Head of Marketing & Communications in Manchester

The Head of Marketing & Communications is the most senior marketing leader within TQUK and is accountable for shaping and delivering the organisation's brand, market positioning, and go-to-market strategy within a regulated but commercially dynamic vocational and technical awarding environment. The successful candidate will develop and execute a reform-aligned marketing strategy that drives qualification growth, strengthens market share, and delivers measurable revenue impact, balancing digital innovation with proven traditional channels such as events, sponsorships, and sector media. The role is based in the head office in Sale, Greater Manchester.

Key Responsibilities

• Market-Aligned Strategy: Lead a forward-looking marketing strategy aligned to organisational growth, vocational and technical reform, and regulatory expectations. Translate organisational objectives and reform developments into clear, compelling propositions for centres, employers, and learners. Ensure the organisation is fully prepared for qualification transitions, withdrawals, and launches driven by policy or funding change. Provide strategic insight to Executive, Product, and Leadership teams on market trends, customer behaviour, and competitive response to reform.
• Brand Positioning & Regulatory Credibility: Own and protect the TQUK brand strategy, ensuring clarity of purpose, strong differentiation, and sector credibility across all channels. Safeguard organisational reputation through compliant, transparent, and responsible communications. Shape the organisation's narrative within the wider skills ecosystem, including providers, employers, government and regulators. Position TQUK as a leader in awarding, assessment innovation, and employer-relevant skills solutions, grounded in integrity and trust.
• Commercial Growth & Competitive Performance: Lead an insight-driven strategy across priority sectors and customer segments to accelerate growth. Establish measurable marketing contribution to revenue, market share and customer retention. Develop agile, responsive campaign frameworks that adapt quickly to competitive activity and evolving customer behaviour. Ensure all marketing investment is evidence-based, commercially sound, and supports long-term sustainable growth.
• Integrated Go-to-Market Delivery: Lead go-to-market strategies for new products, qualification launches and regulatory changes. Work closely with the Commercial Director and partner closely with Product, Commercial, Business Development and Customer teams to align proposition, pricing, messaging and launch timing. Ensure customer journey design supports centre onboarding, conversion and long-term retention. Manage the marketing budget and provide regular financial reporting to the Board on spend effectiveness and impact.
• Market Intelligence & Growth Insight: Collaborate with Business Intelligence to deliver structured competitor, customer and sector analysis across vocational and technical education. Ensure customer insight informs portfolio development, campaign prioritisation, and commercial decision making. Present market and reform intelligence to leadership to support risk management, investment decisions and strategic planning.
• Leadership & Capability: Lead, mentor and develop a high-performing marketing team with strong digital, content, events and campaign capability. Embed commercial discipline, performance measurement and accountability across the function. Foster a culture of creativity, innovation and data-driven decision-making. Represent TQUK as a senior ambassador with sector stakeholders where appropriate.
• Internal Communications & Culture Alignment: Partner with People teams to ensure internal communications reinforce organisational values, change programmes and strategic priorities. Support organisation-wide understanding of market position, growth plans and qualification strategy.
• Partnership & Commercial Support: Work closely with commercial, business development and relationship management teams to support centre acquisition and retention. Develop partnership marketing strategies with employers, training providers, industry groups and technology vendors. Strengthen tender responses with targeted marketing intelligence and aligned messaging.
• Performance Measurement & ROI: Define KPIs and dashboards to measure the effectiveness of all marketing activity. Monitor campaign performance, customer engagement, brand awareness and lead conversion. Provide evidence-based recommendations to optimise performance and guide future investment.
• Cultural and Communication Expectations: Drive a culture of continuous improvement, efficiency and value for money, creating psychological safety for others and challenging the status quo. Use the non-negotiables to inform all decisions and actions. Influence others by holding them to account. Take quick, confident decisions at a strategic level to move things forward. Define and integrate clear structures, systems and resources across the Pillars to promote efficient service delivery. Represent TQUK, speaking credibly and authoritatively on behalf of the Executive Team as required.

Benefits

• 25 days annual leave plus 8 days Bank Holiday (33 in total)
• 3 days holiday awarded after long service
• 1 day off to celebrate your birthday
• BUPA Private Medical Insurance
• BUPA Healthcare Cash Plan
• Life Insurance
• Income Protection Insurance
• Annual Loyalty Bonus
• NEST pension
• Employer-supported volunteering

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience, ideally within an awarding organisation or regulatory environment.
• Strong understanding of qualification development, endorsed product design, learning resource creation and Ofqual/CCEA regulatory requirements.
• Analytical skills with the ability to interpret complex data and make evidence-based decisions.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to engage diverse stakeholders.
• Experience leading teams through change and fostering innovative, improvement-focused cultures.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities.
• Knowledge of the vocational education landscape and current sector reforms.
• Highly organised with exceptional attention to detail and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-moving environment.
• Bold, decisive, and commercially minded, with a strong sense of ownership and accountability.
• Energetic, ambitious and driven by results, with a “make it happen” mindset.
• Self-motivated and proactive, able to work independently while fostering strong cross-functional collaboration.
• Strategic thinker with strong communication and influencing skills, able to simplify complexity and inspire confidence.
• Resilient and adaptable, comfortable navigating evolving policy landscapes and shifting market conditions.
• Creative and innovative, with the ability to blend modern digital marketing approaches with traditional education-sector channels such as events, sponsorships and media partnerships.

Equal Opportunities

We are an equal opportunities employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. If you require any additional support during the recruitment process due to a disability, please contact us so we can assist you.