Head of Marketing & Student Recruitment

The Optimus Minds; Cascais; On-site; EUR 30,000 - 35,000; Full time

Job summary

The Optimus Minds in Cascais, Portugal, is seeking a Head of Marketing & Student Recruitment to lead its international education branding and growth. This full-time, on-site role focuses on crafting a strategic marketing plan, accelerating admissions and strengthening the institution's presence among local and international families.

You will manage inbound/outbound campaigns, SEO/SEM, CRM systems, and marketing automation to drive qualified enquiries and enrolments, while controlling budgets

Qualifications

• Experience in marketing within the education sector.
• Strong inbound and outbound marketing expertise.
• Demonstrable experience developing educational brands.
• Solid knowledge of digital advertising, lead generation, CRM platforms and marketing automation.
• Experience with marketing funnels and admissions conversion strategies.
• Strong analytical, organizational and communication skills.
• Fluent English; Portuguese and Spanish would be a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy and brand positioning.
• Lead SEO, SEM, content marketing, social media, paid advertising and digital lead generation campaigns.
• Design and execute outbound outreach, B2B partnerships and targeted prospecting.
• Collaborate with admissions to optimise enquiries and enrolment conversion.
• Manage CRM systems, lead nurturing workflows and marketing automation.
• Monitor KPIs, manage budgets and drive measurable growth.
• Strengthen the college's visibility among local and international families and partners.

Skills

Education marketing

Inbound marketing

Outbound marketing

CRM platforms

Marketing automation

Brand management

Lead generation

Campaign management

Analytics & reporting

Tools

CRM systems

Job description

We're Hiring | Head of Marketing & Student Recruitment

Cascais, Portugal | Full-Time

€30,000–€35,000 gross annually

An established international Sixth Form College based in Cascais, Portugal, is looking for an ambitious, strategic and results-driven Head of Marketing & Student Recruitment to lead its marketing activities, strengthen its brand positioning and accelerate student enrolment.

We are seeking a professional who combines strategic vision with hands-on execution and has proven experience in education marketing, brand management, inbound and outbound lead generation.

Key Responsibilities

• Marketing Strategy & Brand Management: Develop and implement a comprehensive marketing strategy, ensuring strong brand positioning and consistent communication across all channels.
• Inbound Marketing: Lead SEO, SEM, content marketing, social media, paid advertising and digital lead generation campaigns.
• Outbound Marketing: Design and execute proactive outreach strategies, B2B partnerships, email campaigns and targeted prospecting initiatives.
• Student Recruitment & Admissions: Collaborate closely with admissions teams to generate qualified enquiries, optimise conversion funnels and increase student enrolment.
• CRM & Marketing Automation: Manage CRM systems, lead nurturing workflows, marketing automation and reporting processes.
• Performance & Budget Management: Define KPIs, monitor marketing investments, optimise conversion rates and deliver measurable growth.
• Brand Development: Strengthen the college's reputation and visibility among local and international families, students and educational partners.

Candidate Profile

• Proven experience in marketing within the education sector, preferably international schools, Sixth Form Colleges, universities or other educational institutions.
• Strong expertise in both inbound and outbound marketing.
• Demonstrable experience managing and developing educational brands.
• Solid knowledge of digital advertising, lead generation, CRM platforms and marketing automation.
• Experience working with marketing funnels and admissions conversion strategies.
• Strong analytical, organisational and communication skills.
• Ability to combine strategic planning with operational execution.
• Fluent English is essential; Portuguese is highly desirable. Spanish would be a plus.
• Proactive, entrepreneurial and results-oriented mindset.

What We Offer

• The opportunity to lead marketing and student recruitment for an international Sixth Form College.
• A high-impact position with significant ownership and responsibility.
• An international and collaborative working environment.
• Competitive salary: €30,000–€35,000 gross per year, depending on experience.
• Full-time, on-site position in Cascais, Portugal.