Head of Marketing Communications (m/f/d) - #2225478

About

As a key member of the senior leadership team, the Head of Marketing Communications is responsible for leading the strategic direction, execution, and oversight of all internal and external communications across the school group. This role ensures consistent brand messaging, enhances the schools' public reputation, and drives stakeholder engagement to support enrollment growth, staff alignment, and overall organizational success. At the same time, it supports community-building, strengthens trust, and amplifies the group's vision for educational excellence.

This role requires a highly resourceful individual with strong leadership, self-motivation, strategic and analytical skills, 360° mindset, and a strong business acumen.

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a comprehensive communication strategy that supports the group's vision, values, and growth objectives, aligned with the group's brand guidelines and the specific needs of the education market.
• Ensure alignment of messaging across all communication platforms, schools, and stakeholder groups.
• Advise the executive leadership team on communication trends, risks, and opportunities, including crisis communication readiness.
  
  

Brand & Reputation Management

• Drive brand relevance, consistency and engagement across all touchpoints.
• Ensure that the corporate ID is kept up-to-date and implemented as appropriate.
  
  

External Communications

• Develop, manage, and implement annual communications plan.
• Develop and manage the annual communication budgets effectively, ensuring optimal allocation of resources to achieve maximum ROI.
• Identify, develop and deliver campaigns across all communication channels that drive brand, reputational and commercial growth.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with key media outlets and influencers (local, regional and international) to enhance brand visibility and reputation (Public Relations & Media Relations).
  
  

Internal Communications

• Ensure consistent, transparent, and timely communication within and across schools to support staff morale, clarity, and alignment.
• Design and implement internal communication frameworks that support organizational culture and strategic priorities.
• Foster a sense of community and shared purpose among staff, students, and families.
  
  

Digital & Marketing Oversight

• Oversee the development and execution of digital marketing strategies, including social media, search engine optimization (SEO), and online advertising.
• Oversee the performance tracking and analysis of marketing communications, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and driving continuous improvement through data-informed adjustments.
• Oversee visual identity, photography, video production, and digital storytelling across platforms.
  
  

Stakeholder engagement

• Elevate client experience, offering personalized and meaningful messages at scale, providing differentiated client treatment, and high level of engagement for all school's audiences.
• Strengthen relationships with key stakeholders including parents, alumni, governing bodies, business partners, and the wider community.
• Develop and execute communication plans for school events, partnerships, fundraising initiatives, and community engagement efforts.
• Ensure effective use of CRM systems to manage client data and personalize marketing communications.
• Act as spokesperson or communication lead in strategic partnerships and public forums.
  
  

Crisis & Issue Management

• Lead the communication response during emergencies or sensitive situations, ensuring clarity, timeliness, and reassurance.
• Prepare messaging frameworks and communication protocols for a variety of scenarios.
  
  

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Lead and mentor a team of communication and marketing professionals across the school group.
• Collaborate with admissions, academics, development, and operations teams to ensure communication efforts support organizational success.
• Manage external agencies, designers, and consultants to maintain quality and consistency in outsourced communications.
  
  

Education

• Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, or another related field.
  
  

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of experience as a communication expert in an international context (agency or client side).
• Strong experience with digital marketing forms and technologies (e.g. social media and content marketing).
• Experienced in crafting engaging customer journeys.
• Adept at crafting engaging messages and producing compelling multi-media content.
• Clear understanding of media (paid & non-paid).
• Education industry experience is a plus.
  
  

Skills Required

• Distinct cross-cultural and interpersonal skills
• People management
• High networking and relationship building skills
• Strong time and project management skills
• Flexibility in dealing with multi-functional tasks
• Excellent level of English (writing, speaking and presentation skills required) alongside an intermediate or better command of German
  
  

Competencies

• Able to adapt quickly to our international environment
• Mature discipline with a high degree of integrity and work ethics, self-motivated, ability to work independently
• Focus on continuous improvement
• Develops original and creative solutions to problems
• Shows initiative, ownership, and commitment
• Escalates opportunities to improve or develop new business with customers and/or business partners
• You can expect a challenging and responsible, international working environment with flat hierarchies and a performance-related salary
• A better work-life balance through flexible working hours and the option to work from home
• Your well-being is taken care of in the form of free drinks, fruit and healthy snacks, as well as discounted meals in our school canteen
• You will receive a subsidy for your private internet connection or your public transport ticket, as well as attractive employee discounts via corporate benefits
• To top it all off, you can look forward to free parking right in front of the building and the offer of a company pension scheme
  
  

TITL1_DE

Nice-to-have skills

• Social Media
• Execution
• Customer Experience
• Photography
• Video Production
• Team Leadership
• Leadership
• Networking
• People Management
• Multimedia
• Communication
• Campaign
• Project Management
• Writing
• Fundraising
• Marketing
• Digital Marketing
• SEO
• Social Media
• Public Relations
• Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
  
  

Work experience

• CMO / Head of Marketing
  
  

Languages

• English