At a Glance
- Tasks: Design and develop innovative retail experiences that engage customers and drive sales.
- Company: Join a leading brand focused on creating immersive retail environments.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, career growth opportunities, and a dynamic work culture.
- Other info: Be part of a fast-paced team that values creativity and innovation.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by transforming retail into community-driven experiences.
- Qualifications: Experience in retail activation or experiential marketing is essential.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 £ per year.
This role is responsible for designing and developing retail activations, services, and experience programmes, with a strong focus on pilot environments and flagship/test-and-learn stores. You translate brand storytelling, product, and cultural insight into innovative, immersive, and commercially effective in-store experiences that drive engagement, participation, and conversion. The role plays a critical part in delivering the Retail Acceleration ambition to create experience-led retail environments that build community, increase loyalty, and drive performance.
Partner with Retail Design & Concepts on all initiatives involving physical tools, fixtures, or hardware to ensure alignment with the overall retail concept and design language. Ensure all outputs are developed with a clear understanding of the end-to-end retail concept, delivering cohesive, connected experiences across all store environments and touchpoints.
CORE ACCOUNTABILITIES
- Activation & Programme Ideation
- Lead the creation of global activation and experience concepts, aligned to brand and retail marketing strategy.
- Develop innovative, experience-led programmes that drive traffic, engagement, and cultural relevance.
- Translate brand narratives into in-store moments, events, and participation experiences.
- Create and deliver GWP (Gift With Purchase) programmes that support key launches and commercial moments.
- Service Design
- Define and design new in-store services and consumer propositions (e.g. clientelling, personalisation, community-led experiences).
- Ensure services are aligned to consumer needs, behaviours, and expectations.
- Embed service design into the overall retail experience ecosystem.
- Design services and propositions that can be delivered across digital and physical touchpoints, from online journeys to in-store execution, ensuring a seamless end-to-end consumer experience.
- Pilot Doors & Test-and-Learn
- Lead ideation and development of pilot concepts for key flagship and test locations.
- Establish a structured test-and-learn approach:
- Trial new activations and services.
- Measure impact and engagement.
- Refine and iterate concepts.
- Work closely with flagship teams to deliver high-impact pilot executions.
- Concept to Scaled Execution
- Translate successful pilots into scalable programme frameworks and playbooks.
- Partner with Retail Marketing (for integration into overall journey), Visual Merchandising (for in-store execution), Markets (for rollout), Global Supply Chain (to ensure feasibility, timelines, and readiness for rollout).
- Ensure integration with digital teams (e.g., eCommerce, CRM, web, social) to enable cross-pollination of initiatives and amplify activations and services through digital channels, building awareness and driving participation before, during, and after in-store execution.
- Ensure concepts are repeatable, adaptable, and commercially viable.
- Consumer Engagement & Community
- Design experiences that drive participation and interaction, community connection and belonging, repeat visitation and advocacy.
- Ensure activations go beyond events to create meaningful brand relationships.
- Performance & Impact
- Define and track activation and service KPIs, including engagement and participation, conversion uplift, customer capture and retention.
- Ensure activations are clearly linked to commercial outcomes and brand impact.
- Own budget tracking for Activations & Services, ensuring spend stays on plan.
Key Skills & Capabilities
- Strong experience in retail activation, experiential marketing, or service design.
- Ability to translate brand strategy into innovative physical experiences.
- Strong understanding of omnichannel service delivery, with experience connecting digital and physical experiences to drive awareness and conversion.
- Proven experience in concept development and pilot delivery.
- Strong understanding of consumer behaviour within retail environments.
- Experience working across global markets and scaling concepts.
- Creative and commercially minded—balancing innovation with performance.
- Strong project leadership and stakeholder management.
- Comfortable operating in a test-and-learn, fast-moving transformation environment.
Decision Remit
- Owns concept direction for retail activations, services, and programmes.
- Determines priorities for pilot initiatives and experience development.
- Recommends which concepts are scaled vs refined or stopped.
- Influences investment decisions relating to activation and service innovation.
- Escalates decisions relating to brand positioning or major investment trade-offs.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE IN YOUR ROLE
- Strong pipeline of innovative, high-impact retail activations and service concepts.
