Global Commercial Director

About Global University Systems

Global University Systems is an international education group empowering students to transform their lives through learning. We believe education drives progress — shaping careers, communities, and the world.

Our global network of over 30 institutions delivers industry-relevant, accessible, and digitally enabled learning to more than 122,000 students across multiple campuses. With 20M+ online subscribers, we are redefining how education creates opportunity and impact worldwide.

About the Role

We are seeking a visionary, commercially astute
Global Commercial Director of Online Education
to lead the strategic growth, profitability, and global expansion of GUS's online learning portfolio. This is a high-impact leadership role responsible for scaling world-class online operations, driving innovation, and delivering sustained commercial success. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of building and scaling high-performing digital ventures — blending strategy, innovation, and financial acumen to achieve measurable growth.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Development & Market Growth

• Build, launch, and scale an innovative portfolio of online education products that deliver strong revenue and market share growth.
• Identify new commercial opportunities across learner segments and emerging markets, developing data-backed business cases with strong ROI potential.
• Own the global online education roadmap, ensuring initiatives are both market-relevant and commercially powerful.
• Integrate new technologies and pedagogical innovations — including gamification, immersive content, and AI — to drive differentiation and learner engagement.

Commercial Strategy & Financial Performance

• Develop and execute go-to-market strategies to deliver revenue growth, profitability, and long-term commercial sustainability.
• Optimise pricing, packaging, and promotional models to maximise profit per learner and improve acquisition and retention metrics.
• Partner with marketing and sales teams to deliver high-performing, conversion-focused campaigns.
• Drive data-driven decisions to enhance P&L performance and improve unit economics.

Product & Platform Excellence

• Oversee the commercial scalability and learner experience of GUS's online platforms.
• Use analytics to refine product-market fit, reduce revenue leakage, and uncover new monetisation opportunities.
• Implement personalisation, automation, and cross-sell strategies to boost engagement and lifetime value.

Performance Management & Data Insight

• Define and monitor commercial KPIs such as profitability, funnel performance, and revenue per learner.
• Create real-time dashboards that track business health and pinpoint growth drivers.
• Continuously refine commercial strategies based on performance analytics.

Inorganic Growth & Partnerships

• Identify and secure partnerships, acquisitions, and integrations that create meaningful commercial synergies.
• Lead due diligence and integration efforts to accelerate value creation from new ventures.

Leadership & Culture

• Lead global, cross-functional teams to deliver measurable commercial impact across online initiatives.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and results-driven performance.
• Embed ambitious growth targets into institutional strategies while promoting collaboration and entrepreneurial thinking.

Requirements:

Essential Skills & Experience

• Proven success in building and scaling online education businesses, digital platforms, or EdTech ventures from concept to significant revenue growth.
• Strong commercial record in P&L management, pricing, margin optimisation, and revenue modelling, with demonstrated EBITDA growth and scalable business economics.
• Hands-on experience in developing and commercialising digital products and learner experiences.
• Expertise in both organic (new markets, new products, new channels) and inorganic (partnerships, acquisitions) growth.
• Deep familiarity with online learning, higher education, or adjacent sectors such as corporate learning or digital media.
• Skilled in leveraging digital engagement models including gamification, AI-driven personalisation, and behavioural marketing.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders, investors, and boards within global, matrixed organisations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset, strategic vision, and comfort operating in fast-paced, high-growth environments.

Ready to transform global learning? Join us today.