Head of Growth Marketing Full Time NEW

JOB DESCRIPTION

Head of Growth Marketing — Authentica

Reports To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Location: Pune (Onsite, Full-Time) Team: 3 direct reports (Digital Marketing Manager, Visual Storyteller & Videographer, Social Media Executive) Effective Date: FY 2026-27 (May 2026)

About Authentica

Authentica is a Pune-headquartered experiential learning and global education company specialising in study abroad programmes, global internships, executive education, and professional development. We serve 70+ university partners across the US, Canada, and Australia, operating programmes in 30+ countries. Our clients include Stanford, Dartmouth, NYU, and other leading institutions.

We manage flagship government-sponsored executive education programmes including the UAE-India Leaders Program, in partnership with the National Projects Office (NPO) under the UAE Ministry of Presidential Affairs and the Zayed Education Foundation.

We are on an ambitious growth trajectory targeting Rs. 60 CR revenue in FY 2026-27 and an IPO by 2030. This role is critical to achieving that vision.

Role Summary

The Head of Growth Marketing is responsible for building and scaling the marketing engine that drives Authentica’s top-of-funnel pipeline across B2B (university partners, government contracts) and B2C (students, participants) audiences. This is a hands-on leadership role combining strategic vision, data fluency, and modern marketing technology to deliver measurable revenue impact.

Your north-star metric is marketing-sourced pipeline and revenue. You will own the growth strategy, marketing automation stack, and performance analytics that convert brand visibility into qualified leads for Sales and Operations. You will amplify the momentum of a strong existing team — bringing the growth architecture, tooling, and analytical rigour that takes the function from good execution to a predictable revenue engine.

Key Responsibilities

1. Growth Strategy & Funnel Architecture

• Design and own the full marketing funnel: awareness → engagement → lead capture → MQL → SQL → handoff to Sales/Ops
• Build marketing-sourced pipeline dashboards with weekly reporting cadence to CEO
• Define MQL/SQL criteria in partnership with Sales; set channel-level CAC, CPL, CPA, and ROAS targets
• Architect attribution models (first-touch, multi-touch) to track marketing’s revenue contribution
• Execute quarterly growth experiments with documented hypotheses and results

2. Performance Marketing & Demand Generation

• Drive B2B lead generation: university partnerships, faculty-led programme inquiries, and government contracts
• Drive B2C lead generation: student applications for standard programmes (Florence, Barcelona, Seoul), internships, and India Outbound
• Build and optimise paid media campaigns (Google, Meta, LinkedIn) with clear CPL and CPA targets
• Own email marketing, nurture sequences, lead scoring, and CRM integration
• Implement marketing automation (HubSpot, ActiveCampaign, or equivalent); deploy AI tools for lead scoring, ad optimisation, and predictive analytics

3. Brand, Content & Thought Leadership

• Own and evolve Authentica’s brand identity, messaging, and positioning across all channels
• Lead content strategy: blogs, webinars, case studies, newsletters, and industry publications (NAFSA, AIEA, ForumEA)
• Develop thought leadership campaigns that establish Authentica as the trusted leader in experiential global education

4. Public Relations & Media

• Execute a PR strategy targeting education trade press (Chronicle of Higher Education, Inside Higher Ed, PIE News), business media (Economic Times, YourStory), and international outlets
• Position Authentica leadership as expert commentators on international education trends
• Build journalist relationships; manage press releases, media pitches, op-eds, and awards submissions

5. Digital & Social Media

• Oversee SEO strategy targeting 100%+ annual organic traffic growth
• Direct social media strategy across Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and YouTube
• Track and report digital metrics with data-driven optimisation

6. Team Leadership & Development

• Lead and develop a team of 3 specialists; set clear OKRs and KPIs with regular 1:1s and quarterly reviews
• Build a culture of accountability, experimentation, and continuous improvement
• Identify skill gaps, invest in capability building, and develop succession pathways

7. Marketing Technology & Innovation

• Own the martech stack: evaluate, implement, and optimise tools for automation, analytics, and AI-driven marketing
• Deploy AI agents and workflows for lead scoring, content generation, ad copy optimisation, and predictive targeting
• Run quarterly innovation sprints: test one new tool or approach, document results, and scale or kill
• Manage the marketing budget with data-driven spend optimisation for maximum ROI

What Success Looks Like

90 Days: Marketing audit complete. Baseline dashboard live (leads, MQL/SQL, CPL, CPA, traffic). Automation and lead scoring deployed. Growth roadmap presented to CEO.

6 Months: 200+ qualified B2B leads. 50% organic traffic growth. CPL below ₹2,000 (B2C) / ₹8,000 (B2B). MQL-to-SQL ≥20%. 5+ media mentions. Marketing automation fully operational.

12 Months: ≥₹10 CR marketing-attributed revenue. 500+ B2B and 1,000+ B2C leads. Organic traffic doubled. 15+ media mentions. CAC reduced 20% vs. Month 6. At least 1 AI-driven workflow scaled into daily operations.

Required Qualifications

Education

• MBA or equivalent (preferred)

Experience

• 8–12 years in marketing, with 3+ years in a growth, performance, or demand-generation leadership role
• Proven track record driving measurable pipeline and revenue through marketing
• Experience managing and developing a team

Skills & Competencies

• Deep expertise in performance marketing: SEO, SEM, paid social, email, marketing automation, and CRM
• Strong analytical skills: attribution models, A/B testing, funnel metrics, and ROI measurement
• Hands-on experience with marketing technology, automation platforms, and AI-powered marketing tools
• Strong writing and communication skills; ability to translate performance data into clear narratives for the CEO
• Experience in education, travel, or B2B services; familiarity with international education / study abroad a strong plus
• PR experience and exposure to AI agents or ML-driven marketing workflows are advantageous

Work Expectations

• Hours: Full-time (40–45 hrs/week) with flexibility for international time zones
• Travel: Moderate domestic and international travel for stakeholder meetings and conferences
• Collaboration: Internal (CEO, Sales, Programme Design, Operations, Finance); External (university partners, media, agency partners, martech vendors)
• Probation: 3 months

Compensation & Benefits

• Rs. 15,00,000 – Rs. 21,00,000 per annum (Fixed + Performance Bonus)
• All official travel expenses covered
• Professional development and networking budget
• Access to Authentica’s global partner network
• ESOP eligibility after 24 months

How to Apply

Send your application to with:

• CV/resume highlighting relevant experience
• Cover letter addressing: (1) experience building and scaling marketing functions with specific pipeline or revenue outcomes; (2) tools, platforms, and growth systems you have built; (3) what excites you about marketing in the international education space
• Two professional references

Applications should be submitted to: https://survey.zohopublic.com/zs/APzuHz

Authentica is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity and inclusion.

Authentica Ventures Pvt. Ltd. | #8 NCL-B Colony, Panchavati, Pashan, Pune 411008 | www.authentica.com