Job Description

Role Summary

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) is seeking an exceptional individual to lead its business development, marketing and recruitment strategy as it embarks on an ambitious growth trajectory towards 2030. This senior leadership role combines commercial strategy, student recruitment, and brand development with a strong focus on innovation, relationship management, and institutional visibility.

The postholder will play a central role in expanding BAJ's UK and international reach across its key academic areas: Jewellery, Business, and IT/Digital. The successful candidate will be a commercially-minded, data-driven, and creative leader, with a proven track record of driving growth in start-up or high-growth education or creative organisations.

This role leads on partnership development, marketing campaigns, brand positioning, and student recruitment, managing a team of professionals across marketing and recruitment functions, and acting as a key ambassador for the Academy.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Business Development

Lead and deliver BAJ's business development strategy, focusing on revenue growth through new programme development, partnerships, and commercial initiatives. Identify, develop, and manage high-value relationships with university partners, commercial organisations, and international education agents. Forge new B2B relationships to create a new recruitment funnel for key programmes. Develop new business models and delivery formats, including online, hybrid, short-form and industry-aligned courses. Represent BAJ at senior-level industry, education and commercial events in the UK and internationally.

2. Marketing Leadership

Develop and deliver BAJ's five-year marketing strategy, aligned with the Academy's growth ambitions and evolving brand identity. Ensure brand alignment across all physical and digital communications, campaigns, and content. Create and oversee the implementation of omni-channel marketing plans to support the recruitment of students across all programme types including apprenticeships, international, and online provision. Oversee campaign management, ensuring marketing content is data-driven, audience-focused, and delivers measurable outcomes. Manage digital communication strategies and embed a digital-first approach across all marketing activity. Commission and manage creative content production including video, photography, and online toolkits. Maintain brand compliance with relevant regulations, including CMA, data protection, and OfS guidelines. Build and maintain relationships with agencies, suppliers, and key service providers to ensure cost-effective and impactful delivery.

3. Recruitment and Conversion

Lead student recruitment strategy for UK and international markets, setting and achieving ambitious targets for growth. Manage all recruitment activities including open days, international fairs, and industry outreach, ensuring high-quality engagement. Build and maintain a strong pipeline of leads and partners, and oversee systems for managing conversions and enquiry follow-ups. Work closely with Admissions and Academic teams to align messaging and processes across the recruitment journey.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

Foster productive relationships with internal stakeholders including academic departments, operations teams, and senior leadership to ensure institutional alignment. Engage external stakeholders including university partners, employers, alumni, and education agents. Establish and support initiatives to maintain and grow an alumni network for long-term engagement, advocacy, and referrals.

5. Budget and Performance Management

Lead on the marketing and recruitment budget, including planning, monthly reporting, forecasting, and resource allocation. Implement data-led evaluation frameworks to monitor, report, and continuously improve performance across business development, recruitment, and marketing. Ensure transparency and accountability in all financial and operational decision-making.

Role Summary

The British Academy of Jewellery (BAJ) is seeking an exceptional individual to lead its business development, marketing and recruitment strategy as it embarks on an ambitious growth trajectory towards 2030. This senior leadership role combines commercial strategy, student recruitment, and brand development with a strong focus on innovation, relationship management, and institutional visibility.

The postholder will play a central role in expanding BAJ's UK and international reach across its key academic areas: Jewellery, Business, and IT/Digital. The successful candidate will be a commercially-minded, data-driven, and creative leader, with a proven track record of driving growth in start-up or high-growth education or creative organisations.

This role leads on partnership development, marketing campaigns, brand positioning, and student recruitment, managing a team of professionals across marketing and recruitment functions, and acting as a key ambassador for the Academy.

Main Duties and Responsibilities

1. Strategic Leadership & Business Development

Lead and deliver BAJ's business development strategy, focusing on revenue growth through new programme development, partnerships, and commercial initiatives. Identify, develop, and manage high-value relationships with university partners, commercial organisations, and international education agents. Forge new B2B relationships to create a new recruitment funnel for key programmes. Develop new business models and delivery formats, including online, hybrid, short-form and industry-aligned courses. Represent BAJ at senior-level industry, education and commercial events in the UK and internationally.

2. Marketing Leadership

Develop and deliver BAJ's five-year marketing strategy, aligned with the Academy's growth ambitions and evolving brand identity. Ensure brand alignment across all physical and digital communications, campaigns, and content. Create and oversee the implementation of omni-channel marketing plans to support the recruitment of students across all programme types including apprenticeships, international, and online provision. Oversee campaign management, ensuring marketing content is data-driven, audience-focused, and delivers measurable outcomes. Manage digital communication strategies and embed a digital-first approach across all marketing activity. Commission and manage creative content production including video, photography, and online toolkits. Maintain brand compliance with relevant regulations, including CMA, data protection, and OfS guidelines. Build and maintain relationships with agencies, suppliers, and key service providers to ensure cost-effective and impactful delivery.

3. Recruitment and Conversion

Lead student recruitment strategy for UK and international markets, setting and achieving ambitious targets for growth. Manage all recruitment activities including open days, international fairs, and industry outreach, ensuring high-quality engagement. Build and maintain a strong pipeline of leads and partners, and oversee systems for managing conversions and enquiry follow-ups. Work closely with Admissions and Academic teams to align messaging and processes across the recruitment journey.

4. Stakeholder Engagement and Relationship Management

Foster productive relationships with internal stakeholders including academic departments, operations teams, and senior leadership to ensure institutional alignment. Engage external stakeholders including university partners, employers, alumni, and education agents. Establish and support initiatives to maintain and grow an alumni network for long-term engagement, advocacy, and referrals.

5. Budget and Performance Management

Lead on the marketing and recruitment budget, including planning, monthly reporting, forecasting, and resource allocation. Implement data-led evaluation frameworks to monitor, report, and continuously improve performance across business development, recruitment, and marketing. Ensure transparency and accountability in all financial and operational decision-making.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Degree in Business, Marketing, Education or a related field (Essential) Postgraduate or professional qualification (e.g. CIM) (Desirable)

Experience

Senior-level experience in business development, marketing, or recruitment Proven success in a start-up or high-growth organisation Demonstrated commercial success in sales and partnership development Leading cross-functional teams in a marketing and recruitment context Campaign development and multi-channel marketing delivery Budget management and reporting Working within the education or creative sectors Managing international education agent networks Managing supplier relationships and creative production Skills and Competencies Strong interpersonal, presentation and influencing skills Strategic mindset with operational delivery capability High-level digital competence (CRM, CMS, analytics, AI tools) Ability to manage multiple priorities in a dynamic environment Commercially astute and results-oriented Analytical and data-driven with strong attention to detail Creative thinker with a proactive and flexible approach

Other Requirements

Willingness to travel nationally and internationally Availability to work evenings and weekends when required Alignment with BAJ's values, mission, and learner-focused ethos
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent

Pay: 65,000.00 per year

Additional pay:

Bonus scheme Commission pay
Benefits:

Company pension
Schedule:

Monday to Friday
Work Location: In person

Application deadline: 30/06/2025