awards for effective use of digital Technology in FE. Providing a high achieving, focused learning environment allowing our students to achieve the grades they need for higher educations, or the skills and aptitude required to secure a suitable role in their chosen career. Our college is set in the leafy suburbs of Essex, with easy access to surrounding areas and amenities, we are based in a well-connected location both by road and rail.

What we offer:

• A dedicated and friendly team of professionals who are keen to develop and learn
• Excellent pension provision
• Annual Staff Awards
• CPD days - opportunities to grow and development through mentorship and coaching
• Free onsite parking
• Staff appreciation days
• Eye care vouchers
• Onsite Starbucks & Restaurant
• Well-being days & activities
• Electric Vehicle Scheme*
• Discounted gym membership
• Hybrid Working available
• Fully immersive teaching rooms allow simultaneous online teaching at multiple locations
• Free Employee Assistance Programme available 24/7, 365 days offering legal & financial advice, as well as general support & guidance

* subject to terms & conditions

This role is considered exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. Which means that when applying for certain jobs and activities certain spent convictions and cautions are 'protected', so they do not need to be disclosed to employers, and if they are disclosed, employers cannot take them into account. Further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. It is an offence to apply for the role if you are barred from engaging in regulated activity relevant to children.

Shortlisted candidates will be required to complete a self-declaration of their criminal record or information that would make them unsuitable to work with children. Self-declaration is subject to Ministry of Justice guidance on the disclosure of criminal records, further information can be found onGOV UK

USP College is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults, we therefore expect all staff to share this commitment. The successful applicant will be required to undertake an enhanced disclosure via the Disclosure and Barring Service, and any other checks that the role requires to ascertain suitability for working with children and/or vulnerable adults, which may include online searches.

We will hold and process any personal data, including sensitive (special category) personal data, relating to you in accordance with our legal obligations, in the manner set out in the Privacy Notice for staff and in accordance with our Data Protection Policy, which is set out on the College's website,found here. You should familiarise yourself with our Data Protection Policy (and all other subsidiary policies to it) and comply with them at all times. Neither the Privacy Notice for Staff nor those policies form a part of your contract of employment.

All appointments are subject to safer recruitment requirements to ensure the safeguarding of children and young people. All positions will involve appropriate checks and clearances.