Overview

Salary: up to £75,000 per annum FTE, depending on skills and experience.

Nestled within 80 acres of Suffolk countryside, Old Buckenham Hall (OBH) is one of East Anglia's leading co-educational preparatory schools and is home to around 200 boarding and day children aged 2 to 13. OBH has a proud 160-year history and children leave ready to thrive at some of the UK's most prestigious senior schools, taking with them not just a strong foundation of knowledge, but also the friendships and values that last a lifetime.

Building on that legacy, in January 2026, OBH will formally become part of the Rugby School Group. Best known for its historic senior school in Warwickshire, Rugby is one of the great names in British education, with a reputation for innovation, breadth, and the "Whole Person, Whole Point" ethos. This merger creates the opportunity to be part of shaping and delivering the next chapter of OBH's history, and to deliver a bold recruitment and marketing strategy that builds on the school's traditions while ensuring OBH thrives in an increasingly competitive landscape.

This is no ordinary prep school marketing role: OBH is seeking to appoint an exceptional Director of Marketing and Admissions to drive the development and implementation of its marketing, recruitment and communications strategies. The Rugby School Group merger creates the opportunity to be part of shaping and delivering the next chapter of OBH's history, and to deliver a bold recruitment and marketing strategy that builds on the school's traditions while ensuring OBH thrives in an increasingly competitive landscape.

Reporting directly to the Head and sitting on the Senior Leadership Team, this is a high profile and exciting leadership position suited to a high calibre marketing professional who can demonstrate established and effective leadership skills, combined with extensive marketing and communications experience, commercial acumen, stakeholder management and influencing skills gained inside or outside the education sector.

Applications are encouraged from candidates who want to work on either a full- or part-time basis (minimum 4 days a week). A hybrid working arrangement may also be considered.

Further information and details of how to apply can be found on the RSAcademics website at rsacademics.com. This role details are also available on the RSAcademics current vacancies page. Interested candidates are invited to contact RSAcademics in the first instance to arrange an informal and confidential discussion with Susannah Thompson via: susannahthompson@rsacademics.com

The deadline for receipt of applications is 10.00am on Wednesday 22 October 2025.

Old Buckenham Hall is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service. This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975, 2013 and 2020. The safeguarding responsibilities of this post are detailed in the candidate information brochure. RSAcademics is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and to promoting diversity and inclusion in schools.

Responsibilities

• Drive the development and implementation of OBH's marketing, recruitment and communications strategies.
• Report directly to the Head and sit on the Senior Leadership Team; act in a high-profile leadership capacity with established and effective leadership skills.
• Apply extensive marketing and communications experience, commercial acumen, and stakeholder management and influencing skills gained inside or outside the education sector.
• Collaborate with leadership and staff to deliver a bold recruitment and marketing strategy that supports OBH's traditions and market position.
• Lead and develop the marketing and admissions teams, ensuring coherence across all channels and activities.

Qualifications/Requirements

• High-calibre marketing professional with extensive marketing and communications experience.
• Strong leadership, stakeholder management and influencing skills.
• Commercial acumen; ability to operate across multiple functions and teams.
• Experience gained inside or outside the education sector.
• Applications for full- or part-time work (minimum four days per week) with potential hybrid arrangement.
• Willingness to undergo safeguarding screening appropriate to the post, including checks with past employers and the Disclosure & Barring Service.
• Committed to safeguarding and welfare of children and young people; adherence to RSAcademics safeguarding and diversity statements.

Benefits and Miscellaneous

Note: This section can include information about benefits if available; otherwise, it remains omitted to reflect the original content while maintaining compliance with formatting guidelines.