April 17, 2023

Jobs That Make a Difference: Director, Strategic Marketing

At Cengage Group, our mission-driven culture creates jobs that make a difference in the lives of learners. Working here means having a direct impact by helping students around the world discover the power and joy of learning. From Senior Media Producers to UX Designers, we give learners the choice in how, where and what they learn.

We spoke with Charlotte E., Head of Strategic Marketing for the EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa) region of National Geographic Learning and co-chair of our Green Employee Resource Group (ERG), about why she’s passionate about making a difference in education technology and saving the world.

How does your role and the work you do help students and learners?

I head up a team based in the UK and across the EMEA region that works closely with customers to make sure they’re understanding the value of our materials. Our mission at National Geographic Learning is to bring the world to the classroom and the classroom to life. We help English language teachers bring that ethos into their classrooms. We help students learn about their world by experiencing it.

We want to make sure that students are getting some of that explorer magic and inspiration up close and, when that happens, you can see how enthused and inspired both the students and teachers are by the content.

 

Charlotte Quote Climate Crisis

 

What’s something you’re proud of that has impacted learners?

I’m very proud of the work my team did on Project Exploration which is a series of online classes that connects students with National Geographic explorers. In this program, we help students learn about topics like global citizenship, environmental awareness and conservation. They learn how they may play an active role by working with others in their community and the broader global community to make our planet sustainable, peaceful and fairer, all whilst learning English.

Project Exploration really demonstrates the potential our materials have to engage and inspire. It’s amazing to bring explorers into the classroom and show the students firsthand the difference they can make as individuals and how they have the power to change our world for the better. On this project, we got to work with amazing researchers and explorers like Imogen Napper, a marine scientist and Andrés Ruzo, a geothermal scientist.

It was especially inspiring to follow up some months after having the explorers join the classroom and see the pictures and videos that the students had created as part of their projects. It was exciting to see how much we’d affected and inspired the kids.

We’re not just teaching a language or a subject; we’re teaching students the skills they’re going to need in the future to be successful in their careers and in their lives. The students will be the ones that will ultimately have an impact on the world and will have the power to change things and improve it. And the fact we, as employees at Cengage Group, have a part to play in that is amazing!

What motivated you to work at Cengage Group and in edtech?

I studied Modern Languages (French and Modern Greek) at Oxford University and have long had a passion for sharing cultures and using languages to cross borders. It fascinates me how languages can unlock such an enormous amount for students.

What drew me to National Geographic Learning and Cengage Group is how we’re not only doing something fresh and different, but we’re making such a difference to the students, the teachers and our collective future. 

One of the biggest challenges facing students is that schools are trying to prep them for jobs that might not even exist yet. There’s a huge gap between what’s expected from graduates by employers and the skills those students get through education. It’s no longer enough to teach the topic, the education industry and teachers must evolve to help students develop the skills and strategies to thrive in a fast-changing world.

So, our work is a lot more about the transferable skills students will need, as well as the subject material. I believe education is the key to improving people’s futures and making a difference to the world around them.

Based on your experience, what’s the strongest element of Cengage Group’s culture?

One of the best parts of working at Cengage Group is the people and feeling part of a much wider community. Even though we’re large and global, we still feel like incredibly linked. I’m so inspired by the people at Cengage Group.

I also appreciate the agility and flexibility of the company and the people who work here. When faced with challenges, there is a real willingness to pivot and try new things. When situations and technology change, we’re able to adapt to be the best we can for our teachers and learners. It’s inspiring to be part of a forward-thinking company, one that is constantly evolving and improving.  

Can you share more about your role on the Green Team, our environmental Employee Resource Group?

I am honored to be one of the three co-leads of the Green Team, our employee resource group that is focused on environmental sustainability. Recently, I studied with the University of Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership, and I wanted to translate what I had learnt and put that back into Cengage Group.

The Green Team ERG has two main focuses. We work with the leadership team on Cengage Groups Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) strategy to help improve our environmental footprint as we do business. We also share knowledge and educate colleagues around the world on how they as individuals can lessen their impact on their environment.

We take the enthusiasm, knowledge and passions of those in the ERG and share them with the broader Cengage Group company. We have many programs, including a monthly challenge where we aim to inspire people to think about things like traveling sustainably, reducing energy costs and more.

Working with the Green Team has really broadened my horizons about what’s possible at Cengage Group. I’ve never worked anywhere that has such a well-organized and valued network of employee groups and it’s a privilege to be part of this. It’s given me access to people that I wouldn’t normally work with in my day-to-day job. I get to work outside my region and my business unit. It’s allowed me to take my passion and bring it into the workplace.

 

 

How do you bring the passion you have for environmental sustainability into the work you do?

I’m very interested in how we can use language and education to try to solve some of the biggest questions our generation must face – that of climate crisis and sustainable living. Education is key to showing students that they can change the world.

I believe whatever the subject, discipline or major, sustainability skills are an important aspect of our education, and we can help model the behaviour that can impact change.

In honor of Earth Day, I invite you to read more in my blog for Today’s Learner about Teaching Sustainability Skills to Students.

Learn More

Cengage Group employees make an impact and change the world. Here, transparency and collaboration are core values. We provide challenging careers, competitive benefits, a strong technology focus and a great team of co-workers and customers.

To learn more and apply for an open role, visit the careers section of our website.

Read about more jobs that make a difference at Cengage Group: