The University At Durham University we are proud of our people. A globally outstanding centre of educational excellence, a collegiate community of extraordinary people, a unique and historic setting - Durham is a university like no other. We believe that inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham enables Durham people to do outstanding things professionally and personally. Across the University we have a huge variety of roles and career opportunities, which together make us a large and successful community, which is a key hub of activity within our region and nationally. We would be thrilled if you would consider joining our thriving University. Further information about the University can be found here. Find out more about the benefits of working at the University and what it is like to live and work in the Durham area on ourWhy Join Us? - Information Page. The Role and Department Durham University has an ambitious ten-year strategy (2017-2027) to achieve its objectives of becoming world-leading in research, teaching and the wider student experience. Successful implementation of the strategy is in part dependent on our approach to promoting the University in respect of: • prospective applicants to our programmes of study; • potential partners in teaching and research; • current and potential collaborators in business and industry; • current and future alumni; • potential employers of our graduates; • national and international policymakers and influencers. The over-arching ambition is to achieve a step-change in awareness and reputation of Durham University globally. The purpose of this role is to provide strategic marketing support to support brand awareness, global reputation, and student recruitment across the University, supported by responsive and expert marketing and communications delivery. The role is part of the Marketing and Communications Office and will report directly to the Deputy Head of University Marketing / Deputy Head of Student Recruitment Marketing and will also have a close working relationship with a range of senior internal stakeholders. Each Senior Marketing Manager will have an area of responsibility/focus which aligns with our strategic direction and objectives. These areas of focus may change and evolve based upon priorities. The responsibility of the function is to support the university to meet the objectives as set out above, through the provision of marketing expertise and delivery of targeted marketing campaigns and support. To achieve this, the Senior Marketing Manager will establish strong strategic working relationships across the University and work collaboratively with the wider Marketing and Communications Office, utilising expertise to develop, deliver and evaluate, amongst others: a) a strategic approach to marketing our programmes to, and assisting with the targeted recruitment of students in defined markets across the globe; b) promotion of the University brand, academic research, relevant rankings, USPs and key narratives to multiple stakeholders and influencers locally, nationally and internationally; c) proactive management of the University's global reputation through engagement with key audiences - both internally and externally. The key tasks and objectives of the role-holder will be agreed by the Deputy Head of University Marketing / Deputy Head of Student Recruitment Marketing, and they will work with the Marketing and Communications Office in collaboration with: • Senior Managers in the both the Marketing and Communications teams. • Professional Service/College Heads/Faculties, as required. From early 2025 the base location for this role will change from our Durham City Centre site to our exciting new professional services hub based at Boldon House. Boldon House is situated on the outskirts of Durham near the Arnison Centre in Pity Me. Boldon House will bring a number of professional services teams together in a vibrant office environment which supports collaborative working and is designed to embrace hybrid working. To find out more about this project, please visit this webpage: Boldon House - Durham University. Further information about the role and the responsibilities is at the bottom of this job description. Working at Durham A competitive salary is only one part of the many fantastic benefits you will receive if you join the University: you will also receive access to the following fantastic benefits: • 30 Days annual leave per year in addition to 8 public holidays and 4 customary days per year - a total of 42 days per year. • The University closes between Christmas and New Year - you will be expected to participate in an on-call out of hours rota. • We offer a generous pension scheme, As a new member of staff you will be automatically enrolled into this University Superannuation Scheme (USS). • No matter how you travel to work, we have you covered. We have parking across campus, a cycle to work scheme which helps you to buy a bike and discount with local bus and train companies. • There is a genuine commitment to developing our colleagues professionally and personally. There is a comprehensive range of development courses, apprenticeships and access to qualifications and routes to develop your career in the University. All staff have dedicated annual time to concentrate on their personal development opportunities. • Lots of support for health and wellbeing including discounted membership for our state of the art sport and gym facilities and access to a 24-7 Employee Assistance Programme. • On site nursery is available plus access to holiday camps for children aged 5-16. • Family friendly policies, including maternity and adoption leave, which are among the most generous in the higher education sector (and likely above and beyond many employers). • The opportunity