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- Tasks: Lead marketing strategies for top sports brands and shape M&S's sports category.
- Company: Join the dynamic team at Marks & Spencer, a leader in retail innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 20% discount, competitive holidays, and amazing perks for your wellbeing.
- Why this job: Make an impact in a pivotal role that drives sports performance and brand partnerships.
- Qualifications: Experience in product or brand marketing, especially with retail or sports brands.
- Other info: Be part of an inclusive culture that values diversity and personal 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 are 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 will 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 are passionate about through a dedicated day away from work.
As Product Marketing Manager, Sports, you will play a key role in shaping how Sports shows up at M&S, working at the intersection of brand partners, BU and product teams, .COM and trade marketing and brand marketing. You will be a core member of the BU Category Marketing team, working closely with Fashion BU Marketing Managers, strategy & planning, brand marketing and .COM teams, and holding senior relationships with Sports partner brands (e.g. Nike, Adidas, Sweaty Betty).
Your role is to bring together partner brand strategies, product plans and customer insight into a single, coherent Sports category plan, aligned to M&S priorities. This includes working in close partnership with The Sports Edit (TSE) as a standalone partner business, ensuring alignment between M&S and TSE category priorities, brand weighting and plans.
Working closely with the Head of BU Marketing, and in partnership with the Senior Category Marketing Managers for Womenswear and Menswear, you will ensure Sports brand activity is integrated into the wider Fashion category strategy and planning. You play a critical role in determining where, when and how Sports brands show up across the year, balancing all-year-round (AYR) performance with seasonal peaks and key M&S moments.
The role leans strongly into joint business planning (JBP), trade marketing and always-on category planning, working closely with Strategy & Planning, Media, .COM and Value-Added Services (VAS) teams to define brand weighting, prioritisation and key customer stories. This is a pivotal category marketing role, critical to driving Sports performance, partner value and customer relevance, across both M&S and TSE.
Support the Head of BU Marketing in developing the annual category marketing strategy and leading the planning of Sports, aligned to BU priorities, customer needs and commercial goals.
Translate partner brand strategies, product plans and newness roadmaps into a clear, customer-led Sports category plan.
Define Sports category priorities, including brand roles and weighting, hero products and franchises, seasonal peaks and key moments, all-year-round (AYR) core and performance stories.
Own day-to-day category marketing relationships with key Sports 3PB partners (e.g. Nike, Adidas, Sweaty Betty) and be the Category Marketing lead for the TSE partnership, working closely with the TSE Marketing Manager.
Build the annual Sports trade marketing plan, aligned to M&S key moments, seasonal priorities and trading objectives.
Work with Strategy and Media teams to define the always-on Sports approach, considering brand weighting and prioritisation and prioritisation of core vs seasonal vs peak activity.
Partner with Trading teams to respond to performance and adjust category focus where needed.
Develop clear, succinct Sports category plans and briefs to hand over to Brand Marketing.
Who you are:
- Proven experience in product marketing, brand marketing or commercial marketing within retail, fashion or sports brand partner.
- Experience working with third-party brand partners and co-funded marketing models.
- Strong understanding of trade marketing, JBPs and partner-led activation.
- Experience working cross-functionally with Buying, Trading, .COM, Media and Marketing teams.
- Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate complexity of balancing brands, own brands and seasonal priorities into a clear category plan and direction.
- Commercially minded with a strong understanding of trade, margin and performance levers.
- Confident stakeholder manager, able to influence across all levels.
- Highly organised, proactive and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, matrix environment.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to create clear, compelling briefs.
We are ambitious about the future of retail. We are disrupting, innovating, and leading the industry into a more conscientious, inspiring digital era. We are transforming how we work together and offering our most exciting opportunities yet. 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. We support each other and work together to win together. If you feel you would benefit from any support or reasonable adjustments during any stage of the recruitment process, please don’t hesitate to let us know when completing your application. This information will be picked up by our team, so we can try and put steps in place to help you be at your best through this process.
Product Marketing Manager (Sports Brands) 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 Product Marketing Manager (Sports Brands) in City of London
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, especially those connected to M&S or sports brands. A friendly chat can open doors and give you insights that might just land you an interview.
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your passion for sports and marketing! When you get the chance to meet potential employers, share your ideas on how you’d elevate their sports category. It’s all about making a memorable impression!
✨Tip Number 3
Prepare for interviews by researching M&S and its sports partners. Understand their brand strategies and think about how you can contribute. This will show you’re not just another candidate; you’re the right fit!
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in being part of the M&S family.
We think you need these skills to ace Product Marketing Manager (Sports Brands) in City of London
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Product Marketing Manager role. Highlight your experience with sports brands and how it aligns with M&S's values and goals. We want to see how you can bring the magic of M&S to life!
Showcase Your Skills: Don’t just list your skills; demonstrate them! Use specific examples from your past experiences that showcase your strategic thinking, stakeholder management, and ability to work cross-functionally. We love seeing how you’ve made an impact in previous roles.
Be Clear and Concise: When writing your application, keep it clear and to the point. Use straightforward language and avoid jargon. We appreciate a well-structured application that makes it easy for us to see your qualifications and enthusiasm for the role.
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’re considered for the role. Plus, you’ll find all the details you need about the position right there!
How to prepare for a job interview at Marks and Spencer
✨Know Your Brands
Before the interview, dive deep into the sports brands M&S collaborates with, like Nike and Adidas. Understand their marketing strategies and how they align with M&S's goals. This will show your genuine interest and help you discuss how you can contribute to the partnership.
✨Master the Category Plan
Familiarise yourself with the concept of category marketing and how it applies to sports. Be ready to discuss how you would develop a customer-led Sports category plan that aligns with M&S priorities. Think about seasonal peaks and how to balance all-year-round performance.
✨Showcase Your Stakeholder Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully managed relationships with third-party brand partners in the past. Highlight your ability to influence stakeholders at all levels, as this role requires strong communication and collaboration across various teams.
✨Be Ready for Strategic Thinking
Expect questions that assess your strategic thinking abilities. Prepare to discuss how you would translate complex brand strategies into clear, actionable plans. Think about how you can balance brand priorities with M&S's commercial goals and customer needs.
