DMI Specialist: Digital marketing strategy & leadership

Level 4 /5 | Foundation Degree Equivalent |8 SQA
Advance Your career in digital strategy & leadership
This expert-level course is designed to shape future digital leaders. You’ll deepen your knowledge of digital marketing strategy, campaign planning, marketing communications, and omnichannel execution. Gain the skills to lead with confidence, drive innovation, and deliver strategic marketing impact in a fast-changing digital world.

We’ll get you qualified faster and with better support than any other learning partner.

Learn with nesma and get extra tutor hours!

Accredited qualification

Digital Marketing Institute
Format
On demand
Start date
Start any time
Duration
30 hours 6 months
DMI Membership
6 months included
Course fee

£2340 £1638 +VAT
Tutors
Julie Atherton
*Team discounts and payment options available

Get a recognised qualification

Join a 300,000 strong digital marketing community!

Over 75,000

Learners

5.0 (62 reviews) 

Why learn with nesma ?

We offer personalised learning that adapts to your changing situation at work and home, and more tutor hours to make sure you achieve your learning goals faster! 

Plus using our exclusive SkillsView™ and dedicated advisors, we work with you to help you build learning pathways to help you get that promotion! 

To learn more about the nesma Way!  ...watch our video!


Write your awesome label here.
Write your awesome label here.

Unique offers for this programme: 

We provide a unique range of offers to support your learning experience when completing this course:
  • SOSTAC Dual Award - qualify
    as a Marketing Planner
  • Enhance your on-demand learning with personal coaching.
  • CIM Dual Award options -
    such as a Strategy & Planning 
    certificate (Level 6)
  • Explore extra resources and connect with the community—free on your Learning Hub

Course description

Step into leadership with the DMI Strategy & Leadership Specialist course—build the skills to lead digital transformation and drive strategic success.

Perfect for ambitious marketers ready to lead, professionals aiming for senior roles, or anyone looking to influence change in a digital-first world.

No leadership experience needed—just bring your drive and get ready to lead with confidence, clarity, and impact!
Write your awesome label here.

What you'll learn

Digital strategy - build and implement strategies that drive business transformation.
Omnichannel - plan & manage integrated campaigns focused on customer experience.
Leadership - learn how to lead teams, manage change, and influence senior stakeholders.
Performance & impact:- use data, budgeting, and KPIs to measure strategic success.

Your course includes

  • 30+ hours of expert-led on-demand video lessons
  • Interactive quizzes and practical assignments
  • Real-world case studies and downloadable toolkits
  • Self-paced learning with lifetime access 
  • Qualification Certificate

Prepare to step into a leadership role

This programme is ideal for anyone ready to specialise in digital strategy and leadership—whether you’re starting your leadership journey, stepping up to a senior role, or building high-impact skills to influence business growth.

You’ll gain practical training in digital strategy development, leading teams, managing change, omnichannel campaign planning, and using data to drive decision-making—everything you need to lead confidently in a digital-first world.

With expert support throughout, you’ll become a skilled strategist and leader ready to drive transformation and deliver real business impact.

We’ll get you qualified faster and with better support than any other learning partner.

 This content is updated regularly!

10 modules

  • Managing marketing activities
  • Communication fundamentals
  • Digital marketing & customer experience
  • Digital channels
  • Analytics, data & ethics
  • Managing a digital team
  • Budgeting & building an effective digital team
  • Digital leadership
  • Developing a digital strategy with strategic thinking
  • Driving business performance with digital marketing strategy
Write your awesome label here.

Download your brochure now!

Share it!

Get a discount when you book together!

Persuade your boss

Incentives to fund your
learning inside!


All of our learners gain access to the nesma learning hub via your own homepage.

From here you can access all of your courses, materials and activities, see your progress and work with other students. 

The platform provides broader benefits including skills passport, activity badges, and access to skills intelligence, offers and news!

Aims

You’ll gain the skills, practical experience, and strategic insights to excel and stand out in digital leadership and strategy.

In short, you’ll become a CERTIFIED digital marketing leader, equipped to design, lead, and optimise business-transforming campaigns and teams with confidence.

Certification exam 

 
The Test is punchy, focused and dynamic. Questions come in different formats including text and image-based multiple choice, matching and drag and drop formats. It lasts 120 minutes, and afterward (fingers crossed) you are never quite the same. You are a new kind of marketeer, a DMI-certified digital animal ready to thrive in the digital jungle.

You can try out the practice exam. With 100 questions in 90 minutes, it’s the ideal way to get you ready for the real thing. .  

DMI Membership 


INCLUDED FREE:  when you enrol in this course, you will become a DMI Professional Member and receive access to DMI Premium Resources (worth £120) for FREE.  The DMI Membership Hub is home to practical resources and the go-to platform for bite-size continuous learning.

Resources such as toolkits, templates, webinars, and walkthroughs designed by industry experts will enable you to easily implement your learnings and make an instant business impact.

Who is it for?

This course is designed for ambitious marketers and professionals ready to step into leadership roles, deepen their strategic expertise, and confidently lead teams.

