Marketing & Growth Domestic & International Media Buying Agency

Procurement Background:

Federation University is in the final year of delivering its Strategic Plan 2021–2025. We’ve seen tangible results during our 2021 – 2025 Strategic Plan period. Our domestic learner numbers are growing much faster than the sector average (20% higher education growth over the past two years). Federation TAFE is thriving, experiencing 34% growth since 2021, delivering a surplus in 2024 and on the trajectory to become #1 TAFE in Victoria.

Learner outcomes have improved, and Federation graduates enjoy outstanding employment success – we recently ranked the highest in Victoria (and second in Australia) for full-time postgraduate employment and second in Victoria for undergraduate employment outcomes. Our graduates’ median salaries are among the very best in the nation.

As we move towards our next strategic plan, our 2040 vision focuses on delivering for our regions: providing the skilled workforce each community needs and producing research that provides local solutions and drives innovation. We will do this through our co-operative education model, a proven, sustainable solution designed to evolve with our communities and drive social and economic prosperity.

We are the first university in Australia to integrate the co-operative model into our courses, with the goal of expanding across all disciplines by 2026. This transformation not only redefines our position within the higher education sector but also demonstrates our deep commitment to society. Through Co-op, students connect their learning with real workplace demands, earning while they study, building professional networks and graduating job ready, while employers gain access to emerging talent and the opportunity to shape future skills. By embedding this model across our campuses and regional industries, we strengthen the communities we serve by keeping talent local, addressing critical skills shortages and ensuring our graduates contribute directly to the social and economic growth of their regions.

Our current market position demonstrates both opportunity and challenge. While Federation leads in Gippsland with a 37% market share across the region, performance in other key catchments is more competitive. In Berwick, Federation holds a 10.5% share (15% in the City of Cardinia), and in Ballarat, an 18.1% share (35.7% in the City of Ballarat). These figures are below those of major competitors, particularly Deakin University.

In Ballarat, a pressing challenge is the retention of local school leavers. Increasing numbers are choosing to relocate to Melbourne, perceiving it as offering greater lifestyle and career opportunities. Reversing this trend and repositioning the Ballarat campus as a compelling first-choice option is a critical deliverable. At the same time, Federation must protect and grow share in Gippsland while significantly strengthening presence in Berwick and Ballarat.

Federation is also expanding into new markets, including the recent launch of the Melbourne City Campus. This campus places international students at the heart of opportunity, offering courses in Accounting, Business, Cybersecurity and Information Technology in a globally connected city environment. Building awareness, preference and enrolments in Melbourne’s highly competitive international market will be another key focus.

The higher education and TAFE sectors are becoming increasingly competitive, with rival institutions investing heavily in sophisticated, multi-channel advertising. Without comparable media and creative capability, Federation risks losing visibility and market share among prospective students, researchers, industry partners, and alumni. The financial impacts of this would be significant and ongoing.

Objective

Federation University seeks to appoint a media agency partner with the expertise, innovation and market insight to:

- Drive brand visibility and cut-through in competitive domestic and international markets.

- Increase first preferences and enrolments, particularly from domestic school leavers in Ballarat, Berwick.

- Consolidate and grow Federation’s leading position for domestic students in Gippsland.

- Build brand presence and drive acquisition for international students at the Melbourne City Campus, in conjunction with other campuses.

- Deliver effective and efficient media buying across SEM, social, digital, and offline channels.

Provide creative and strategic solutions aligned to the student journey and sales funnel, ensuring consistent and compelling customer experiences.

Navigate the increasing complexity of multiple markets and stakeholders, across both the University and Federation TAFE.

This appointment is critical to achieving Federation University’s strategic growth targets and ensuring our brand remains visible, competitive, and relevant in an evolving education landscape.

Scope of Work:

Federation University is seeking a media partner who can work in close collaboration with the organisation to deliver not only effective and targeted campaign strategies, but also proactive, innovative approaches to engage key audiences — including those that are traditionally hard to reach, such as non-school leavers, and other niche segments.

The appointed agency/agencies will be expected to:

Develop and implement integrated media and creative strategies aligned with Federation’s student acquisition targets and brand-building objectives across domestic and international markets (South-east Asia, India, China, South Asia, Vietnam, onshore).

