Head of Marketing

About SPARK Schools:

SPARK Schools is a social impact disruptor leading change in the education space through its network of affordable private schools. The SPARK Schools network provides transformational education innovation through Africa’s first blended learning model, which elevates student achievement and provides the tools teachers need to serve their students effectively.

The blended learning model combines classroom teaching and online instruction, allowing teachers to anticipate student needs and equipping schools to provide personalized education at an affordable cost. SPARK Schools is pioneering this transformative education model to ensure the accessibility of university and careers for all.

SPARK Schools has a culture of collaboration, as getting South Africa to lead global education takes a team effort. We are innovators who strive for excellence through persistence and a sense of urgency to achieve SPARK Schools’ vision, mission, and social transformational objectives. Our work environment is vibrant, fast-paced, engaging, tech-enabled, and data-driven.

SPARK Schools is a high-growth, mission and values-driven, entrepreneurial organization, operating 21 primary schools and 5 high schools and serving over 18,000 families. We are looking for dynamic people to join our team.

Reports To: South Africa Managing Director (SA MD)

Purpose of Role:

The Head of Marketing role is responsible for driving revenue generation and enhancing SPARK Schools' brand presence by overseeing all marketing, communications, and digital lead generation strategies. This role focuses heavily on digital marketing to ensure effective customer acquisition and long-term growth. The goal is to maintain full school enrollment and build a strong, credible reputation within SPARK's surrounding communities through innovative and data-driven marketing campaigns.

Responsibilities:

Marketing Strategy & Objectives:

- Define and execute marketing strategies to support SPARK Schools' growth objectives, with a significant focus on digital platforms.
- Set annual marketing goals that align with business objectives, ensuring digital marketing is central to both customer acquisition and retention.

Digital-First Go-to-Market Strategies:

- Lead go-to-market strategies for new product launches, services, and campaigns with a focus on digital channels (SEO, SEM, social media, email marketing, and performance marketing).
- Collaborate with creative and media agencies to develop omnichannel marketing strategies that drive digital lead generation and customer acquisition.

ATL and BTL Campaigns:

- Develop and execute Above-the-Line (ATL) and Below-the-Line (BTL) strategies that integrate traditional and digital marketing approaches.
- Continuously analyze and optimize campaign performance, ensuring high ROI from digital channels and strategic use of data analytics.

Customer Journey Management:

- Full ownership of the end-to-end customer journey across awareness, exploration, and consideration stages, with a focus on digital touchpoints.
- Ensure proper implementation and optimization of digital tools, including the SPARK Schools website, CRM, email automation, and data-driven customer insights.

Digital Performance & Analytics:

- Oversee the creation and maintenance of dashboards to track key digital marketing metrics and KPIs (e.g., conversion rates, cost per lead, and traffic sources).
- Leverage marketing analytics to make real-time decisions and optimize digital strategies.

Team Leadership & Development:

- Build, mentor, and lead a high-performing marketing team, with specialized roles in digital marketing, data analytics, and content creation.
- Align the team’s growth with SPARK’s expanding footprint, ensuring continuous learning in digital tools and strategies.

Market Trends & Competitor Analysis:

- Stay on top of the latest digital marketing trends, competitor strategies, and consumer behaviors to ensure SPARK remains competitive.
- Apply insights from market research, with a strong focus on digital channels, to inform and adjust marketing tactics.

Budgeting & Resource Allocation:

- Manage and allocate the marketing budget with a focus on optimizing spend on digital channels.
- Ensure efficient tracking of digital campaign performance to make data-informed financial decisions.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

- Build strong relationships with internal departments, including Product, Sales, and IT, to ensure alignment of marketing initiatives, particularly in digital lead generation and website optimization.

Reporting & Communication:

- Provide regular reports on marketing performance, with an emphasis on digital results (e.g., online engagement, lead generation, digital ROI).
- Communicate effectively with senior leadership on key marketing strategies, wins, and opportunities, focusing on the impact of digital marketing.

Qualifications and Criteria:

The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and criteria:

- A bachelor's degree, or equivalent qualification in Business Administration, Marketing, Advertising, Commerce or related field
- Post-graduate/Master's Degree advantageous

Competencies:

- 10+ years of experience building, scaling, and leading high-performance marketing teams - 5 of which must be at a senior or executive level
- Track record of demonstrable success in overseeing both marketing functions in a single organization
- Previous P&L responsibility
- Experience overseeing market research is non-negotiable

Skills and Mindset:

- Strategic thinker
- Strong closing skills
- Team player who thrives at helping team members succeed
- Excellent communication skills
- Exceptional analytical skills - the ability to analyze real-time data and adjust marketing efforts in response to that data
- Ability to keep Return on Investment (ROI) top of mind at all times
- Proactive

Values: Service, Persistence, Achievement, Responsibility, Kindness

SPARK offers:

- Fair market linked remuneration
- Performance-based annual bonuses and increases
- Above average/good annual leave
- Life, disability, and funeral cover
- Employee wellness support
- Educational support & study leave
- Individualized professional development, support, and mentorship
- Employee discount on school fees
- Opportunities for career growth

Remuneration: Market related CTC Plus annual discretionary performance linked bonus

Position Type: Full Time/Permanent

Locations: Rosebank, Gauteng

SPARK Support Office, Rosebank

SPARK Schools is an equal opportunities employer and preference will be given to candidates from designated groups with due consideration of the company’s Employment Equity goals and targets.

SPARK Schools encourages persons with disabilities to apply.

SPARK Schools may expire the posting of this advertisement at their own discretion.

Kindly note that should you have not heard from us within two weeks of the closing date please consider your application unsuccessful.

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