Download marketing and sales - The Open University

The Open University
Marketing and Sales
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
United Kingdom
Telephone: (01908) 274066
Direct Line: (01908) 655830
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.open.ac.uk
PERSONAL AND CONFIDENTIAL
Jan Smith
Acting Director of Marketing
Date as postmark
Dear Applicant
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
INFORMATION FOR CANDIDATES
Post Title:
Digital Marketing Co-ordinator
Vacancy No: 2260
Salary: £25,633 – £30,607
Closing Date: 3 February 2006
Interview Date: To be confirmed
Thank you for your interest in the above post. You will find the following documents included
in this pack:
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Information about The Open University and Marketing
A job description for the post
An application form
ENQUIRIES
If you would like to discuss this post before making an application please contact: Viki
Stirling, Channel Strategy Manager (New Media), e-mail [email protected], telephone
01908 655190.
HOW TO APPLY
The following guidelines are designed to help you submit a job application in line with our
requirements.
Please send your curriculum vitae together with the short application form, giving as much
detail as possible.
Covering letter or supporting statement
Your covering letter or statement should clearly identify how you meet the person
specification. Please ensure you provide relevant examples as evidence to support your
statements.
The selection panel will consider how well the information you provide demonstrates that you
meet the capabilities identified in the person specification. If you do not give evidence that you
meet the person specification, the panel will not shortlist you.
Please state clearly on the application form if you do not want us to contact a referee until
after the interview.
The selection process for this post will include an interview and may also include a
presentation and/or assessments depending on the grade of the post. We will let you know
as soon as possible after the closing date whether you have been shortlisted for interview
together with details of the interview format.
Internal applicants only – information about references
When completing the ‘References’ section of the application form, please ensure you specify
your Head of Unit as your ‘current employer’, as s/he is responsible for providing this
reference or nominating an appropriate alternative referee.
Please be advised that the employing Unit is responsible for requesting references from your
referees.
Completed application forms should be returned to:
Sue Fenton
Recruitment Co-ordinator
Marketing and Sales
South West Building
The Open University
Walton Hall
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA
Marked Strictly Confidential
Or e-mail your full application to [email protected].
Disabled Applicants
Disabled applicants whose skills and experience meet the requirements of the job will be
interviewed. Please let us know if you need your copy of the further particulars in large print,
on computer disc, or on audio cassette tape.
Access details for disabled applicants are available from Jean Walker, 01908 655830.
Recruitment Process
If you have any comments or concerns about any stage of the recruitment process, please
write to the Human Resources Adviser – Team 1 who will look into the matter, at Human
Resources Department, Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, Bucks, MK7 6AL.
We look forward to receiving your application.
Yours sincerely
Marketing and Sales Recruitment
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
The Open University transforms lives through education. It has become by far
the largest university in the UK, now teaching well over 200,000 people every
year. We have expanded our activities throughout Europe and our highly
rated teaching materials are used by other institutions in many parts of the
world. We are consistently achieving high rankings both in research and
teaching quality assessments.
Teaching is through the provision of specially designed, high quality, materials
encompassing traditional print texts, television, video, CD-ROM, internet and
electronic conferencing together with first class personalised tuition, learning
feedback and support.
The success of the Open University is due to our outstanding staff. There are
around 4,500 staff plus over 7,000 Associate Lecturers. Staff and potential
staff are treated solely on the basis of their merits, abilities and potential,
regardless of gender, colour, ethnic or national origin, age, socio-economic
background, disability, religious or political beliefs, family circumstances,
sexual orientation or other irrelevant distinction.
We are also committed to the development of our staff to their full potential
through lifelong learning, offering a range of formal and informal training and
development activities to ensure that staff are able to perform their jobs to the
best of their abilities and to help meet individual and University objectives.
Our objective is that all staff undertake a minimum of 5 days development
activity in each year.
For more information see our website: http://www.open.ac.uk
MARKETING AND SALES
In 2003 Marketing and Sales re-organised into an integrated centralised marketing function,
comprising of approximately 85 staff spread across 4 Marketing and Sales sub-units plus the
Directorate. These are: Customer Marketing, made up of Customer Marketing, Consumer
Markets (CMCM) and Marketing Services (MS), Corporate & Employer Services (CES),
Reputation Marketing (RM) and Product Management and Market Intelligence (PMMI). This
marked a move away from the previous faculty-by-faculty approach to marketing, to an
integrated Marketing and Sales team, focussed on tailoring our approach to key market and
customer/employer groups such as Health, Education, Business & Professional and Widening
Participation (excluded groups). This also enables a greater concentration on generating
additional income from our activities with corporate organisations with whom we partner (such
as BBC, Learndirect, Unison, NHS-U, amongst others).