Design and execute campaign activity across the full calendar year, including:

• Always-on activity for brand awareness and engagement
• Time-sensitive or ad-hoc campaigns to meet emerging market opportunities
• Course-specific or cohort-targeted campaigns (e.g. TAFE, postgraduate, FAST, Online)
• Seasonal bursts aligned with student decision-making cycles
• Given the range of activity across Higher Education, TAFE and international marketing, the partner must have sufficient resourcing and operational capacity to manage concurrent campaigns and provide responsive support across multiple internal Federation stakeholders.
• Resourcing and responsiveness

The agency should be able to:

• Manage day-to-day operations, campaign queries, and content delivery across multiple Federation stakeholders within the marketing.
• Scale resourcing quickly in response to urgent campaign needs or emerging market opportunities

Provide access to a core team of experienced professionals including:

• Account Directors and Managers
• Media Planners and Strategists
• Campaign Managers and Digital Analysts
• Demonstrate flexibility and agility in timelines — including the ability to meet short turnarounds, particularly during key recruitment periods
• Collaboration and integration

To ensure a seamless and impactful customer experience, agency staff will be expected to work closely with Federation’s internal teams, including:

• Marketing team
• Digital and/or ITS (Information Technology Services)
• Conversion and Admissions
• Business Intelligence and Analytics
• This integrated approach is crucial to delivering a consistent and engaging user journey from awareness through to application.
• Experience and capability

The agency must demonstrate:

• Proven experience working with higher education and/or TAFE institutions
• Relevant case studies showcasing how similar clients have been supported with measurable outcomes
• Deep understanding of the student lifecycle and the complexities of multi-cohort recruitment (domestic, international, school leaver, non-school leaver, TAFE, Online)
• Strategic leadership from senior staff, including Account Directors and Planning Leads with experience in education or complex service organisations
• Research and market insight

Federation’s marketing strategy is grounded in evidence and data. As such, the agency must:

• Have access to current market research, competitive insights, and education sector trends (domestic and international)
• Incorporate data-led decision making into campaign development, media planning, and creative strategy
• Have capability to market test creative and optimise results
• Proactively provide updates and recommendations based on market shifts or platform changes

The agency should also maintain strong relationships with platform representatives (e.g., Google, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn) and proactively arrange for:

• Industry updates and product showcases relevant to the education sector
• Co-hosted professional development sessions or workshops for Federation’s internal marketing teams
• Insights into upcoming media innovations, best-practice campaign structures, and platform-supported creative approaches

Scope

Federation University is seeking a media partner who can work in close collaboration with the organisation to deliver not only effective and targeted campaign strategies, but also proactive, innovative approaches to engage key audiences — including those that are traditionally hard to reach, such as non-school leavers, and other niche segments.

The appointed agency/agencies will be expected to:

Develop and implement integrated media and creative strategies aligned with Federation’s student acquisition targets and brand-building objectives across domestic and international markets (South-east Asia, India, China, South Asia, Vietnam, onshore).

Design and execute campaign activity across the full calendar year, including:

• Always-on activity for brand awareness and engagement
• Time-sensitive or ad-hoc campaigns to meet emerging market opportunities
• Course-specific or cohort-targeted campaigns (e.g. TAFE, postgraduate, FAST, Online)
• Seasonal bursts aligned with student decision-making cycles
• Given the range of activity across Higher Education, TAFE and international marketing, the partner must have sufficient resourcing and operational capacity to manage concurrent campaigns and provide responsive support across multiple internal Federation stakeholders.
• Resourcing and responsiveness

The agency should be able to:

• Manage day-to-day operations, campaign queries, and content delivery across multiple Federation stakeholders within the marketing.
• Scale resourcing quickly in response to urgent campaign needs or emerging market opportunities
• Provide access to a core team of experienced professionals including:
• Account Directors and Managers
• Media Planners and Strategists
• Campaign Managers and Digital Analysts
• Demonstrate flexibility and agility in timelines — including the ability to meet short turnarounds, particularly during key recruitment periods
• Collaboration and integration

To ensure a seamless and impactful customer experience, agency staff will be expected to work closely with Federation’s internal teams, including:

• Marketing team
• Digital and/or ITS (Information Technology Services)
• Conversion and Admissions
• Business Intelligence and Analytics
• This integrated approach is crucial to delivering a consistent and engaging user journey from awareness through to application.
• Experience and capability

The agency must demonstrate:

• Proven experience working with higher education and/or TAFE institutions
• Relevant case studies showcasing how similar clients have been supported with measurable outcomes
• Deep understanding of the student lifecycle and the complexities of multi-cohort recruitment (domestic, international, school leaver, non-school leaver, TAFE, Online)
• Strategic leadership from senior staff, including Account Directors and Planning Leads with experience in education or complex service organisations
• Research and market insight

Federation’s marketing strategy is grounded in evidence and data. As such, the agency must:

• Have access to current market research, competitive insights, and education sector trends (domestic and international)
• Incorporate data-led decision making into campaign development, media planning, and creative strategy
• Have capability to market test creative and optimise results
• Proactively provide updates and recommendations based on market shifts or platform changes
• The agency should also maintain strong relationships with platform representatives (e.g., Google, Meta, TikTok, LinkedIn) and proactively arrange for:
• Industry updates and product showcases relevant to the education sector
• Co-hosted professional development sessions or workshops for Federation’s internal marketing teams
• Insights into upcoming media innovations, best-practice campaign structures, and platform-supported creative approaches