- Job title: Marketing Manager
- Job Type: Permanent, Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm (including 1 hour unpaid lunch break)
- Salary: £45,000 - £50,000 per annum (£51,255-£56,950 if the full pension flex benefit is utilised)
- Department: Communications
- Reporting to: Head of Communications
- Location: Highgate, London
- Start: ASAP
- Closing Date: 22 June 2026 at 8:00 am
Apply here Back to all jobs
We are seeking an experienced and creative Marketing Manager to lead an ambitious marketing strategy that helps us reach the optimal pupil numbers for the school, as well as growing Highgate's presence across digital and traditional media.
The Marketing Manager will play a key role in the Communications Team - utilising their in-house skillsets across PR, Digital, Design, Illustration, Photography and Film to enhance the school's profile. As a creative and collaborative team, we take a positive, problem-solving approach to every challenge, pooling our skills for maximum impact.
The DepartmentThe Communications team at Highgate School works to support and enhance school objectives through strategic communications that engage a wide range of stakeholders. As a creative and collaborative team, we take a positive, problem-solving approach to every challenge, pooling our skills for maximum impact.
Shaping an authentic narrative that reflects the energy, curiosity and kindness of our school community is at the heart of the Communications vision. Through our social media channels, news stories, blog series, videos and photography, and school magazine the Highgate Journal, we endeavour to showcase the expertise, thoughtfulness and individuality of our staff and pupils, offering a deeper, more personal glimpse of life at Highgate.
"Highgate has allowed me to experience things I never would have dreamt to experience, meet people so unique I never would have approached them if I hadn't been in the same class as them, and given me a positive outlook on a future that is both wide open, and full of opportunity. Thank you, Highgate!,"
- A bursary recipient, class of 2022
Job Description
Main Responsibilities Strategic Direction - Design and implement a year-round marketing strategy to support the admissions cycle for every entry point of the School (Pre-Prep, Junior, Senior, Sixth Form, Occasional Places), maximising both application and conversion rates
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity and parent expectations within the independent school sector
- Work with the Head of Admissions to analyse and evaluate key admissions data to understand trends and ensure recruitment targets are met
- Share knowledge across the Communications and Admissions teams to ensure consistency and focus
- Collaborate with colleagues in the Communications team to pool creative skills and maximise the variety and quality of marketing materials
- Provide marketing guidance for our partner schools, commercial activities, fundraising endeavours, and other projects as required, to maintain a holistic Highgate brand
- Manage the marketing budget to deliver effective and targeted campaigns
Content - Ensure consistent, compelling messaging that aligns with Highgate's values and resonates with prospective families
- Work proactively to discover stories from across the school, both small and large, to generate creative and engaging content for a range of channels (social media, website news and blogs, Highgate Journal magazine, leaflets, brochures, videos and emails)
- Alongside the Head of Communications, co-author the termly content calendar to ensure a regular flow of content that reflects an authentic picture of school life
- Work strategically to explore Highgate's key messaging and themes, building a central resource of case studies, testimonials, statistics and quotations
- Plan and coordinate the photography and film schedule and assist the part time Photographer and Filmmaker by planning schedules and booking appointments
- Source promotional merchandise, as required
Campaigns - Plan and deliver integrated marketing campaigns (digital, print, events, advertising) to support admissions and brand positioning
- Oversee the production of key admissions materials, including prospectuses, brochures, leaflets and other marketing assets
- Work with the Website and Digital Content Manager to ensure that the website is up to date, engaging, and optimised for user experience and SEO
- Lead on social media strategy and content, building engagement with key audiences
- Develop industry partnerships to maximise 3 rd party endorsements
- Support the planning and promotion of key events, including in-house open days and admissions events, as well as representing the School at other recruitment events
- Work with external agencies where appropriate to maximise reach and effectiveness
- Analyse performance data and provide regular reporting on campaign effectiveness and KPIs
Stakeholder relationships - Build collaborative relationships across the School to enhance productivity and build support for Highgate's communications objectives
- Meet regularly with key departments in all three schools to stay on top of developments and new initiatives
- Work closely with Admissions colleagues including attending their weekly team meeting, to share knowledge and offer strategic solutions
- Make use of our CRM (HubSpot) to engage with prospective parents at all stages of the admissions journey to ensure a seamless and high-quality experience, from first enquiry to registering interest and attending events through to conversion emails
- Develop effective parent engagement programmes to source feedback, stay alert to issues and adapt tactics as required
- Build strong relationships with suppliers, freelance contractors and media partners
- Build a network of positive contacts across the independent school sector
Person Specification
- Criteria
- How will these be tested or verified?
- Qualifications/ Professional Bodies
- Essential
- Degree level academic qualification.
Desirable
- Marketing qualification
- Professional membership
- Experience
- Essential
- Demonstrable experience of working in a marketing leadership role, ideally within education or a similar sector
- Ability to vary tone and style depending on the format
Desirable
- Experience of working in an educational setting or working with young people
- Practical experience of using digital applications for communications
- Skills/Knowledge
- Essential
- Strong understanding of both traditional and digital marketing channels
- Excellent interpersonal and relationship-building skills
- Ability to analyse data and use insights to inform decision making
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to write and edit compelling copy
- An eye for detail and a flair for creating strong creative content
- Strong organisational skills and the ability to manage multiple projects
Desirable
- An understanding of and affinity for the independent schools market.