to take part in staff volunteering activities to make a difference in the local community • Discounts are available via our benefits portal including; money off at supermarkets, high street retailers, IT products such as Apple, the cinema and days out at various attractions. • A salary sacrifice scheme is also available to help you take advantage of tax savings on benefits. • If you are moving to Durham, you may be eligible for help with removal costs and we have a dedicated team who can help you with the practicalities such as house hunting and schools. If you need a visa, we cover most visa costs and offer an interest free loan scheme to pay for dependant visas. Discover more about our total rewards and benefits package here. Durham University is committed to equality, diversity and inclusion Our collective aim is to create an open and inclusive environment where everyone can reach their full potential and we believe our staff should reflect the diversity of the global community in which we work. As a University equality, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) are a key part of the University's Strategy and a central part of everything we do. We also live by our values and our Staff Code of Conduct. At Durham we actively work towards providing an environment where our staff and students can study, work and live in a community which is supportive and inclusive. It's important to us that all of our colleagues are aligned to both our values and commitment to EDI. We welcome and encourage applications from members of groups who are under-represented in our work force including people with disabilities, women and black, Asian and minority ethnic communities. If you have taken time out of your career, and you feel it relevant, let us know about it in your application. If you are a candidate with a disability, we are committed to ensuring fair treatment throughout the recruitment process. We will make adjustments to support the interview process wherever it is reasonable to do so and, where successful, reasonable adjustments will be made to support people within their role. What you need to demonstrate when you apply/Person Specification When you apply it is important that you let us know what skills/experience you have from a similar role and/or what skills/experience you have which would make you right for this role. Further information about the role and responsibilities is at the end of this job description. Where a criteria has an asterisk* next to it, it may be given additional weighting when your application is considered. Your application should cover the following criteria: Essential Criteria Qualifications/Experience 1. Educated to degree level in a relevant marketing or communication discipline (or equivalent marketing and management experience). 2. Demonstrate ability to create and implement marketing strategies and tactical plans to defined markets on national and international level, with a proven ROI. 3. Experience of providing specialist marketing advice, training and guidance to a range of customers and colleagues, including more senior colleagues. 4. Demonstrate experience as a brand advocate and champion with internal and external stakeholders. 5. Experience of participating in internal or external networks to share and discuss good practice, develop strong and productive working relationships and positively influence the University's reputation. 6. Experience of implementing policies and procedures and supporting service improvements. 7. Track record of management and development experience. Skills/Abilities/Knowledge 8. Excellent spoken and written communication skills including the ability to develop effective working relationships, both internally and externally 9. Ability to manage and deliver timely integrated marketing campaigns - utilising a range of online and offline channels relevant to key markets. 10. Awareness and understanding of the activities, objectives and strategic direction of the University, both current and future, and the external operating environment of higher education. 11. Strong digital competence across a range of digital devices and apps including social media, digital communication tools, and Microsoft 365 applications. 12. Committed to continuing professional development to maintain professional recognition. 13. Extensive knowledge and experience of ensuring compliance with regulatory and organisational policy and guidelines. 11. Ability to contribute to evidence-based planning at operational and strategic levels, drawing on data, evaluation and metrics. 12. Ability to solve problems and decide on and plan appropriate solutions. Desirable criteria Experience of developing innovative solutions and practical implementations for strategic change. How to apply To progress to the assessment stage, candidates must evidence each of the essential criteria required for the role in the person specification above. It will be at the discretion of the recruiting panel as to whether they will also consider any desirable criteria, but we would urge candidates to provide evidence for all criteria. Please don't forget to check if there is any weighted criteria (see above). While some criteria will be considered at the shortlisting stage, other criteria may be considered later in the assessment process, such as questions at interview. Submitting your application We prefer to receive applications online. We will update you about your application at various points throughout the selection process, via automated emails from our e-recruitment system. Please check your spam/junk folder periodically to make sure you have not missed any of our updates. What you need to submit • A CV (of no more than two A4 pages): and • A supporting statement which outlines succinctly how you meet all of the criteria within the Person Specification. Please include relevant examples. Contact details For a chat about the role or any further information please contact: Lucian Hudson, Executive Director, Communications & External Relations - contact: joanne.chakal@durham.ac.uk Claire Hall, Head of Student Recruitment Marketing (Interim)- claire.hall@durham.ac.uk Vicky Fisher, Head of Marketing Business Partnering (Interim) victoria.fisher@durham.ac.uk Typical Role Requirements Service Delivery/Development • Show a commitment to equality, diversity and inclusion and the University's values. • Develop and apply an in-depth understanding of university policy, sector issues and external developments (regionally, nationally and globally) when carrying out your role. • Ensure that policy and regulatory standards are met by the ongoing development of standard operating procedures for activities, processes and transactions that are carried out in services you are responsible for. • Use your professional knowledge and experience as a senior marketeer to create and implement tailored marketing strategies and campaigns, resolve problems, shape processes and activities, develop systems and provide subject matter expertise and advice. • Use your managerial and leadership expertise to identify priorities, identify synergies and continue to shape your team to achieve the required outcomes. • Look for ways to continually improve services and take a lead role in the development and implementation of assigned policies, processes and standards. • Develop external relations, identify and develop opportunities for communities of practice, employers, businesses, alumni and donors via extra-curricular activities and increased levels of participation. • Ensure the ongoing development of tools and toolkits, together with appropriate training, and in place to ensure colleagues across the University can produce their own marketing collateral where appropriate. • Initiate and manage business process reviews and regular evaluation to improve the service in your area. • Ensure data (commercially sensitive and/or personal) is appropriately stored and managed. • Manage quality and regulatory audits of systems and procedures. • Support the welfare, wellbeing and employment of your staff by providing professional guidance. Planning and Organisation • Contribute to the development of operational plans relevant to your area. • Collaborative approach to pan-university working, to identify synergies across work streams and other marketing and/or communications teams, where common campaigns can be established and executed. • Oversee the analysis of data about the service levels provided by your area make recommendations for improvement in reports to senior managers and committees. • Allocate, manage and monitor local and project budgets, expenditure and resources associated with the delivery of marketing activity. Team Development • Manage and develop the people, performance and resources of your team to ensure that a customer focussed service is provided. • Ensure your team are appropriately and strategically deployed to deliver against our overall objectives. • Help shape the skills and expertise needed to deliver a professional service by recruiting, inducting and training team members and structuring the team in way that will best meet operational and strategic priorities. • Ensure that your team can deliver the required services by devolving and delegating responsibilities to appropriate team members. • Carry out regular performance reviews to provide feedback on objectives and expectations and identify any development needs. • Handle most HR issues and support the welfare and wellbeing of your team referring more complex issues to specialist services or more senior managers. Communication/Liaison • Use your professional knowledge to identify and recommend priorities for long-term business plans in line with marketing, recruitment and reputation building. • Provide professional guidance and advice when managing specialist services of the team, complaints, or referrals to other services. • Develop creative and innovative communications to promote and increase engagement for promotion and reporting purposes • Influence University policy, standards and governance by leading operational business meetings, working groups and sub-committees. • Create strong working relationships, including internal and external networks, using your networks to increase your knowledge and skills, swap information with peers and positively influence the University's reputation. • Represent Marketing & Communications and University at promotional events. • Identify opportunities to develop and increase participation in special interest groups. • Any other reasonable duties. Specific role requirements The role is based in Durham but travel in the UK and, where appropriate, overseas, will be required to deliver projects, take part in training and to build and maintain networks. We operate hybrid working principles. These arrangements are discussed and agreed with your line manager. You will typically be given at least 48 hours' notice to attend on-campus meetings. You are required to provide support for the University's Major Incident Response Plan and major reputational incidents during and out of office hours, including participating in a 24/7 on call rota arrangement. Please note that in submitting your application Durham University will be processing your data. We would ask you to consider the relevant University Privacy Statement Privacy Notices - Durham University which provides information on the collation, storing and use of data. When appointing to this role the University must ensure that it meets any applicable immigration requirements, including salary thresholds which are applicable to some visas.