At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and evolve the CRM strategy, building customer journeys and optimising engagement.
- Company: Fast-growing consumer-focused business with an entrepreneurial spirit.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, stock options, 27 days leave, healthcare, and childcare discounts.
- Other info: Opportunity to create order from complexity in a rapidly evolving company.
- Why this job: Shape a new CRM programme and make a real impact in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Strong CRM experience, hands-on with platforms like Zoho, and team management skills.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 70000 £ per year.
Location: Welwyn Garden City (Hybrid – 2 days per week)
Salary: £60,000 – £70,000 base salary plus Stock options
Benefits: 27 days leave, healthcare, pension, EV car scheme, Childcare discounts and more
This is one of those roles which is quite unique, as the company is already at a reasonable size, yet the foundations have only recently been put in place to start building a modern, truly effective CRM programme which can elevate the company’s operations across channels. It’s a high-growth, consumer-focused business which generates around £100m+ turnover and operates across over 100 venues around the UK is looking to hire a Head of CRM into a newly created role. Zoho CRM has recently been implemented, and some email journeys created. However there’s still lots to build, and some of the initial structure established. But the real work starts now. Customer journeys need designing and building, taking them from EVP through to a much more sophisticated operation. Segmentation needs defining. Contact strategy needs shaping, and personalisation needs layering in across the full lifecycle. It’s a blank canvas in many ways, but not from scratch.
This is a hands-on leadership position. You’ll be responsible for both the strategy and the execution. You’ll take ownership of how the business engages with its customers from first enquiry through to long-term retention. That means building, testing and optimising CRM journeys, while also shaping the broader approach to customer communication. The primary channel for outbound CRM will be email. They’re also engaging across Whatsapp and SMS, and there’s a customer service and customer engagement team who also operate over telephony and Whatsapp channels too. These teams will be part of your direct reporting structure, it’s a function of 7 in total. With you handling this relatively small inbound contact team, ensuring solid alignment between automated journeys which push outbound and the real-world inbound customer interactions which come back from them, ensuring the journeys are effective in delivering the appropriate KPI’s.
What you’ll be doing:
- Owning and evolving the CRM platform (Zoho), building journeys, workflows and data structure
- Designing end-to-end customer journeys across acquisition, onboarding and retention
- Developing segmentation and contact strategy to improve relevance and conversion
- Building and optimising email and SMS channels, with a strong focus on test-and-learn
- Introducing personalisation across different customer touchpoints
- Using data and insight to identify opportunities to improve engagement and lifetime value
- Creating reporting frameworks to track performance across conversion, retention and customer satisfaction
- Managing and developing a contact centre team handling inbound enquiries
- Aligning CRM activity with wider marketing, operational and commercial objectives
What they’re looking for:
- Strong CRM background with a solid mix of CRM strategy and planning coupled with the ability to get down and dirty with email builds – experience building journeys and automations hands‑on
- Experience with Zoho or similar platforms (Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics)
- Comfortable operating across both strategy and execution
- Strong understanding of segmentation, testing and optimisation
- Experience managing or working closely with a contact centre or customer service function
- Commercially aware, with a focus on conversion, retention and customer value
- High energy, adaptable, and comfortable working in a fast‑paced, evolving environment
Why this role?
The business is in a period of rapid growth and transformation. It has the scale of an established organisation, but still operates with a very entrepreneurial mindset. Things move quickly. There’s room to shape decisions. And there’s a genuine opportunity to build something that didn’t previously exist in a structured way. If you enjoy creating order from complexity and seeing the direct impact of your work, this will appeal.
Head of CRM employer: Blue Pelican
Contact Detail:
Blue Pelican Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of CRM
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your skills! Create a portfolio or case studies that highlight your CRM successes. When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, share specific examples of how you've built effective customer journeys.
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching the company’s current CRM strategies. Think about how you can contribute to their growth and be ready to discuss your ideas on optimising customer engagement.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets noticed. Plus, we love seeing candidates who are proactive about their job search.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of CRM
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for CRM: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for CRM shine through! We want to see how your experience aligns with our vision of building a modern CRM programme. Share specific examples of your past successes in CRM strategy and execution.
Tailor Your CV and Cover Letter: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for this role. Highlight your hands-on experience with platforms like Zoho, and don’t forget to mention any relevant projects where you’ve designed customer journeys or optimised contact strategies. We love seeing tailored applications!
Be Data-Driven: We’re all about using data to drive decisions, so include metrics and results in your application. Whether it’s improved engagement rates or successful segmentation strategies, show us how your data-driven approach has made a difference in your previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. Plus, it gives you a chance to explore more about our company culture and values.
How to prepare for a job interview at Blue Pelican
✨Know Your CRM Inside Out
Make sure you’re well-versed in Zoho CRM and similar platforms. Brush up on your knowledge of customer journey mapping, segmentation, and personalisation strategies. Being able to discuss specific examples of how you've built and optimised CRM journeys will show that you can hit the ground running.
✨Showcase Your Hands-On Experience
This role requires a mix of strategy and execution, so be ready to share your hands-on experience with email builds and automations. Prepare to discuss past projects where you’ve successfully implemented CRM strategies and the impact they had on customer engagement and retention.
✨Understand the Business Landscape
Familiarise yourself with the company’s operations and its growth trajectory. Knowing their market position and how they engage with customers across various channels will help you tailor your responses. Highlight how your skills can contribute to their unique challenges and opportunities.
✨Prepare for a Fast-Paced Environment
Given the entrepreneurial mindset of the company, be ready to demonstrate your adaptability and high energy. Share examples of how you’ve thrived in fast-paced settings and how you approach problem-solving when things get complex. This will show that you’re the right fit for their dynamic culture.