Director of Communications and Marketing
Salary: GDST Senior Leaders Team’s scale: FTE 1 from £83,649 per annum. Salary dependent on experience
Contract: Permanent
Hours: Full Time – This position will involve some out of hours working to attend events
Ideal start date: January/February 2027
Putney High School, part of the Girls’ Day School Trust (GDST), is seeking an experienced leader to join our Senior Leadership Team as Director of Communications and Marketing.
Putney High is one of the UK’s leading independent girls’ schools and has been leading the way in education since 1893. We provide a happy and progressive environment in which over 1000 pupils aged between 4 and 18 can flourish, pursue their interests with passion and humour, whilst building the skills, self-awareness and confidence to throw open doors and make their mark.
The role of Director of Communications and Marketing is a strategic leadership role, reporting directly to the Head, with responsibility for communications, marketing, admissions, philanthropy and alumnae engagement across our Senior and Junior schools.
You will be joining a school with a compelling story to tell, and the strategic room to tell it well. Putney’s ethos of intellectual challenge combined with real heart gives girls the freedom to take risks, find their voice and become confident, original thinkers – an identity that resonates strongly with families. In the role you will drive recruitment and retention at key transition points (4+, 7+, 11+ and Sixth Form), take ownership of digital marketing, PR and events, and work alongside the GDST’s central Marketing and Philanthropy teams.
About you
We’re looking for an accomplished communications and marketing professional with a strong track record in customer acquisition, retention and brand growth, whether gained within independent education or in a comparably competitive, consumer-facing corporate environment.
Experience of the independent education sector is an advantage but not essential. What matters most is a genuine motivation to apply your skills to girls’ education and excitement at the opportunity to grow within one of the UK’s leading school trusts.
About the School
As one of the UK’s leading schools, Putney High School is rightly proud of its exceptional academic results and pastoral care. A spirit of intellectual agility and engagement is at the heart of the school’s ethos, with pupils stretched, challenged, and supported inside the classroom and beyond.
The school is set in leafy, tranquil grounds close to the heart of Putney and to the River Thames.
The school is part of the GDST, the UK’s leading network of independent girls’ schools. We can offer a variety of benefits, such as:
- Competitive salaries and pay progression
- Competitive terms and conditions of employment
- Generous pension scheme
- Free life assurance benefit
- A discount of up to 50% on fees for children at GDST schools
- Access to extensive professional development opportunities
- Training grants for qualifications
- Interest free loans for training, computer purchase loans and season ticket loans
- A Cycle to Work scheme
- Retail and lifestyle discounts
- Financial guidance and support
- 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
- Free lunch during term time
To apply for this exciting opportunity please click on the link to be diverted to our Application web page: Director of Communications and Marketing – careersite
Applications must be received by Monday 12 October 2026 at 9am.
Interviews will take place:
- First round of interviews: 02 November 2026.
- Second round of interviews: 09 November 2026.
Putney High School and the GDST are committed to diversity, inclusion and real change: a family where every individual is valued, respected and included.
Putney High School and the GDST are committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and applicants must be willing to undergo child protection screening appropriate to the post, including online checks, checks with past employers and the Disclosure and Barring Service.
