At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the strategy and operations for product samples in Fashion, Home & Beauty Marketing.
- Company: Join M&S, a dynamic and inclusive retail leader transforming the shopping experience.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, bonuses, and wellbeing support.
- Why this job: Be at the forefront of innovative marketing strategies and sustainability initiatives.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership experience and strong organisational skills required.
- Other info: Collaborative culture with opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The predicted salary is between 36000 - 60000 £ per year.
Being a part of M&S is exactly that - playing your part to bring the magic of M&S to our customers every day. We're an inclusive, dynamic, exciting, and ever-evolving business built on doing the right thing and bringing exceptional quality, value, and service to every customer, whenever, wherever, and however they want to shop with us.
Here are some of the benefits we offer that make working for M&S just that little bit more special:
- After completing your probationary period, you'll receive 20% colleague discount across all M&S products and many of our third-party brands for you and a member of your household.
- Competitive holiday entitlement with the potential to buy extra holiday days!
- Discretionary bonus schemes awarded based on how you achieve your personal objectives and our performance as a business.
- A generous Defined Contribution Pension Scheme and Life Assurance.
- A dedicated welcome to our teams with a tailored induction and a wide range of training programmes to develop your skills.
- Amazing perks and discounts via our M&S Choices portal to maximise your financial and personal wellbeing.
- Industry-leading parental, adoption, and neonatal policies, providing support and flexibility for your family.
- Access to a fantastic range of wellbeing support for all colleagues including access to our 24/7 Virtual GP and PAM Assist to support you and your family.
- A charity volunteer day to support a charity or cause you're passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
The Marketing Samples Manager leads the end-to-end strategy and operations of all physical product samples across Fashion Home & Beauty Marketing. Responsible for ensuring every sample is accurately tracked, efficiently circulated, and available to key teams, this role is central to enabling timely product launches, campaigns, and to support our social and PR growth.
Key responsibilities include:
- Review and transform sample process - develop and implement scalable sample management processes to support business growth.
- Partner with senior stakeholders to forecast sample volumes and prioritise key activities (seasonal launches, campaigns, PR/social media events, celebrity ambassador/influencer dressing & gifting).
- Identify opportunities to improve efficiency through system enhancements, automation, or workflow redesign.
- Lead on sustainability initiatives, optimising sample reuse, recycling, and responsible disposal.
- Reposition role of samples in the Marketing department as a critical enabler (lead cultural change around sample management).
- Act as the key liaison between Buying, Merchandising, Studio, PR/Social, and Marketing teams to ensure sample alignment with business calendars.
- Work closely with the product photography team to support delivery and return of samples for hybrid shoots.
- Support PR/Social team with event resource where required (in-house studio shoots, content shoots, display samples, goodie bags, attendee dressing etc).
- Work closely with Marble Arch Showroom Manager to align processes and identify synergies/process improvements.
- Provide visibility of sample status and priorities through reporting and dashboards.
- Manage and mentor a team of ITG marketing executives, fostering a high-performance, accountable & collaborative culture.
- Champion operational excellence and encourage proactive problem-solving.
Who you are:
- Proven experience leading a team and improving operational systems and workflows.
- Strong understanding of fashion critical path, seasonal calendars, and go-to-market processes.
- Highly proficient in Excel and/or inventory management.
- Excellent organisational, analytical, and communication skills.
- Experience managing multiple stakeholders across departments.
- Strategic thinker with strong operational acumen.
- Calm, solution-oriented, and able to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
- Exceptionally organised, with a meticulous eye for detail.
- Collaborative leader with strong interpersonal skills.
- Passionate about process improvement and product excellence.
Marks & Spencer strives to be an inclusive organisation, trusted, and admired by our colleagues, customers, and suppliers. Join us and make change happen. We are committed to building diverse and representative teams, where everyone can bring their whole selves to work and be at their best.
Marketing Samples Manager in City of London employer: Marks and Spencer
Contact Detail:
Marks and Spencer Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Marketing Samples Manager in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those already at M&S. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insider info on what they're really looking for.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for the interview by knowing your stuff! Research M&S's latest campaigns and sustainability initiatives. Show them you're not just interested in the role but also in their mission and values.
✨Tip Number 3
Practice makes perfect! Get a mate to do a mock interview with you. Focus on articulating your experience in managing teams and improving processes, as these are key for the Marketing Samples Manager role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you're serious about joining the M&S family.
We think you need these skills to ace Marketing Samples Manager in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Marketing Samples Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing samples and improving operational systems, as this will show us you understand what we're looking for.
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t forget to mention your proficiency in Excel and inventory management. We love seeing candidates who can demonstrate strong analytical skills and a meticulous eye for detail, so make those stand out!
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We’re all about inclusivity and collaboration, so showing us who you are and how you work with others can really set you apart from the crowd.
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates during the process!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Know Your Samples
Familiarise yourself with the sample management process and how it impacts product launches. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've improved operational systems in previous roles, as this will show your understanding of the importance of efficient sample circulation.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to talk about your experience leading teams and managing multiple stakeholders. Think of a time when you successfully navigated competing priorities and how you fostered a collaborative culture within your team.
✨Be Data-Driven
Brush up on your Excel skills and be prepared to discuss how you've used data to inform decisions in past roles. Highlight any experience you have with reporting and dashboards, as this will demonstrate your analytical capabilities.
✨Emphasise Sustainability
Given the role's focus on sustainability initiatives, come equipped with ideas on how to optimise sample reuse and recycling. Showing your passion for responsible practices will resonate well with the company's values.