Director of Market Research & Insight

King's College London is one of the world's leading universities, with a global reputation for excellence in education, research and societal impact. Located in the heart of London, King's is home to over 40,000 students and 10,000 staff from across the world and is consistently ranked amongst the UK's and world's leading universities.

King's is seeking to appoint a Director of Market Research & Insight, a strategically important leadership role within the Global Student Recruitment & Admissions (GSRA) Directorate. Reporting directly to Adrian Thomas, Executive Director of GSRA, the Director will play a central role in shaping King's understanding of global student recruitment markets, customer behaviour, portfolio positioning and future growth opportunities at a time of significant change within UK and international higher education.

The role sits at the heart of institutional decision-making and will lead King's Market Research & Insight function. The successful candidate will provide market intelligence and strategic insight that informs student recruitment strategy, portfolio development, pricing considerations, investment decisions and growth across undergraduate, postgraduate and online provision. Working closely with faculties, King's Digital, and senior university leaders, the Director will ensure that evidence, insight and market understanding are embedded within strategic planning and decision-making.

This is a highly visible leadership position with broad institutional influence. The successful individual will be expected not only to interpret and evaluate complex data, research and market trends, but to translate that intelligence into actionable recommendations. The role will help King's identify emerging opportunities, understand competitive dynamics, optimise its academic portfolio and help King’s enhance its position within an increasingly complex and competitive global market.

We are seeking an individual with significant experience in market research, insight, analytics or related disciplines, together with the credibility and leadership skills to influence at the most senior levels of a large and complex organisation. Candidates will bring a deep understanding of customer behaviour, market dynamics and evidence-based decision-making, alongside strong stakeholder management skills and a proven ability to translate insight into impact. Experience within higher education is highly desirable, particularly within student recruitment, portfolio development, strategic planning or market intelligence environments.

For a confidential and informal conversation, please contact Jamie Surgenor or James Ralphs within King's in-house Search team at kings-search@kcl.ac.uk.

Closing date for applications: Friday 25^th August 2026, 23:59 hrs.

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