- Successful delivery of pilot programmes in flagship and test stores.
- Clear test-and-learn approach driving continuous improvement.
- Scalable activation and service playbooks rolled out across markets.
- Increased consumer engagement, participation, and loyalty.
- Activations and services driving measurable uplift in traffic, conversion, and revenue.
- Retail becoming a destination for experience, community, and connection—not just purchase.
Global Retail Activations & Services Manager in London employer: Dr. Martens
As a Global Retail Activations & Services Manager in London, you will thrive in a dynamic and innovative work culture that prioritises creativity and collaboration. The company offers exceptional employee growth opportunities through hands-on experience in flagship stores, alongside a commitment to developing immersive retail experiences that foster community and loyalty. With a focus on impactful activations and a supportive environment, this role is perfect for those seeking meaningful contributions to the retail landscape.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Global Retail Activations & Services Manager in London
✨Get Your Retail Game On
Start by getting to know the local retail scene. Make a list of stores that align with your vibe and visit them. You'll be surprised at how many job openings come from chatting with staff or managers in-store. Plus, showing that you have a genuine interest in their brand can make you stand out when applying for that full-time role!
✨Join Retail Networks and Forums
Tap into retail-specific communities and forums, whether online or in-person. Platforms like Retail Week or local retail meetups can provide invaluable insights and connections. You never know who might drop a tip about an upcoming job at companies like Dr. Martens, so don’t miss out on building those relationships!
✨Be Ready for Busy Season Opportunities
Keep your eyes peeled for seasonal hiring windows, especially in the run-up to major shopping periods. Retailers often look for full-time staff to carry through busy times and may even keep you on after the season. Stay proactive by regularly checking in with your favourite retailers about their hiring plans.
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail’s all about customer interactions, so make sure you showcase any relevant experience in your conversations and interviews. Share specific examples of your customer service skills and how they’ve led to positive outcomes. This is your moment to shine when applying to roles at places like Dr. Martens!
We think you need these skills to ace Global Retail Activations & Services Manager in London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Off Your Customer Service Skills:In retail, customer service is key! Make sure your CV highlights any experience where you've dealt with customers, whether it’s resolving issues or enhancing the shopping experience. Use concrete examples to demonstrate your problem-solving skills and ability to handle difficult situations with ease.
Tailor Your CV for Retail:When applying for a full-time role like this one at Dr. Martens, customise your CV to reflect retail-specific buzzwords. Include any relevant skills such as inventory management or visual merchandising, and if you have experience with POS systems, shout about it! This will show you’re serious about joining the retail team.
Craft a Genuine Cover Letter:Don’t just repeat your CV in your cover letter! Use it as a chance to explain why you're excited about the opportunity at Dr. Martens and how your values align with their brand. Mention specific aspects of the company that resonate with you and let your enthusiasm shine through!
Highlight Your Adaptability:In retail, things can get busy and unpredictable, so demonstrate how adaptable and flexible you are. Share examples of times you've had to adjust your approach on the fly or take on new responsibilities. This will show Dr. Martens that you’re ready to jump in and contribute right away!
How to prepare for a job interview at Dr. Martens
✨Show Off Your Customer Service Skills
Retail is all about providing an exceptional customer experience, so be ready to discuss your past customer service stories. We should have examples on hand of how we've handled difficult situations or gone above and beyond to meet a customer's needs. These anecdotes will bring your application to life!
✨Familiarity with Point of Sale Systems
Many retail roles require us to work with Point of Sale (POS) systems, so it's a good idea to brush up on any relevant software you’ve used before. If you’re familiar with systems like Shopify or Square, don’t forget to mention this during the interview. Highlighting technical proficiency can set us apart from other candidates!
✨Understand Product Knowledge
Be prepared to discuss the products that the store sells and how we can contribute to their sales. Showing enthusiasm for the products and a willingness to learn can impress interviewers. We should research popular items or trends in the industry before the interview, so we can speak confidently about them.
✨Be Ready for Role-Playing Scenarios
Many retail interviews include role-playing scenarios where we might have to deal with a difficult customer or upsell a product. Practising these scenarios with a friend or family member can help us feel more comfortable. The key here is to showcase our problem-solving skills and ability to remain calm under pressure!
