At FutureLearn, we’re passionate about the power of lifelong learning. We help learners from all over the world progress in their careers – and invest in their futures.

We truly believe that up-skilling is a worthy investment, and we hope to empower our learners to take control of their careers through personalised learning pathways – giving them progress at their fingertips.

Partnering with 260+ world-class educational partners, including prestigious universities, global brands and industry partners, we offer our 20 million-strong learner community the opportunity to discover and access flexible, high-quality online courses and degrees.

We’re not here just to teach new skills (although we do that well), we want to help transform lives. FutureLearn is looking to build our teams with people who share our passion for lifelong learning, career empowerment and education for all. If that sounds like you, get in touch. You could help us achieve our biggest goal yet – becoming the world’s best AI-powered, career-based learning platform and OPM.

What is the opportunity?
We’re looking for a commercially driven, data-led Head of Growth & Digital Marketing to lead our end-to-end student acquisition strategy across paid media, website performance, and search demand generation.

This is a pivotal leadership role responsible for driving sustainable enrolment growth through best-in-class performance marketing, advanced automation, and AI-driven optimisation. You’ll ensure paid and organic channels work together seamlessly, translating marketing investment into measurable business outcomes.

What does success look like:

• Own the digital acquisition strategy across paid channels (search, social, display, affiliate, remarketing and emerging platforms), fully integrating SEO into a unified search demand generation strategy.

• Manage a seven-figure budget, ensuring disciplined investment aligned to ROI, cost per enrolment (CPE), and programme-level performance.

• Develop and maintain forecasting models across leads, applications, enrolments, and efficiency across UK and international markets.

• Translate channel performance into clear commercial outcomes, focusing on enrolments, revenue, and lifetime value.

• Align paid search and SEO into a coordinated strategy, using shared insights to maximise visibility, improve efficiency, and reduce blended acquisition costs.

• Ensure SEO performance is embedded within overall reporting, forecasting, and commercial decision-making.

• Own website performance and digital experience across partner sites, optimising end-to-end user journeys from awareness to application.

• Lead conversion rate optimisation (CRO), including A/B testing, landing page optimisation, and continuous UX improvements.

• Partner with Product, Technology, and Marketing teams to ensure accurate tracking, data integrity, and seamless CRM integration.

• Build a strong test-and-learn culture to continuously improve performance and reduce cost per enrolment.

• Lead agency relationships across paid media, SEO, creative, and analytics, ensuring delivery against KPIs and commercial targets.

• Act as the senior digital subject matter expert, presenting insights and recommendations to executive stakeholders and university partners.

• Collaborate with Sales and recruitment teams to align marketing activity with capacity and quality objectives.

• Ensure GDPR and regulatory compliance across all acquisition activity.

• Lead and develop a high-performing growth team, setting clear objectives and fostering a data-driven, commercially accountable culture.

• Develop annual and intake-based growth plans aligned to partner cycles and revenue targets.

• Drive innovation through AI, automation, experimentation, and emerging technologies to improve performance and efficiency.

• Contribute to broader commercial strategy as part of the marketing leadership team.

What you bring to the table

• Proven experience owning multi-channel digital acquisition strategies delivering measurable revenue or enrolment growth.

• Experience managing seven-figure marketing budgets with clear accountability for ROI.

• Strong track record of integrating paid media, SEO, and website optimisation into a cohesive growth strategy.

• Experience in higher education, EdTech, OPM, or similarly complex, regulated environments.

• Confidence presenting performance insights and strategic recommendations to senior stakeholders and partners.

• Deep knowledge of paid media platforms (Google Ads, Meta, LinkedIn, Microsoft Ads) and optimisation frameworks.

• Solid understanding of SEO (technical, on-page, content, authority) and its role within broader acquisition strategy.

• Experience with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce), attribution models, and marketing automation.

• Strong commercial understanding of key metrics (CPL, CPE, LTV, ROAS) and forecasting.

• Working knowledge of GDPR and marketing compliance frameworks.

• A data-driven, test-and-learn mindset with strong leadership and team development experience.

What happens next?

Ready to go for it? Click 'Apply', include your CV and tell us why you'd like to become a FutureLearner, and how you’ll nail this role.

Recruitment Process

Please contact jobs@futurelearn.com if you require any reasonable adjustments or alterations to be made to support you through the recruitment process.

Diversity Statement

We value all the great benefits that diversity brings and encourage everyone to bring their whole self to work – At FutureLearn we are proud to have Diversity and Inclusion at the centre of everything we do. We are committed to Equal Employment Opportunity regardless of race, colour, national origin, ethnicity, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or religion.

We can't wait to meet you! #FutureLearnCareers