Head of Marketing & Engagement
Reports to CEO
Location The Cledara Abbey Stadium
Salary Negotiable based on experience
Hours 40 hours worked flexibly to the needs of the business

Role Summary
Cambridge United is entering a pivotal new chapter, shaped by exciting opportunities at local, national, and international level. In recent years, the Club has taken significant strides to modernise and strengthen its brand, building closer alignment with supporters, civic partners, and the wider community, with the Club’s Foundation playing a central role in that progress.

Looking ahead, the Club aims to further grow its brand, deepen engagement, and unlock greater commercial value rooted in the global reputation of Cambridge, the birthplace of modern football. With the men’s first team returning to EFL League One, the women’s first team returning to the city, and plans for a potential new stadium under exploration, this represents a defining moment in the Club’s evolution. Together, these developments create a unique opportunity to drive sustainable growth, strengthen community impact, and build a lasting legacy for future generations

The role of Head of Marketing & Engagement sits at the heart of the club’s ambition to grow, connect and thrive both on and off the pitch. The individual will work in collaboration with existing departments to bring together the club’s marketing, engagement and commercial activity into one clear, cohesive and impactful approach.

Sitting at senior management level, the postholder will help drive impact, growth, revenue, engagement and loyalty through digital-first marketing and CRM-powered campaigns, spanning retail, ticketing, commercial, hospitality and football development programmes.

Working closely alongside the Head of Communications, the role will help shape how the club tells its story through impactful campaigns, connecting with supporters and building lasting relationships with its city, community and partners.

The postholder will also help ensure strategic alignment with the club’s official charity, Cambridge United Foundation, supporting a joined-up approach to community impact, audience development and brand growth.

This role will be a key driver of the club’s commercial performance, long-term brand strength and supporter engagement at local, national and international level.

This is a hands-on leadership role that combines strategic vision with day-to-day delivery. It offers the opportunity to support and develop a critical area of the club’s operations and play a central role in its continued evolution as a progressive, ambitious football organisation linked closely to the historic and world-renowned city of Cambridge.

Key Job Outcomes
Strategic Leadership & Club Growth
• Define and lead a unified club-wide engagement and growth strategy to include Cambridge United Foundation that brings together marketing, media, brand, communications and commercial activity into a coherent and impactful approach.
• Shape how the club connects with its supporters, partners and wider audiences across local, national and international platforms.
• Translate the club’s long-term vision into clear, actionable plans that drive audience growth, commercial performance and brand strength.
• Act as a senior strategic leader, contributing to overall club and foundation direction and cross-functional decision-making.

Integrated Media, Marketing & Engagement
• Lead the development and delivery of integrated marketing strategies that grow the club’s profile, strengthen supporter engagement and support commercial objectives.
• Ensure consistent, compelling storytelling across all channels, reflecting the club’s identity, values and ambitions.
• Work collaboratively across communications, commercial, ticketing, retail, hospitality and football development departments to deliver timely, effective and audience-focused campaigns.
• Drive innovation in digital marketing, content and campaign delivery to expand reach, engagement and supporter connection.

CRM, Data & Commercial Growth
• Drive commercial performance across key revenue areas including ticketing, retail, hospitality and membership-based offerings.
• Work closely with commercial and operational teams to identify and deliver growth opportunities.
• Oversee and develop the club’s CRM system and fan database, ensuring strong data quality, compliance, segmentation and audience insight.
• Plan and deliver data-driven campaigns that increase ticket sales, memberships, retail and hospitality revenue, while improving conversion, retention and long-term supporter value.
• Use insight, analytics and audience understanding to inform strategy, optimise performance and identify growth opportunities across key revenue areas.
• Develop clear reporting frameworks and KPIs to measure the effectiveness of marketing activity against engagement, audience growth and commercial performance objectives.

Fan, Community & Civic Engagement
• Lead the club’s approach to supporter engagement, ensuring fans remain at the centre of all activity. 
• Strengthen the club’s connection with Cambridge and its surrounding communities through meaningful campaigns and partnerships. 
• Build and maintain strong relationships with civic institutions, educational bodies, local organisations and community stakeholders in unison with Cambridge United Foundation. 
• Support initiatives that increase participation, accessibility and pride in the club across all demographics. 
Football Development & Participation Programmes
• Oversee the alignment of engagement and marketing activity with football development and youth participation programmes. 
• Ensure these programmes are effectively promoted, accessible and integrated into the wider club narrative. 
• Support growth in participation pathways that enhance the club’s long-term community and talent impact. 
Leadership, Delivery & Organisational Alignment
• Lead and coordinate cross-departmental working across media, marketing, commercial, football operations and community functions to include Cambridge United Foundation. 
• Provide clear leadership, direction and accountability to ensure high standards of delivery across all areas of responsibility. 
• Foster a collaborative, innovative and performance-driven culture across the engagement and growth function. 
• Balance strategic oversight with hands-on leadership in a fast-paced professional football environment. 
This job description sets out the key outcomes required. It does not specify in detail the activities required to achieve these outcomes. As a term of your employment, you may reasonably be expected to perform duties of a similar or related nature to those outlined in the job description.