- Knowledge of admissions processes and customer journeys in education
- Experience of CMS platforms, CRM systems and marketing automation tools
- Experience managing events and high-touch customer experiences
- Personal Attributes
- Essential
- Strategic thinking with a hands-on approach
- Professional, approachable manner, able to relate to all members of the school community
- Proactive and highly motivated, with a results-driven focus on achieving admissions targets
- Creative and open minded, with excellent problem-solving skills
- Strong attention to detail and commitment to delivering excellent customer experience
- Confident working with children and young people
Desirable
- A genuine interest in education and the values of the school
BenefitsLocation | Highgate Village, adjacent to Hampstead Heath, with quaint shops and easy connections across London.
Pension | AVIVA workplace pension scheme offered with a generous 26% employer contribution, with the ability to flex up to 16% of this as additional non-pensionable salary, employees contribute a minimum of 5%.
Personal development | Comprehensive induction support for new staff. Focus on continued professional development for all employees.
Leisure facilities | Free access, at stipulated times, to our sports facilities, including a fitness suite and swimming pool (recently refurbished).
Lunch | A complimentary lunch.
Help with sustainable travel | Access to the Cycle to Work Scheme and a Season Ticket Loan scheme for public transport.
Family-friendly policies | Highgate appreciates that employees sometimes have family commitments so we try to be as supportive as possible, for example with enhanced maternity pay (8 weeks' full pay, then 10 weeks' half pay) and paid dependant leave.
Working at HighgateA culture of community, kindness and belongingHighgate is a caring, open-minded community, where we promote kindness, empathy and friendship. Everyone who works and studies with us deserves to feel they are part of a welcoming environment that enables them to be themselves and to thrive as individuals.
Our community extends beyond the school, through partnerships, charity work and our commitment to equality, inclusion and sustainability. All members of our school community are encouraged to look outwards and play an active role.
Following a visit from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI) in September 2024 to assess Highgate's regulatory compliance and school standards, we are pleased to share the inspection findings, which reports compliance in all five areas and a 'significant strength' in our teaching expertise.
Staff wellbeingHighgate is committed to staff wellbeing, which we promote by encouraging a strong work-life balance; trying our best to support flexible working requests; providing a nutritious complimentary lunch in the dining hall; and offering access to sporting facilities including our recently renovated swimming pool.
The Staff Wellbeing Committee, with representatives across the School, meets regularly to drive forward initiatives, and a selection of staff have been trained as Mental-Health First Aiders.
We encourage an open culture throughout our school, with regular staff surveys, action committees and opportunities to feedback. We strive for continual learning and improvement, and staff training and development is paramount. There are opportunities to participate in the wider life of our school, such as taking part in trips or societies and getting involved in partnership projects.
More details about working at Highgate can be found here:
Work with us Aims + Ethos
A fun, collaborative and forward-thinking environment with a real sense of community
- Philippa Studd, Junior School Principal
Charitable work and sustainabilityAs an independent school, we want to use our position as a charity effectively: to make high-quality education accessible to as many children as possible - through our bursary programme at Highgate and through our work with local state schools. We have partnerships with over 60 state schools across 7 London boroughs, and we are the principal educational sponsor for London Academy of Excellence, Tottenham - an academically-selective state sixth form in a community where such opportunities are lacking.
Alongside this, our staff and pupils undertake charitable activities throughout the year. These range from staff giving up their time to neighbourhood schools and charitable organisations, focused fundraising campaigns, to pupils undertaking community work in the local area or further afield.
As a school, we have a central role to play in educating our pupils, staff and parents about the importance of environmental sustainability. We are taking positive action to adapt our operational performance to tackle the negative effects of climate change. We encourage all our staff to reflect upon their personal and professional practices, to support our environmental agenda and to make positive changes wherever possible.
Application procedure- Closing Date: 22nd June 2026
- 1st Interview: w/c 29th June 2026
- 2nd Interview: w/c 6th July 2026
Contact: The Recruitment Team is happy to answer any questions about this post.
Early Application: Applications will be considered 'as and when' received and we may close the vacancy if we appoint before the closing date.
Apply here
InclusionWe know that more diverse teams are stronger teams, and that the more inclusive we are, the more our staff and pupils will feel a sense of belonging and will thrive. To enable us to make reasonable adjustments, please let us know of any disabilities (including neuro-divergence) when you submit your application.
SafeguardingAs this role will have regular unsupervised contact with children you must, if appointed, comply with Highgate's Safeguarding Policy and Staff Code of Conduct. If in the course of carrying out the duties of the post the post holder becomes aware of any actual or potential risks to the safety and welfare of our pupils, these concerns must be reported immediately in accordance with the Safeguarding Policy. If whilst in the post, Highgate becomes aware of any safeguarding concerns to staff, pupils or the community; these will need to be followed up in line with the safeguarding policy and code of conduct which is underpinned by KCSE and other legislation. These concerns may need to be shared with other agencies. A copy of these policies will accompany all offers of employment. Training will also be provided to all staff to support Safeguarding practice.
Please read before you applyHighgate is committed to the safeguarding and welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to this post, including checks with past employers, the Disclosure and Barring Service and overseas police check if necessary. Candidates from overseas must provide information about their past conduct, for example, by providing documents issued by overseas teaching authorities. DBS Privacy Policies
Please note that this role is 'exempt' from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and therefore, you are required to declare any convictions, cautions, reprimands and final warnings that are not 'protected' (i.e. filtered out) as defined by the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (as amended in 2013). Shortlisted candidates will be asked to provide details of all unspent convictions and those that would not be filtered, prior to the date of the interview. DBS Code of Practice
In accordance with the latest guidance from KCSIE, we shall be conducting online searches on any candidates who are shortlisted.