Chief Marketing Officer (Founding University Launch)📣 Job Ad

About the Role

Qureos is seeking a Chief Marketing Officer to lead marketing initiatives for a new university launch in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This founding-level position involves establishing and developing the marketing function from its inception. The role requires creating and implementing a comprehensive brand strategy and marketing plans to meet enrollment targets, increase brand awareness, and achieve business objectives. Success in this role demands expertise in business-to-consumer marketing, digital growth strategies, and multi-channel campaign execution, along with the adaptability needed for a new brand launch in a competitive market.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the execution of the institution's brand strategy, ensuring strong brand identity, clear positioning, and market competitiveness across international markets and segments.
• Develop and execute annual marketing plans and campaign calendars aligned with enrollment and revenue targets.
• Design and implement marketing campaigns driven by customer insights, messaging, creative execution, and channel selection.
• Integrate digital lead generation campaigns into the overall marketing strategy.
• Act as the product owner for the institution's website and its digital presence.
• Support the planning and execution of key institutional events and activations.
• Own lead generation targets and collaborate with student recruitment teams to support enrollment objectives.
• 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 best practices.
• Build and develop a high-performing marketing team through leadership, mentorship, and performance management.
• Shape the institution's presentation to prospective students, families, and the higher education market.
• Collaborate with academic leadership, admissions teams, and internal stakeholders to create compelling messaging.
• Ensure alignment with strategic partners and external stakeholders on brand standards and marketing practices.
• Manage relationships with external marketing, media, and recruitment vendors.
• Develop and manage the marketing budget, ensuring effective resource allocation and return on investment.
• Provide reporting and forecasting on recruitment performance, campaign effectiveness, and digital marketing impact.
• Support the establishment of scalable marketing policies, procedures, and operational standards.

Qualifications and Requirements

• A minimum of 15 years of experience in marketing, with 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 brand strategy, campaign development, media buying, digital marketing, social media, SEO & SEM, website development, content production, public relations, event management, sponsorships, market research & analytics, and marketing optimization.
• Experience building and launching new consumer brands, ideally in 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 the education sector is preferred but not essential. Candidates from competitive B2C sectors such as telecommunications, retail, banking, technology, or automotive are also encouraged to apply.
• A Bachelor's degree is required, preferably in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field.
• A postgraduate qualification in Marketing, Strategy, or a related discipline is an advantage.

Required Skills

• Business-to-consumer marketing
• Digital-first growth strategies
• Multi-channel campaign execution
• Brand strategy development and execution
• Campaign development and management
• Media buying and planning
• Comprehensive digital marketing expertise
• Social media strategy and management
• SEO & SEM proficiency
• Website development and management
• Content production and strategy
• Public relations and communications
• Event management and execution
• Sponsorship strategy and management
• Market research and analytics
• Marketing optimization and performance improvement
• Proficiency with CRM systems, marketing automation tools, dashboards, and automated workflows
• Strategic thinking and planning
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to leverage insights and performance metrics
• Strong cultural awareness and understanding of consumer decision-making factors
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a strong sense of ownership and adaptability
• Fluent in English; Arabic language skills are an advantage.

Work Environment and Location

This is a full-time position based in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The work environment is collaborative, ambitious, and fast-paced, offering opportunities for professional growth. This role provides a chance to build and shape a new institution within the region's education market.