Digital Communications Channel Manager - 12 Month FTC

The Digital Marketing team is recruiting a Digital Communications Marketing Manager to be at the forefront of our global growth! Based at Head Office in Leicestershire, offering a competitive salary alongside great benefits. This is a 9-12 month FTC (maternity cover).

At NEXT, we are one of the UK’s largest fashion retailers and one of the largest listed companies, selling our products and thousands of brands both in-store and online in the UK and internationally. We’re growing fast, and this growth is exciting for everyone in our business.

The Digital Marketing team at NEXT plays a key role in driving business growth by combining data-driven insights with creative campaigns across channels like paid search, social media, email, and SEO. It’s a fast-paced, hands-on team focused on testing, learning, and optimizing to reach the right customers and improve online performance.

As the Digital Communications Manager, you will shape and execute our email marketing strategy across the customer lifecycle. You will lead and mentor a team of 9 email marketing specialists, fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture. Your strategic vision, technical expertise, and leadership will contribute directly to our marketing success and business objectives.

What else is involved?

• Develop and implement a comprehensive email marketing strategy aligned with company goals, identifying opportunities for innovation and optimization.
• Lead, mentor, and inspire a team of 9 email marketing specialists, fostering their professional growth and setting clear objectives.
• Oversee planning, execution, and optimization of email campaigns, including complex triggered campaigns across UK and international markets.
• Collaborate with the data science team to develop audience segmentation strategies for personalized email communication.
• Establish KPIs, monitor campaign performance, analyze results, and provide insights for improvement.
• Manage and optimize our Bloomreach email platform and other technologies like Validity, within budget, staying updated on industry best practices.
• Work with other marketing and eCommerce teams to ensure integrated marketing efforts.
• Communicate email marketing performance and strategies to stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with data privacy regulations (GDPR, PECR) and maintain high email deliverability.
• Manage the email marketing budget to ensure ROI.
• Work from our Leicestershire Head Office with flexible working options (4 days in-office, 1 from home).

What we’re looking for

• 5+ years of hands-on email marketing experience with increasing responsibility.
• Proven leadership and team management skills.
• Strong understanding of email strategy, best practices, and performance metrics.
• Ability to analyze data to optimize campaigns.
• Experience with email platforms, ideally Bloomreach or similar.
• Skills in segmentation, personalization, and automation.
• Knowledge of deliverability, GDPR, and compliance standards.
• Excellent communication skills for stakeholder engagement.
• Results-driven with a mindset for testing and learning.
• Understanding of retail eCommerce operations.
• Strong organizational skills for managing multiple projects.
• Ability to engage with senior stakeholders and collaborate cross-functionally.
• Proactive, ownership-driven approach.

If you have proven CRM experience and are a confident line manager with excellent communication skills, this role is for you!

Benefits

• Flexible working options
• Performance-based bonus
• Private Medical Insurance
• Sharesave scheme
• Annual Pay Reward
• Pension scheme
• 25 days holiday plus bank holidays (buy/sell options available)
• Staff discount and free next-day delivery
• Refurbished restaurant and bar
• Staff shops in Yorkshire and Leicestershire
• Juice bar and coffee shop
• Gympass membership
• Company bus service
• Onsite nursery (salary sacrifice scheme)
• Digital GP healthcare service
• & more!