Director, Marketing (EMEA)
London or Amsterdam

Blackboard helps shape the future of education by delivering technology and services solutions that transform the learning experience. We continually innovate to better enable educators, parents, and learners of all types to teach, learn, connect and communicate whenever they want and wherever they are. We partner with educational institutions globally in the higher education, K-12 and professional education markets to improve the education experience both inside and outside the classroom by facilitating access to information, enabling stronger student engagement and collaboration, enhancing communication, and supporting student safety, success and institutional effectiveness. Most importantly, we help every student achieve their full potential through access to lifelong learning.

For more information about Blackboard and our career opportunities, please visit www.blackboard.com.

POSITION RESPONSIBILITIES
With thousands of customers and millions of users in all continents, Blackboard is the leading education technology partner of most of the world’s leading Universities and Higher Education Institutions – as well as many governments and major enterprises. Blackboard’s International Marketing Team is responsible for demand generation, market development and other programs in diverse markets throughout Latin America, EMEA and Asia Pacific – both directly and increasingly through Channel Partners.

Effective regional marketing is a keystone capability to support successful market development, demand generation, customer retention and expansion. The Director, Marketing EMEA leads this function for Blackboard’s EMEA business and reports to the VP, International Marketing as a key deputy. This individual will be responsible for the planning, development, execution and coordination of all aspects of the field marketing for Blackboard’s EMEA major regions comprising direct markets (UK & Ireland, Benelux and Nordics) and indirect/channel markets (DACH, S Europe, Middle East & Africa) – including but not limited to digital campaigns, lead generation and nurturing, client retention campaigns, product/service awareness campaigns, trade shows, and events. This will be achieved in close partnership with the three Regional VPs of Sales for EMEA (N Europe, S Europe and MEA), channel management and channel partners.

The EMEA region has a mix of vital core and growth markets for which a strong regional marketing function is essential. This is not only to support ambitious direct growth and retention targets in our mature markets, but also to help develop growth markets via our channel partners and to enter and develop new markets via a range of appropriate strategies and tactics.

The EMEA marketing lead will have to build strong working relationships with the region’s sales and channel management as we continue to develop new markets and optimize our channel sales and marketing model.

To achieve this, the Director, Marketing EMEA will develop, align and operationalize targeted marketing plans, and ensure correct messaging and consistent goals are met for each of the regions.

We are looking for an experienced marketing leader who can develop a good understanding of the customer needs across the various regions, can build relationships across marketing, product, and sales teams and is committed to ensure the campaigns and events meet their targets.

The role is critical for the support of fellow members of the International Marketing’s senior leadership team and will work closely together with other business functions including Global and International Marketing, Sales leadership, Sales Effectiveness, Channel Management, Industry and Product Management both within Blackboard and our channel partners’ businesses.

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the development of Bb region and sub-region marketing plans and secure cross-management team endorsement and support for implementation of the marketing plans.
• Ensure channel partners have effective marketing plans for their own demand generation.
• Effective management and use of Channel Marketing Funds.
• Responsible for implementation for full mix of marketing programs (across field events, digital and media channels) in the region to enable the implementation of Bb global and International marketing strategies.
• Own the planning, management, and execution of the regional Blackboard organized client and executive flagship events.
• Ensure the consistent and professional implementation of Bb’s global and International brand and marketing strategies within the EMEA region.
• Ensure correct and consistent use of the company’s processes for marketing operations.
• Collaborate across both Bb and channel partner sales and marketing to develop marketing programs and ensure their effective implementation.
• Responsible for the marketing contribution to demand generation and sales pipeline coverage in new and existing markets.
• Identify and implement marketing programs for customer retention, cross-sell, up-sell, and services sales.
• Understand the commercial and cultural context of the various markets within which Bb operates. Identify the appropriate marketing programs required for new market development and existing market growth. This includes:
• Understand marketing customer segmentation and identify new customer leads,
• Undertake competitive intelligence,
• Understand market needs and ensure the development of necessary value propositions.
• Responsible for the end-to-end process for lead management in the region, including the development of target metrics and the reporting of them.
• Management and control of assigned marketing budget and its optimal use to maximise ROI
• Act as the marketing lead on the EMEA VPs’ management teams.
• Conducting lead generation and management analytics to continuously improve sources of lead generation
• Specify and lead the development of appropriate content for the region, including:
• Digital channels (websites, social media, SEM/SEO, EDM)
• Sales collateral (presentations, case studies, etc)
• Presentations for Sales Leadership and Management.
• Oversee the development and execution of campaigns to deliver ROI including:
• Campaign Planning,
• Target messaging,
• Content/Program Creation.
• Help identify and manage relationships with local market Societies, Executive User Groups, Alliances, Sponsors, Advisory boards, in collaboration with sales.
• Lead, motivate and develop a strong regional marketing team who can manage the field with effective execution of campaigns, focusing on driving demand; implementing and executing effective, solutions-driven marketing programs.

Skills and Experience:

• B.A./B.S. degree or equivalent in a commercial, science or technical discipline.
• A seasoned international technology marketing professional, principally in licensed software, managed hosting and software-as-a-service solutions marketed directly and through an international partner network.
• Commercially astute, will have enjoyed at least ten years of marketing experience working in sophisticated enterprise technology markets. Experience of international education markets is desirable, but not a prerequisite.
• Strong planning and rigorous project management skills, and the ability to effectively manage multiple projects, prioritize, while being detail-oriented. Commercially astute, able to develop business cases and develop strategic options for the business leadership’s consideration.
• Confident and professional style; experienced in working closely with senior management, and as credible representative of the business. Able to operate confidently in a collegial manner in complex cross-functional organization.
• Demonstrates a recommend initiatives for their resolution and enact the resulting programs within the overall context of the International business strategy.track-record of being able to identify issues.
• Fluency in speaking and writing English required. Excellent writing and presentation skills. Other languages appropriate to local markets desirable.
• The role requires regular international travel and the ability to work in a high tempo international culture.

This job description is not designed to contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required. Nothing in this job description restricts management’s right to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities at any time.

Blackboard is an equal employment opportunity/affirmative action employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor.