Senior Programmes Officer: Marketing and Communications Programmes · London ·

The Sutton Trust; London; Hybrid; GBP 34,000 - 36,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a dynamic Senior Programmes Officer for Marketing and Communications. This role is pivotal in driving engagement and recruitment across impactful programmes aimed at transforming the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. You'll lead innovative campaigns that span digital, print, and events, ensuring the Trust's mission resonates with a diverse audience. Collaborating with a small, dedicated team, you'll have the opportunity to shape the narrative and reach of sector-leading initiatives. If you're passionate about educational equality and ready to make a difference, this is the role for you!

Qualifications

• Experience in marketing and communications planning, ideally in education.
• Strong copywriting and content design skills across print and digital.

Responsibilities

• Develop marketing strategies to recruit students to Sutton Trust programmes.
• Lead on creating engaging content for diverse audiences.

Skills

Marketing Strategy

Content Creation

Social Media Management

Data Analytics

Copywriting

Stakeholder Engagement

Campaign Management

Education

Degree in Marketing, Communications, or related field

Tools

Salesforce

Google Analytics

Social Media Platforms

Job description

Deadline: Midnight, Monday 26th May

The Sutton Trust delivers a suite of high-impact programmes in partnership with top universities and employers, supporting young people to access competitive courses, apprenticeships, and careers in the UK’s leading professions. As Senior Programmes Officer for Marketing and Communications, you’ll play a key role in driving engagement and recruitment across our entire programmes portfolio. You’ll bring fresh ideas, take ownership of campaigns, and help shape how the Trust tells its story to the people we support.

This is a unique opportunity to shape the voice and reach of sector-leading programmes that transform the lives of young people from disadvantaged backgrounds across the UK.

We’re looking for a creative, digitally savvy marketing and communications professional with a passion for educational equality. This role offers the chance to lead on campaigns that span digital, print, and events - creating standout content for diverse audiences focused on students but including teachers, universities, parents, and alumni.

This role sits within the Programmes Directorate, working closely with a small, collaborative team of six led by the Head of Digital & University Access. You’ll be line managed by the Senior Programmes Manager: University Access and collaborate extensively with the central Communications Team.

Main duties

Marketing & Engagement

• With a strong audience focus, develop appropriate marketing strategies to support the recruitment of students to Sutton Trust programmes with Programme Managers
• Develop creative content ideas and tactics to target key audiences including creating engaging copy and visual assets for marketing campaigns, including digital content (e.g. email campaigns, social media) and physical collateral (e.g. posters, brochures)
• Create engaging copy and visual assets for marketing campaigns and programme
• Support the capture of content at selected Sutton Trust events, including photography, video, and stakeholder feedback, to enhance marketing assets and engagement strategies
• Lead on the creation or commissioning of programme collateral and marketing assets
• Coordinate stakeholder focus groups (e.g. students, parents, teachers, alumni) to evaluate and refine our marketing and comms strategies
• Work with the central communications team to highlight our programmes and alumni activity in wider Trust communications and the media

Digital, Web and Social Media

• Ensure all programme information is accurate and up to date across the Sutton Trust website and microsites.
• Lead the rebranding and redevelopment of programme microsites and marketing materials in line with brand guidelines and with support from the central communications team.
• Work closely with the Senior Digital Communications Officer and Head of Communications & Advocacy to ensure brand consistency and coordinated scheduling across digital and social channels.
• Manage, plan, and create impactful social media campaigns to support marketing and engagement, with an increasing focus on video content.
• Collaborate with Heads of Department and Programme Managers to produce blog content that supports outreach, partnerships, and engagement.

Data Analytics

• Use internal data systems (e.g. Salesforce, analytics dashboards) to assess campaign performance and inform future communications strategy.
• Regularly track key KPIs such as application conversion rates, social media engagement, and stakeholder reach.

Other

• Keep abreast of digital developments, providing expertise to the wider organisation
• Work with the team to suggest improvements to our marketing and communications strategy
• Other duties as necessary from time to time

Person Specification

We welcome applications from individuals who have experience in:

• Experience in marketing and communications planning, ideally in the education or non-profit sectors
• Experience developing content and campaigns targeted primarily at young people, while also engaging diverse stakeholders such as teachers, parents, and alumni.
• Demonstrated ability to use data and digital tools (e.g. Salesforce, Google Analytics, social media scheduling) to drive communications
• Strong copywriting, editing, and content design skills across print and digital
• Experience working with brand guidelines and delivering multi-channel campaigns
• Excellent verbal and written communication and strong analytical skills
• High degree of initiative and the ability to take responsibility for discrete projects and workstreams
• Personable, flexible and discreet; able to fit in to a small team

We are also looking for an individual who:

• Is sympathetic to the aims of the Trust and its mission to address educational disadvantage;
• Has knowledge and experience of the higher education and/or education sectors;
• Has excellent attention to detail;
• Has first-class interpersonal skills - a natural ambassador able to represent the Sutton Trust in a range of settings;
• Is eligible to work in the UK(see here for information about right to work)

Terms of Appointment

• Salary: £34,000 - £36,000 per annum
• Contract: Full time, Permanent
• Office location: The Sutton Trust, 9th Floor, Millbank Tower, 21-24 Millbank, London, SW1P 4QP. Our home working policy gives staff the option to work from home for up to 60% of the time, with approval from their line manager.
• Hours: The standard working hours are 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday and may also be required to attend events / meetings outside of their normal working hours during weekday evenings and occasionally at weekends
• DBS check may be required

Scroll down to find out about our staff benefits!

Please note that your application should be submitted in one go - you can view the questions by clicking on the link if you would like to prepare in advance.

Interviews

Applications should reach us by midnight, Monday 26th May, with first roundinterviews held over Zoom on Tuesday, 3rd June, and second round interviews held at our London offices on Monday, 9th June.

Safeguarding statement

The Sutton Trust believes that a child, young person or vulnerable adult should never experience abuse of any kind. We all have a responsibility to promote the welfare of all children and young people and to keep them safe. Therefore all posts undergo a safer recruitment process, including but not limited to, disclosure of criminal records where necessary and eligibility to work in the UK. We have procedures in place to promote safeguarding and a safe culture at the Trust.

Contextual recruitment

The Trust is committed to ensuring equality of opportunity and that all applicants receive equal consideration for employment. We strongly encourage individuals from all backgrounds, including those underrepresented at present at the Trust, to apply for this role. As such we particularly welcome applications from people with disabilities, Black, Asian or Minority Ethnic backgrounds, LGBTQ+ and from different socio-economic and educational backgrounds. We are committed to being an inclusive and welcoming place to work and know that greater diversity will lead to even greater results for the young people we support.

We are committed to providing reasonable adjustments for disabled candidates throughout our recruitment process and during employment.

We also operate contextual recruitment at the Sutton Trust. Our application process gives you the option to include information about your background, such as whether you were eligible for free school meals, whether your parents went to university, or whether you attended a state school. For more examples and information on contextual recruitment, please see our website.