Our core activities for 2005 and 2006 will focus on the following key areas:Developing an integrated and co-ordinated marketing function aimed at corporate and
employer markets. Improving new business development/partnership opportunities to
increase the number of new high potential corporate accounts.
Migration from over dependence upon new student acquisition and promotion towards
increased conversion, on-course retention and progression of students onto their second
course (this will represent significant cross-unit working with other operational units and
faculties) and;
Enabling and championing, the refreshment of The Open University brand and the reenergising of university staff around this new vision.
A summary of each individual sub-unit is detailed below. A top level organisation structure
and sub-unit organisation structures are enclosed with this pack.
Directorate
The Directorate provides a central facility for the Marketing and Sales Unit in the following key
areas:-
Planning & Performance
To lead the development and documentation of the Marketing & Sales Strategy and
Marketing and Sales Unit Plan and to review progress against these plans. To lead the
financial planning, prioritisation and performance monitoring of marketing activities,
ensuring adherence to Unit operating budgets. Central Human Resources planning,
administration and the co-ordination of effective staff management policies/practices.
Projects
To provide a focus and central co-ordination for Marketing & Sales requirements within
a small number of major strategic projects, including Customer Relationship
Management (CRM), pricing, Training and development, and other development
activities within the Unit, as required.
Consumer Marketing
This sub-unit has 2 sections within it:
Customer Marketing
The primary role of this section is to ensure that the University attains the defined penetration
and growth of targeted markets on behalf of all faculties.
Main purpose of this section:
To lead the segmentation of the enquirer and student database, working with market
intelligence, academics and other professionals from across the University to identify and
prioritise those domestic and international segments where the University has the highest
propensity for attracting and retaining students and to develop and maintain a detailed
understanding of these segments, their changing requirements and the competitive
environment around them.
To lead and be responsible for the acquisition of new and ‘win back’ (i.e. re-acquiring) of
continuing and dormant students as individuals. To ensure that agreed unit targets as well as
overall University targets are achieved, defining and commissioning campaigns through the
Marketing Services section to deliver relevant campaign materials and media activities.
To champion a student centric approach, based on the detailed understanding of these
segments and the changing requirements – working closely with other areas of the University
to identify, gain agreement to and facilitate delivery of the required products and services for
each identified priority segment. To upgrade and reorganise our activities along the Student
Value Chain which are central to deliver student value – in order to minimise individual
student losses throughout all stages of the learning lifecycle, increase competition,
progression and student involvement in lifelong learning.
Marketing Services
This section’s role is to direct specific messages at key consumer markets using appropriate
media, and implementing the appropriate marketing campaigns to reach them and grow our
student and client base.
Main purpose of this section:
To be responsible for the promotional strategy and tactical delivery across all marketing and
sales campaigns in pursuit of the University’s student number targets.
To manage the overall development, integration and optimisation of all promotional and
marketing campaigns and materials commissioned from market facing units and the creation
of unified (but not uniform) overall look, feel and tone of voice around both the Open
University master brand and each sub brand in the broader University brand architecture.
To manage the development, maintenance and regular review of contracts and relationships
with the Marketing and Sales Unit’s suppliers and agencies and to optimise the control of
expenditure, and mix of media and channels used, to ensure that best value is always
achieved across the whole Unit’s activities.
To lead the initiation, development and operational implementation of third party affinity
marketing opportunities, including e-marketing and to create a series of relationships that
enable the University to reach both specific target audiences more effectively and those the
University would otherwise be unable to reach.
Corporate and Employer Services
The primary role of the department is to ensure that the University attains the defined
penetration and growth of targeted markets on behalf of all faculties from sales of Open
University courses to corporates and employers.
Main purpose of this Sub Unit:
To lead the segmentation of the employer and corporate market place, working with market
intelligence, academics and other professionals from across the University to identify and
prioritise those domestic and international segments where the University has the highest
propensity for attracting and retaining clients and the associated students.
To provide a central corporate account management service on behalf of the whole University
to ensure effective acquisition and stewardship of existing and potential clients
Brand Marketing
Responsible for the awareness and reputation of the OU within the market place and the
vision, values and purpose of the OU (both externally and internally) and internal marketing &
sales communications.
