UCAS is at the heart of connecting people to higher education.

UCAS is the world’s leading shared admissions service for higher education. We provide application services for UK universities and colleges as well as delivering a wide range of research, consultancy and advisory services to schools, colleges, careers services, professional bodies and employers.

We’re a successful and fast-growing organisation, which helps hundreds of thousands of people every year. We're committed to delivering a first-class service to all of our customers — they're at the heart of everything we do.

Led by Dave Penney, Chief Communications and Marketing Officer. This broad business unit and incorporates the following functions: 

•  UCAS Media education and industry Sales  
•  Education and Industry Marketing 
•  Digital Marketing Operations 
•  Events 
•  Partnerships 
•  Apprenticeships 
•  Public Affairs, Press and Communications 
•  Insights

The business unit is set up to deliver against the objectives of UCAS charity and operate UCAS Media (UCAS’s commercial subsidiary) to help fund UCAS’s charitable operations. For the charity, our objective is to provide everyone with the information, advice and guidance they need to make informed decisions on their next steps. We deliver on this via our media ecosystem which consists of information, advice and guidance on ucas.com, our social media feeds across various channels, email, live events and webinars.

For UCAS Media, our business objective is to generate revenue through paid collaborations with higher education providers who wish to improve their position in the market, and commercial brands who want to reach students. All brands wishing to use our media ecosystem and insight services must align with our framework. All profits generated are gift aided to UCAS the charity and in turn fund the charitable objectives, such as our recent announcement that students in receipt of free school meals will no longer need to pay the UCAS application fee.  

This post holder takes responsibility for leading on the marketing for one of UCAS key audiences (students, parents, teachers, providers, employers, industry/commercial). From building the audience to supporting them on their journey with UCAS you will work to support key milestones in the cycle, launch new products and drive traffic to the UCAS estate. This means you work with a cross-functional team across Content, Sales, Product, Operations, Events and more, taking responsibility for the audience marketing strategy from beginning to end.

Key accountabilities:

· Working closely with events, content, operations and sales teams to drive value for customers establishing the strategies for engagement and growth.


· Develop a well-structured customer acquisition and retention strategy to continually optimise engagement.


· Project manage both on- and offline marketing campaigns, specifically in relation to acquisition and lead generation activity, that actively supports the targets associated with the project.


· Define and lead on the development of the UCAS B2C brand/product story and proposition, bring it to life through engaging and creative content.


· Manage the development of all marketing activity through the creative and design teams, and act as the primary point of liaison with internal clients and external agencies as required.

For full job description, please see role profile attached.

· Educated to degree level or equivalent in a Marketing discipline or able to demonstrate an equivalent level of work experience. 

· Significant experience in either B2B or B2C marketing, with an in depth understanding of the education or youth market segment we operate in.

· Extensive digital campaign management and measurement experience.

· Detailed knowledge in aligning content and marketing activity.

· Demonstratable ability to manage multiple projects under tight deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

· A powerful and persuasive communicator, who can influence and inform internal and external stakeholders.

· Proven track record of results delivery and excellent project management skills.

· Extensive experience in building and nurturing both internal and external relationships.

· Demonstrable experience of leading or managing a team.

· Ability to think creatively, while also being able to implement outcomes.

Up to £40,000

·  Purpose-driven work in a charity-led organisation connecting people to education and opportunity


· Internal training, mentoring, and access to industry-recognised certifications through our development academies

· Hybrid working model built on trust and flexibility, with a 35-hour week and flexible contracts

· 30 days annual leave, 3 concessionary days over Christmas, bank holidays, and the option to purchase additional leave

· Everyday wellbeing support through Perkbox, offering discounts and wellness tools

· Onsite facilities including a subsidised gym, café, and free parking at our Cheltenham office

· Inclusive culture supported by employee networks, wellbeing champions, and Mental Health First Aiders

· Recognition and reward through our quarterly employee scheme and an ex-gratia bonus for going above and beyond

 Studies have shown that some groups of people are less likely to apply to a role unless they tick every box. At UCAS we recognise that talent comes in various forms and we are committed to delivering a fair and equitable recruitment process where applicants have an equal opportunity to demonstrate their skills. So, if you are interested in this vacancy, but don't necessarily meet every single point on the job description, please still apply.

If you have any questions and would like to find out more about the role before applying please email the Talent Acquisition team via careers@ucas.ac.uk