April 2018

Brand & Customer Director role with ambitious, P/E backed retailer

This position is now closed

If you like the sound of this role our specialist Rob Seery can help you find your next career move.

Excellent opportunity for an experienced retail marketer to join a unique, evolving high street retailer. The role reports to the Chief Executive.

This iconic retailer is over 40 years old, consists of over 200 shops and employs over 3000 people. It is a multi-channel retailer but it’s core proposition is physical stores, typically located in smaller towns rather than urban high streets or out-of-town shopping centres. In essence, our client is a value retailer with a broad offer not dissimilar to a mini department store. Its strategy is to offer its customers a cost-led and convenient alternative for those who prefer to shop locally. The business is owned by leading private equity firm and with their support the CEO and Board are spearheading a progressive but hugely exciting change programme.

  • Location: North of England
  • Salary: Highly attractive

The Role and Key Responsibilities

  • Leading the creation, development, and implementation of retail marketing strategy, specifically 'Brand' and 'Customer'.
  • Overall accountability for total marketing activity including conception, innovation, and enactment. Refine the marketing strategy through deep consumer segmentation analysis.
  • Responsible for Brand Communication strategy and execution within media, digital and PR.
  • Overseeing the website look, feel and analytics.
  • Ownership of Trading and Marketing calendar. Oversee all retail marketing activity including promotions, consumer research, traditional media and materials. Overseeing the delivery of Instore campaigns included printed POS.
  • Leading the CRM agenda: loyalty strategy, delivery and achievement of KPIs including LFL impact, database size, email open rates, campaign response rates, margin impact, cost control. In addition, use of ‘big data’ to drive company performance.
  • Be the customer-champion within the business, ensuring this focus is at the heart of all strategic and tactical conversations.
  • Accountable for cost centre ownership and Return on Investment.
  • Accountable for the commercial relationships with external agency partners. Energising and motivating agency partners to provide the business with exceptional, cost-effective support.
  • Responsible for all elements of their digital marketing proposition.
  • Supporting the trading teams, through the delivery of effective marketing support, in their pursuit of revenue, share and margin KPIs.
  • Identifying and implementing the optimum structure for the Marketing team, one that will ensure the delivery of its strategic plan.
  • Developing and supporting exceptional people to deliver their agreed objectives and enabling them to achieve their full potential.
  • Providing outstanding leadership for the Marketing function, both internally and externally. Be a highly visible ambassador within and without the business for the marketing function.
  • Creating a sense of pace and urgency within Marketing team, but also proactively be an example of this behaviour across the wider business.
  • As a key member of the leadership team, directly contributing to the implementation of the business’s wider strategic goals, achievement of the 3 year business plan and the delivery of EBITDA goals within it.
  • Keeping up to date with the very latest retail trends in the UK and global markets.

The Person

  • We are seeking an outstanding Marketing Director, someone who is already an established retail leader. It is essential that you have the capability and experience to operate as a key player at Exec level, bringing challenge, rigour and pace to the senior team.
  • You will need to be able to flex your approach, shifting from providing a hands-on approach through to developing strategic plans in the boardroom.
  • Individuals are very likely to be currently working in a complex, scaled UK retailer. You will offer a strong understanding of CRM.
  • The right character for this role will be able to quickly win the respect of the trading and store teams with their desire to take accountability, energy, knowledge, and resilience.

If you have the skills and experience and you are looking for a new challenge, we would be delighted to discuss this opportunity further.

Completed Project