Main purpose of this Sub Unit:
To take responsibility for establishing, maintaining and developing The Open University’s
position as a leading HE institution within the education market, developing the master brand
of The Open University and a range of appropriate university sub-brands. To support the
delivery of clear and appropriate customer experiences ensuring a balance between quality,
localness and market relevance and to enable marketing colleagues and wider functions, in
particular regions, to communicate the university’s competitive positioning, difference and
resulting reputation.
To increase the University’s visibility and influence, creating a differentiated national identity
tailored to local needs which is underpinned by targeted customer marketing activities and
campaigns, making the University a “must have” on target market short lists.
Product Management & Market Intelligence
Responsible for the research, collection and use of management and market/competitor/
customer information and intelligence to inform marketing & sales planning activities and the
development of the OU curriculum
Main purpose of this Sub Unit:
To provide a professional Market Intelligence and management information function for all
units of The Open University and champion the development and widespread adoption of
Market Intelligence as a key business tool, and thereby provide an enhancement of the
University’s ability to understand, engage with and respond most effectively to changing
markets and competitive environments.
To make a significant contribution to the aim of providing learners with the best possible
learning experience using the most appropriate and effective learning and teaching media.
To ensure the portfolio of academic products and services is seen as a major reason why
greater levels of students are acquired and retained, by:

enabling and facilitating an increased understanding by staff of the changes in
demand for existing and potential new products & services and facilitating the
University in prioritising and responding to these in a timely manner.

facilitating collaborative identification of cross-faculty market opportunities and
opportunities to sell existing, new or reversioned products in the University’s target
markets, (including where the originating faculty may not be the largest beneficiary of
such changes, even though the University benefits overall).
UNIVERSITY BENEFITS AND FACILITIES
Staff Development
We have a strong commitment to providing training and development in and beyond your
current role. This includes thorough induction into the organisation and regular reviews of
your training and development needs. The objective is that all staff should undertake at least
five days’ development activity in each year – this may include attendance at formal courses
or other learning e.g. use of self-study material. We invest substantial time and money in our
staff development provisions and we waive fees for staff wishing to study our own courses.
Leave
The annual leave entitlement is 30 days (33 days for academic related staff) in addition to all
bank and other public holidays and an additional 3 days at Christmas when the University is
closed.
Pension Schemes
Staff have the option of contributing to a Final Salary pension scheme and the University
contributes around 14% of salary. Full details will be sent with any offer of employment but
any preliminary enquiries should be addressed to the Pensions Section, Personnel Division
(01908) 652431 or 652957.
Relocation Expenses
Staff are normally expected to live within a reasonable travelling distance of their place of
work. The University will make a grant for expenses necessarily incurred for removals and
disturbance, within certain rules and subject to a maximum payment. Full details will be sent
with any offer of employment. The removal grant does not apply on appointments of less
than two years duration.
Family Friendly Policies
 Female staff are entitled to maternity/adoption leave for a period of 26 weeks, with full
pay for the first 18 weeks, subject to minimum service conditions. Female staff have the
right to return to work at any time within 52 weeks of the maternity leave start date, again
subject to certain conditions.
 Male staff are entitled to a maximum of 10 days paid paternity leave in connection with
their wife’s/partner’s confinement in any one leave year in addition to normal leave
entitlement, again subject to certain conditions.
 Pre-School Childcare Subsidy: We have a means-tested childcare subsidy scheme.
Those eligible are provided with a Childcare Voucher that can be used as part payment
for the care of children under 5 years of age. For further information about the scheme
contact the Personnel Division on (01908) 655050.
Milton Keynes based staff
Nurseries: There are a number of nurseries in the Milton Keynes area including one on site
at Walton Hall, the Open University Children’s Centre. There is a waiting list for some age
groups in the Centre and an early application is advised. Since the Children’s Centre is
independent of the Open University, appointees cannot be guaranteed a place for their child.
For further information telephone the Centre Leader on Milton Keynes (01908) (653867).
There is also a Borough of Milton Keynes nursery at nearby Kingston where the University
has reserved places.
Facilities
 Catering facilities providing meals, snacks and drinks
 Open University Club (offering a number of club and society events, sports and social
outlets)
 Occupational Health Department (located on site at Walton Hall) provides
professional advice to individuals and managers on all work related health issues
 Natwest Bank sub branch on site at Walton Hall
 Shop selling general provision on site at Walton Hall
Local Education: Information on local schools can be obtained from the Learning and
Development Directorate, Milton Keynes Borough Council on (01908) 253489.
Smoking Policy: Please note that smoking is banned in all working areas and many of the
recreational areas.