Chief Marketing Officer (Founding University Launch)

Role Overview
 

The Chief Marketing Executive is responsible for leading the development and implementation of the institution’s brand strategy and marketing plans to achieve enrolment targets, brand awareness, and overall business objectives.

This is a founding-level position, offering significant opportunity to build, shape, and lead the marketing function from the ground up. The ideal candidate will bring deep expertise in business-to-consumer marketing, digital-first growth strategies, and multi-channel campaign execution, with the ambition and adaptability required to launch a new brand in a competitive market.
 

Key Responsibilities
 

Marketing Strategy & Execution
 

• Lead the execution of the institution’s brand strategy, ensuring strong brand identity, positioning, and market competitiveness across multiple international markets and segments.
• Develop and execute annual marketing plans and campaign calendars aligned with enrolment and revenue targets.
• Design and implement best-in-class marketing campaigns driven by customer insights, effective messaging, creative execution, and optimized channel selection.
• Integrate digital lead generation campaigns into the overall marketing strategy.
• Act as the product owner for the institution’s website and digital presence.
• Support planning and execution of key institutional events and activations.
• Own lead generation targets and collaborate closely with student recruitment teams to support enrolment objectives.
• Continuously improve marketing effectiveness through innovation in reporting, automation, analytics, and campaign optimization.
• Ensure integrated delivery of marketing activities across all channels and platforms.
• Maintain a digital-first approach by staying current with industry trends, emerging technologies, and marketing best practices.
• Build and develop a high-performing marketing team over time through effective leadership, mentorship, and performance management.
   

Brand & Stakeholder Collaboration
 

• Shape how the institution presents itself to prospective students, families, and the broader higher education market.
• Collaborate with academic leadership, admissions teams, and internal stakeholders to create compelling, accurate, and conversion-focused messaging.
• Ensure alignment with strategic partners and external stakeholders on brand standards and marketing best practices.
• Manage relationships with external marketing, media, and recruitment vendors.
   

Budget & Operations
 

• Develop and manage the marketing budget, ensuring effective allocation of resources and measurable return on investment.
• Provide accurate reporting and forecasting on recruitment performance, campaign effectiveness, and digital marketing impact.
• Support the establishment of scalable marketing policies, procedures, and operational standards.
   

What We Are Looking For
 

Experience & Background
 

• Minimum 15 years of experience in marketing, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership role.
• Strong background in marketing strategy, planning, and lead generation across multiple markets and customer segments.
• Proven expertise across the full marketing spectrum, including:
  • Brand strategy
  • Campaign development
  • Media buying
  • Digital marketing
  • Social media
  • SEO & SEM
  • Website development
  • Content production
  • Public relations
  • Event management
  • Sponsorships
  • Market research & analytics
  • Marketing optimization
• Experience building and launching new consumer brands, ideally within startup or high-growth environments.
• Experience managing cross-functional or geographically distributed teams.
• Strong agency and budget management experience.
• Extensive experience with CRM systems, marketing automation tools, dashboards, and automated workflows.
• Experience in education is preferred but not essential. Candidates from competitive B2C sectors such as telecommunications, retail, banking, technology, or automotive are also encouraged to apply.
   

Skills & Capabilities
 

• Strategic thinker with the ability to translate business goals into actionable marketing and recruitment plans.
• Strong communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to leverage insights and performance metrics for continuous improvement.
• Strong cultural awareness and understanding of factors influencing student and consumer decision-making.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership and adaptability.
• Fluent in English; Arabic language skills are an advantage.
   

Education
 

• Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field.
• Postgraduate qualification in Marketing, Strategy, or a related discipline is an advantage.
   

What We Offer
 

• Competitive salary and benefits package, commensurate with experience.
• Medical insurance and standard employee benefits.
• A collaborative, ambitious, and fast-paced work environment with strong opportunities for growth.
• A unique opportunity to build and shape a new institution in one of the region’s most dynamic education markets.