It’s ideal for team leaders who want to drive digital transformation and business growth, as well as graduates and career changers seeking a solid foundation in digital strategy and leadership.  If your not sure talk to us  

More about your course

Learning Objective 1
Learning Objective 2
Learning Objective 3
Learning Objective 4
Learning Objective 5
Learning Objective 6
Learning Objective 7

Digital tansformation
Understand the impact of digital disruption and how to lead transformation initiatives.

Your Course Creators

Strategy development
Develop and implement digital marketing strategies aligned with organisational objectives.

Omnichannel campaigns
Plan, execute, and optimise integrated marketing campaigns focused on customer experience..

Data analytics
Analyse data and performance metrics to make informed strategic decisions.

Budget management
Effectively manage budgets and allocate resources to support marketing strategies.

Stakeholder communication

Communicate digital strategies clearly and influence stakeholders at all levels.


Leadership skills
Build the skills to lead teams effectively and manage change in digital environments.

Julie Atherton

Award-winning digital strategist
Julie is a digital strategist with more than 30 years of experience. Having worked across both agency and client environments, she brings extensive expertise in delivering marketing, brand, and business strategies across a diverse range of sectors. In 2016, Julie founded Small Wonder, leveraging her background to support a broad spectrum of organisations—from global brands to educational institutions and social enterprises. She is also the author of Social Media Strategy, a book recognized as a top read by Thinkers360.

Learning outcomes


Course Content

1.Managing marketing activities

Explore the evolution of marketing and the role it plays in driving organisational strategy. Dive into the value of consumer behaviour research to make decisions like segmentation, targeting, positioning, and value proposition. Understand the foundations of a marketing program and product design, and decisions related to product, promotion, price, and place strategies. 

2. Communication fundamentals

Explore the theoretical foundations of the communications process and evaluate the elements of the digital and traditional media mix. Look at the concepts of brand equity and architecture and see examples of how successful brands are built. Learn how to work with media stakeholders, identify the value of PR in marketing activities and learn how to manage in a crisis.

3. Digital marketing & customer experience

Understand the importance of audience research and segmentation to choose the best digital channels. Explore the principles of an omnichannel strategy and how to align channels with strategies. Identify the role of the customer journey and customer experience (CX) and how to use CX analysis and measurement. Learn how UX can drive higher ROI and explore the benefits of an agile mindset in the workplace.

4. Digital channels

This practical module gives an overview of channel planning and its challenges. Understand inbound and outbound strategies, cross-media planning, the digital channel mix, and mobile marketing and examine the key topics for each channel.

5. Analytics, data & ethics

Take a deep dive into data and analytics to understand different data types and best practices for data management. Explore the fundamentals of analytics and the best practices to gain crucial insights. Understand the benefits of using AI in digital marketing and drill into data visualisation and reporting, presentation skills, and data-driven decision-making. Explore privacy, ethics, data storage, and data protection.

6. Managing a digital team

Gain the skills required to become an effective manager and understand the daily challenges. Understand the role of a manager, evaluate techniques for managing a digital team and know how to develop people and talent. Examine examples of motivation and explore techniques used to build team culture in hybrid, remote, or co-located environments. 

7. Budgeting & building an effective digital team

Determine a budget for a digital marketing campaign using tools to explore creative budgets, media budgets, and digital media pricing. Learn the key elements required to build an effective digital marketing team, assess the challenges faced and recommend tactics for recruiting, training, and onboarding personnel. Review techniques for coaching and mentoring team members and hone problem-solving skills.

8. Digital leadership

Understand the competencies and behaviors required for successful digital leadership. Explore the difference between managing and leading going from a managerial to a leadership role including ‘big picture’ thinking. Examine key behaviors, attitudes, and techniques to become a more effective leader.

9. Developing a digital strategy with strategic thinking

Identify tactics and techniques to develop a digital marketing strategy by exploring SWOT analysis and PESTEL. Know the frameworks to implement a digital strategy and how to develop, document, and plan a strategy using SMART objectives, metrics, KPIs, and analytics. Learn how to use a digital marketing action plan to develop, communicate, and track strategy implementation. 

10. Driving business performance with digital marketing strategy

Explore the concepts of digital transformation and the challenges facing effective strategy execution including complex customer journeys, marketing technology stack, and data privacy. Evaluate metrics that inform long-term strategic decisions and explore digital techniques and marketing tactics to drive growth.

What our learners say

Helped secure a payrise!

Since completing my course, I have been able to take on more solo projects surrounding SEO and more paid advetising responsibiities.  This helped secure a payrise.

Step up your game!

Your commitment, passion, and delivery were really amazing. We had a great start and the speed as well as intensity with which we rolled out globally over 3 years was unbelievable.

Concise and practical content

I learned a lot and now feel ready to implement these techniques into my organisation. 

Very Professional!

It was an excellent training program, and I am very pleased. The instructors were very knowledgeable, and the content was relevant to our industry.

Simple to understand!

Armed with the knowledge and techniques obtained from your school, I feel more equipped to navigate the challenging social aspects of the real world and become a professional in my field of choice.

Excellent Training Program!

The presenters were amazing. They were engaging, timely, and knowledgeable

5% off for nesma students and alumni!

If you have registered or attended a course
with us before, copy/ use the promo code
on the right when you enrol*
*We will of course verify you have previously learnt with us
Use promo code:

nesmaAlumni2025

Still not sure?  Talk to an advisor now 

Write your awesome label here.

Other courses you might like