Deputy Director of Marketing

About ARU:

ARU is a global university transforming lives through innovative, inclusive and entrepreneurial education and research. ARU holds a Gold award for the quality of its education, awarded through the Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF).

ARU’s research institutes and four faculties bridge scientific, technical and creative fields. We deliver impactful research which tackles pressing issues and makes a real difference to our communities. Our academic excellence has been recognised by the UK’s Higher Education funding bodies, with 16 of our research areas assessed as world leading. We are the largest provider of Nursing, Midwifery, Health and Social Care students in the East of England, and we are also among the UK’s leading universities for degree apprenticeship provision, working with hundreds of employers across the UK.

About the Role:

We are seeking an outstanding Deputy Director of Marketing to lead integrated, insight-led marketing across UK and international markets and support ambitious student recruitment and growth objectives.

Reporting to the Director of Marketing, Communications and Recruitment, the Deputy Director will be a senior leader within the External Relations and Engagement Directorate. They will translate institutional recruitment priorities into effective audience-focused plans and lead specialist teams spanning digital marketing, CRM, media and faculty marketing. The role supports student growth and conversion across further education, undergraduate and postgraduate study, degree apprenticeships and distance learning.

The successful candidate will lead the continued development of ARU’s website and digital marketing strategy, oversee the institutional CRM roadmap and advance personalised engagement throughout the student journey. They will use data, automation, AI and predictive analytics to improve decision-making, conversion performance and maximise return on investment. Working closely with faculties, recruitment colleagues, international teams, agents and external partners, they will bring insight to portfolio development and student growth planning.

We are looking for a strategic and commercially aware marketing leader with significant experience of student recruitment marketing in complex organisations and international markets. Candidates will bring deep expertise in digital marketing, CRM, websites and performance analytics, alongside a strong track record of leading high-performing teams, managing substantial budgets and building effective relationships with senior stakeholders. 

For further information and details of how to apply, please visit andersonquigley.com, quoting reference AQ3717.

For a confidential discussion, please contact Anglia Ruskin University’s advising consultants at Anderson Quigley: Elliott Rae, elliott.rae@andersonquigley.com, +44 (0)7584 078 534; or Elyse Turner-Pearce, elyse.turner-pearce@andersonquigley.com | +44 (0)7808 648 559. 

The closing date is noon on Sunday 20th September 2026. 

Final interviews are expected to take place in person on 12 and 13 October 2026.

We value diversity at ARU and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We have a responsibility to ensure that all employees are eligible to live and work in the UK and will conduct Right to Work checks in line with UKVI’s Right to Work policy and our own institutional policy. Furthermore, we must note: 

• Applicants applying from outside the UK: At this time, ARU is unable to sponsor applicants applying from overseas for a Worker Route visa.
• Applicants already in the UK: ARU is unable to offer Worker Route visa sponsorship to applicants whose salary does not meet our minimum sponsorship threshold, which aligns with roles at Grade 6 and above.

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