Person Specification

Knowledge & Experience Required/Desirable
Proven experience in a senior leadership role within marketing, media, commercial growth, engagement or brand strategy, ideally in sport, entertainment, or a similarly fast-paced consumer-focused environment.
Strong track record of developing and delivering integrated strategies that connect marketing, media, communications and commercial activity.
Expertise in CRM systems and data-driven marketing.
Excellent analytical skills and ability to translate insights into action.
Demonstrable experience of driving audience growth, fan/customer engagement and revenue performance across multiple channels (e.g. ticketing, retail, hospitality, memberships or participation programmes).
Experience of leading cross-functional teams and working collaboratively across complex organisational structures.
Strong understanding of how brand, storytelling and content strategy influence audience behaviour and commercial outcomes.
Experience working with external stakeholders including partners, civic organisations, community groups or governing bodies.
Previous experience within a professional football club or elite sport environment.
Experience working across both commercial and community-facing functions.
Familiarity with youth development, participation programmes or grassroots engagement initiatives.
Experience of leading digital transformation or audience development initiatives.
Experience of working with Adobe Creative Suite or similar

Leadership & Strategic Capability
Ability to operate confidently at senior management level, contributing to overall organisational strategy and direction.
Proven experience of leading teams through clear direction, empowerment and accountability.
Strong capability in turning strategic vision into practical, deliverable plans that achieve measurable impact.
Experience of fostering a collaborative culture across multiple departments and disciplines.

Commercial & Analytical
Strong commercial awareness with a clear understanding of revenue drivers in sport, entertainment or membership-based organisations
Ability to interpret data, insight and audience behaviour to inform decision-making and optimise performance.
Experience of supporting or leading revenue growth initiatives across key commercial areas such as ticketing, retail, hospitality or sponsorship.
Understanding of customer journeys and how engagement activity influences conversion, retention and lifetime value.

Communication & Influence
Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to inspire, influence and engage a wide range of audiences.
Confident representing an organisation externally to partners, stakeholders, media and community groups.
Ability to shape and communicate a clear and compelling narrative that reflects organisational values and ambition.
Skilled at building trust and credibility across internal and external relationships.

Personal Attributes
Collaborative leader, brings people together around shared goals and fosters strong cross-departmental relationships.
Strategic and creative thinker, combines long-term vision with innovative approaches to engagement and growth.
Delivery-focused, ensures ideas are translated into action, with a strong focus on outcomes and impact.
Emotionally intelligent, leads with empathy, awareness and an understanding of organisational and community context.
Adaptable and resilient, comfortable working in a dynamic, high-pressure environment with shifting priorities.
Community-minded, values the role of the club within its city and wider social environment, with a genuine commitment to positive impact.
Passionate about sport and supporter experience, understands and respects the emotional connection between a football club and its fans.

Application Process
Application Instructions Interested applicants should apply by submitting their application form, CV and Cover Letter, applications which do not include all documents will not be reviewed. 

Application Closing Date 10 June 2026
Interview Date(s) 15th June 2026
Start Date July/August 2026

Mission, Vision & Values Mission
Cambridge United aspires to compete at the highest level of the English Football League, whilst operating a financially sustainable football club embedded within the heart of its community.
We are custodians with a collective responsibility to protect and enhance the Club for future generations.

Vision
Creating Memories  
We engage current and future generations of supporters by creating memorable moments.
Driving Standards & Performance 
We will evolve by driving standards and performance through self-reflection and education. 
Enhancing Lives
We are an inclusive Club that is United in Endeavour to enhance lives through the power of sport.  

Values
We engage positive and inspiring characters who are committed to serving and strengthening our community, by adopting our 3 keys values.
Teamwork We achieve more through working together than alone and are United in Endeavour.
Hard Work We are committed to learning and working towards our pursuit of excellence in everything we do. 
Humility We will celebrate each other’s successes and recognise that no individual is greater than the collective.

Employability Statement Cambridge United FC is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff.  We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit.

Safeguarding Statement Cambridge United FC is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff to share this commitment.
For those positions where a criminal record check (DBS) is identified as necessary, this will be carried out in line with other safer recruitment checks.
The post holder will be required to undergo Safeguarding training periodically.

Equality, Diversity & Inclusion
Cambridge United FC is committed to promoting equality of opportunity for all staff and job applicants. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace and welcome applications from disabled candidates. If you require any adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know. 
We aim to create a supportive and inclusive working environment in which all individuals can make best use of their skills, free from discrimination or harassment, and in which all decisions are based on merit. We do not discriminate based on age, race, nationality, ethnic origin, religious or political belief or affiliation, trade union membership, gender, gender reassignment, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership status, pregnancy and maternity, sexual orientation, disability, socio-economic background or any other inappropriate distinction or characteristic covered by the Equality Act 2010.
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