Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Specialist

Role: Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Specialist

Location: Bedford College – Cauldwell Street Campus

Salary/Benefits: Salary is between £29,870 and £34,000 per annum DOE and Qualifications, 27 days annual leave plus Bank holidays, People’s pension, Retail and Leisure Discounts, excellent professional and personal development opportunities, accessing college courses.

Hours/Weeks: 37 hours per week – 52 weeks per year

Contract Type: Permanent – Full Time

About the role:

We are currently seeking a Search Engine Marketing (SEM) Specialist to join our Marketing department at The Bedford College Group.

As a SEM Specialist, you play an important role in the success of our students through:

• Search Campaign Management – Plan, execute, and optimise paid search campaigns across platforms like Google Ads and Meta to support student recruitment, ensuring effective budget use and performance reporting.
• SEO Strategy & Execution – Lead keyword research, on-page optimisation, and technical SEO improvements in collaboration with internal teams and external partners to boost organic visibility.
• Data-Driven Insights – Use tools like GA4 and SEMrush to analyse performance, inform strategy, and support the development of dashboards and KPIs for continuous improvement.
• Cross-Team Collaboration – Work closely with marketing, digital, and IT teams to align SEM efforts with broader campaigns and ensure a seamless user experience for prospective students.
• Advisory & Representation – Act as the SEM subject matter expert, providing guidance to colleagues and representing the marketing directorate in meetings and strategic discussions.

About you:

• Qualifications & CPD – Degree in business, marketing or equivalent professional qualifications, with evidence of ongoing professional development.
• Experience & Tools – Minimum one year managing paid search and SEO, with hands-on experience using Google Ads, Analytics, Search Console, and SEO tools like SEMrush.
• Technical & Analytical Skills – Strong grasp of technical SEO, campaign tracking, and data interpretation, with high attention to detail and accuracy.
• Communication & Organisation – Excellent written and verbal communication, strong judgement, and ability to manage multiple priorities effectively.
• Values & Flexibility – Committed to organisational values, with flexibility to work varied hours, travel independently, and a proactive approach to continuous learning.

For a more detailed breakdown of the job role and the requirements, please see the Job Description attached to this vacancy.

Interviews to be held: 20 August 2025

Successful candidates must also be able to demonstrate alignment to our organisationalVISION values:

• Valuing Teamwork – We are one team who by working together can achieve great things, respecting the opinion and valuing the contribution each of us makes.
• Improving Continuously – We challenge ourselves to always do better by trying new things, sharing knowledge, reflecting on practice and learning from others.
• Student Centred – At our heart is always doing what is best for our students. We consider students in all of our decision making to create positive outcomes and memorable experiences for every student.
• Inclusive – We celebrate differences and diversity, recognising that we can learn from each other.
• Open and Caring – We care about the wellbeing of our staff, our students, our community and wider society, creating an environment built on trust where we listen, engage with and support each other.
• Nurturing Education Excellence – We promote educational excellence by delivering programmes that challenge our students to achieve their ambitions.

About The Bedford College Group
The Bedford College Group was formed in 2017 following the merger of Bedford College and Tresham College and is now the largest provider of education in the South East Midlands, with over 15,000 students passing through our doors each year.

Today, the Group is made up of a family of colleges across Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire: Bedford College, Central Bedfordshire College and Tresham College in the towns of Bedford, Dunstable, Leighton Buzzard, Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough; Shuttleworth College, a specialist land-based college; The Bedford Sixth Form, (the only dedicated sixth form in Bedford); The Corby Sixth Form, (opened in September 2023); and the National College for Motorsport alongside Silverstone race circuit. To widen accessibility to education and training, the Group also has community-based Learning Centres in Bedford, Corby and Kettering which offer IT training.

Safeguarding our Students
The Bedford College Group is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and young people and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. The successful candidate will be subject to thorough vetting process which includes, an enhanced DBS check and satisfactory references.

This post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974. The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 and the Exceptions Order 1975, provides information about which convictions must be declared during job applications and related exceptions and further information about filtering offences can be found in the DBS filtering guide. The Bedford College Group’s policy on Employment of Ex-Offenders is attached to this vacancy.

Candidates who are barred from working with children are reminded it is a criminal offence to apply for this post.

Documents

TBCG Ex-Offenders Policy.pdf

TBCG – JDPS – SEM Specialist (2).docx