Digital Campaign Strategist

Role: Digital Campaign Strategist

Location: Bucharest, Romania

Job type: Full time, permanent – hybrid

Salary: 130,000 - 160,000 RON Gross per annum

This position offers a hybrid work model, allowing flexibility between working from home and our office.

Typically, employees are expected to work 2 days in the office per week.

Why QS?

At QS, we believe that work should empower you. That’s why we foster a flexible working environment that encourages every employee to own their career whilst flourishing personally and professionally. Our company values underpin everything we do – we collaborate, respect and support each other.

It’s our mission to empower motivated people around the world to fulfil their potential through higher education, ensuring that everyone has access to opportunities that change lives.

Our diversity makes us stronger. By sharing our experiences, we learn from one another and achieve more together, driving progress across the sector.

At QS, you’ll be responsible for implementing real change in the international higher education landscape. You’ll take on meaningful challenges that see a positive impact across the business and the wider sector.

We’re confident you’ll feel right at home here. QS was named as one of Newsweek’s Top 100 Most Loved Workplaces® in the UK (October 2023), recognising the respect, trust and appreciation that drive our culture every day. And as a gold-accredited Investors in People organisation – putting us among the top 28% of workplaces globally – it’s official: QS is a place where everyone can thrive.

As a Digital Campaign Strategist, this is what you’ll be doing:

QS partners with universities around the world to design and execute a comprehensive marketing and communications strategy aimed at driving student enrollment.

As we continue to scale our digital agency capabilities, we are seeking an experienced Digital Campaign Strategist to lead paid media strategy and campaign execution for our university partners.

The Digital Campaign Strategist will be responsible for developing, planning, and overseeing performance-driven digital campaigns that support undergraduate and postgraduate student recruitment and enrolment objectives.

This role operates at the intersection of strategy, performance marketing, analytics, and client partnership, ensuring campaigns are insight-led, data-driven, and aligned with institutional growth goals.

Role responsibilities

Marketing & Communications Strategy

• Develop integrated strategic marketing, paid media and comms plans tailored to recruiting international students globally at a University and school level.
• Align messaging with University brand’s, paid media and QS channels at all stages of the journey with student journey mapping per school.
• Build channel specific plans including messaging, funnel design, audience targeting and content direction
• Work closely with Internal Marketing, Insights, Content, Studio, and CRM teams to prepare all campaign assets and workflows.

Conversion Strategy

• Design conversion funnels for each school/program, from lead capture through enrollment.
• Define tactics for nurturing leads and improving conversion rates.
• Collaborate with QS and Utah teams to ensure alignment with existing CRM and admissions processes.

Campaign Delivery

• Plan, build, and optimise PPC campaigns across Google Ads, Meta Ads, and LinkedIn Campaign Manager.
• Conduct keyword research, competitor analysis, bid/budget optimisation, and audience targeting.
• Maintain PPC account hygiene—naming structures, exclusions, ad extensions, creative refresh cycles, feed‑based ads, etc.
• Lead tracking, tagging and measurement setup (GTM, GA4, Pixels, Insight Tag).
• Troubleshoot tracking issues, validate data integrity, and ensure robust attribution

Reporting & Success Criteria

• Establish clear KPIs and success metrics for each stage of the funnel.
• Lead regular updates with stakeholders and present insights and next‑step recommendations.
• Create a reporting framework for campaign performance and ROI that measures full funnel engagement and
• Provide actionable insights and recommendations for optimization.

Key skills and experience

• Previous leadership experience in performance marketing, paid media strategy, or campaign planning within a digital agency, higher education, or a similar lead-generation focused industry.
• Prior experience working with universities, education providers, or comparable multi-stakeholder organizations is strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of managing and optimizing paid campaigns with measurable ROI outcomes.
• Strong analytical capabilities with the ability to interpret data, generate insights, and translate findings into actionable strategy.
• Experience managing client relationships and presenting campaign performance to senior stakeholders.
• Deep understanding of digital acquisition funnels, lead generation models, attribution, and performance optimisation best practices.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, global environment with strong cross-functional collaboration skills.

Please note, if you don't meet all the criteria but believe you have the skills and passion to thrive in this role, we encourage you to apply.

So, who are we and what do we do?

QS is the world leader in higher education services, analytics, insights and intelligence. From consultancy to student mobility, academic partnerships to branding solutions, our services power both institutional and individual success.

We’re behind the world’s most widely read university rankings (Meltwater 2023). Our QS World University Rankings® reach hundreds of millions, shaping decisions and guiding futures.

Since launching in 1990, our impact and influence have only grown. Today, we work with more than 2,000 of the world’s leading higher education institutions, over 12,000 employers, and governments seeking change and socioeconomic development through higher education.

Join QS and you’ll join an 800-strong community of problem-solvers, creators, collaborators and change-makers based in 40+ countries and 11
international offices, including Australia, Malaysia, India, Romania, Singapore, France, Germany, the USA and our headquarters in London.

With every talented new hire, business acquisition and bold initiative, we’re strengthening our reach and delivering even greater value to institutions and learners worldwide. Are you ready to shape the future of higher education?

We take investing in our people very seriously.

As standard you will have:

• A Salary of 130,000 - 160,000 RON Gross per annum
• Access to an annual bonus scheme (for qualifying roles only)
• 21 days annual leave (one additional seniority day is added to the annual leave each year, up to a maximum of 25 days per year)
• Sick without certificate leave: Three days paid medical leave, without medical certificate
• Wellness Allowance of 110 RON to support your personal wellbeing.
• Meal tickets
• Medical subscription to Regina Maria
• A vibrant social environment and multicultural and multinational culture

But that’s not all. Outside of these standard benefits we also offer resources to allow professional growth, and wellness initiatives to nurture a healthy mindset:

• Free subscription to the Calm App – the #1 app for sleep, meditation, and relaxation
• A focus on welfare which is led by our global wellness team, with mental health first aiders globally
• Access to a variety of diversity and inclusion initiatives and groups
• 
  Strong recognition and reward programs – including a peer-to-peer recognition platform, quarterly and annual QS Applaud Awards, Connect with your Career annual PD event
• 
  Support for volunteering and study leave
  
• 
  Free subscription to LinkedIn learning – with over 5000 courses and programmes at your fingertips
• Options to join our outstanding global Mentorship programme

Like what you’ve heard? Great, apply now!

As a candidate, we know the application and interview process can be daunting and so it’s important that you have a great experience with us. Our dedicated Talent Team will work hard to ensure you are fully informed at all stages and you are really excited by this opportunity to do meaningful work in the education space.

Equal opportunities

QS Quacquarelli Symonds is proud to be a fair and equal organisation where everyone has the same opportunity to achieve their full potential, irrespective of their background or personal attributes. We celebrate our diversity and believe through sharing our experiences we can learn from one another, be stronger together, and enable our business to thrive.

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