Digital Marketing Acquisition And Performance Manager

Reporting directly to the Engagement Marketing Senior Manager, the Digital Marketing Acquisition and Performance Manager will lead NABA's global acquisition strategy, driving qualified demand, maximizing lead generation effectiveness and continuously improving the performance of the digital acquisition funnel. The role combines deep expertise in paid acquisition with a data-driven, experimentation-led approach to continuously improve acquisition quality, conversion performance and business impact. Working cross-functionally with Marketing, CRM, Admissions, Enrollment and NABA's international sales network, the role plays a pivotal part in achieving the Academy's student recruitment objectives. The Digital Marketing Acquisition and Performance Manager will also act as a People Manager, leading and developing the Acquisition team while fostering a culture of collaboration, experimentation, accountability and continuous improvement

The selected candidate will carry out the following activities:

• Define, lead and optimize NABA's global acquisition and lead generation strategy across paid digital channels (Search, Social, Display and emerging platforms) to generate qualified demand and high-intent prospective students.
• Develop, execute and continuously optimize paid media campaigns across multiple international markets, maximizing acquisition efficiency and business impact.
• Continuously improve lead generation quality by optimizing audiences, creatives, landing pages and campaign strategies towards prospective students demonstrating stronger purchase intent and higher conversion potential.
• Collaborate with the CRM team to optimize lead nurturing strategies, customer journeys and marketing automation workflows, improving progression across the acquisition funnel.
• Develop strong partnerships with NABA's international sales network, aligning acquisition strategies, lead quality objectives and market priorities.
• Partner with Admissions, Enrollment and other internal stakeholders to continuously improve the transition from digital acquisition to student recruitment activities.
• Collaborate with Brand, Content, SEO & Tech teams to maximize the overall effectiveness of the digital ecosystem and customer journey.
• Optimize landing page experience (in collaboration with the SEO & Tech team) to maximize conversion performance.
• Design, execute and scale A/B testing and experimentation initiatives across campaigns, landing pages, audiences and creative assets.
• Continuously identify new growth opportunities through experimentation, market insights, customer behaviour analysis and emerging technologies.
• Analyze acquisition performance, customer behaviour, business data, market trends and competitor activity to identify opportunities for continuous optimization.
• Manage external media and digital agencies, ensuring alignment with business objectives, performance expectations and quality standards.
• Define, manage and optimize paid media budgets, ensuring efficient investment allocation and maximum return on marketing investment.
• Monitor, analyze and report lead generation and acquisition performance through actionable insights, dashboards and business recommendations.
• Evaluate and leverage AI-powered solutions, automation and emerging marketing technologies to improve acquisition performance, operational efficiency and decision-making.
• Lead, coach and develop the Acquisition team, fostering professional growth, accountability, continuous learning and a culture of experimentation.
• Plan, prioritize and coordinate team activities, ensuring alignment with business priorities and delivery against objectives.
• Support recruitment, onboarding, performance management and talent development within the Acquisition team.
• Promote innovation, cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement across the wider organization.
• Develop, coach and grow a high-performing Acquisition team through effective leadership, clear prioritization, continuous feedback and capability development.

Job requirements:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Digital Communication or a related field.
• 5+ years of proven experience in Digital Marketing, Performance Marketing or Growth Marketing, with a strong focus on digital acquisition and measurable business results.
• Proven experience in planning, managing and optimizing multi-channel paid media campaigns across Google Ads, Meta Ads and other digital advertising platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to develop lead generation and acquisition strategies that generate high-quality, high-intent leads while balancing acquisition volume with measurable business impact.
• Strong understanding of customer acquisition strategies, digital marketing funnels, attribution models and conversion optimization principles.
• Experience collaborating with CRM teams to design and optimize lead nurturing strategies and customer journeys.
• Advanced knowledge of web analytics, business intelligence and reporting tools (GA4, Looker Studio, Power BI or equivalent).
• Proven experience managing digital marketing budgets, media planning and performance forecasting.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights and business recommendations.
• Experience managing external agencies and coordinating cross-functional digital initiatives.
• Proven ability to build strong relationships and collaborate effectively with multiple stakeholders across different business functions.
• Previous experience leading, coaching and developing people and teams.
• Professional proficiency in English (minimum B2/C1).

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within Higher Education, Education Services or industries characterized by long and complex customer decision journeys.
• Experience working in international and multicultural environments.
• Experience collaborating with international sales organizations or distributed commercial networks.
• Experience managing digital acquisition strategies across multiple international markets and customer segments.
• Experience with leading CRM and Marketing Automation platforms (e.g. Salesforce Marketing Cloud, HubSpot or equivalent).
• Professional certifications in Google Ads, Google Analytics, Meta Ads, Salesforce, HubSpot or other relevant Digital Marketing platforms.
• Experience designing and implementing experimentation frameworks, including A/B testing and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO).
• Experience leveraging AI-powered solutions to improve campaign management, reporting, workflow automation and marketing effectiveness.
• Familiarity with SEO, GEO, AEO and digital content ecosystems, with the ability to collaborate effectively with specialist teams.

Soft Skills

• Strong business acumen, with the ability to translate marketing initiatives into measurable business outcomes.
• Growth mindset, with a passion for experimentation, continuous learning and innovation.
• Strong people leadership skills, with the ability to coach, motivate and develop high-performing teams.
• Excellent relationship-building and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence and align stakeholders without direct authority.
• Ability to build alignment across teams with different priorities and business objectives.
• Strategic thinking combined with a hands-on execution mindset.
• Excellent problem-solving, prioritization and decision-making skills.
• Resilience, adaptability and high emotional intelligence.

What We Offer:

• The opportunity to work in a stimulating, international, and multicultural environment
• A dynamic, collaborative, and supportive team culture
• Flexible smart working arrangements
• A 38-hour working week
• Meal vouchers (€8 per working day) for employees working at least 4 hours on-site
• Learning and development opportunities, including unlimited access to LinkedIn Learning and free English language courses with native-speaking teachers
• Access to a confidential Employee Psychological Support Service
• Additional benefits, including access to the company welfare programme, in accordance with company policies and annual eligibility criteria
• Exclusive discounts on courses and educational programmes offered by the Academy

Work location: Milan
Compensation: €40.000 – €50.000 gross per year, plus bonus

Workplace: Milan

If you believe you meet these requirements, we encourage you to apply and join our NABA team.

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