At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead brand strategy, marketing excellence, and elevate customer experience at Lakeside Shopping Centre.
- Company: Join a vibrant shopping centre that values community and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy competitive salary, flexible hours, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Collaborate with a passionate team and engage with the local community.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on brand identity and customer engagement in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Proven leadership in brand, marketing, and customer experience roles.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 80000 ÂŁ per year.
Purpose of the Role
The Head of Brand, Marketing & Guest Experience is a senior strategic leader responsible for shaping the centre’s brand identity, driving marketing excellence, elevating customer experience and strengthening retailer performance across all touchpoints. This expanded role has strategic oversight for Brand, Marketing, Customer Experience, Retail Engagement, Community Partnerships and Commercialisation alignment. As a key member of the centre’s leadership team, the post-holder influences destination strategy, commercial performance, stakeholder engagement and the centre’s position within the local community. The role provides direct line management of the Retail Brand Ambassador, Commercialisation Manager, Senior Marketing & Community Executive, Marketing & Community Executive and the Customer Services Team, ensuring their outputs contribute to a unified, insight‑led, customer focused strategy.
Key Responsibilities
- Strategic Brand, Marketing & Communications Leadership
- Lead the development and delivery of a multi-year brand and marketing strategy aligned to business plan, commercial priorities and client expectations.
- Own the annual marketing plan and budget, with KPIs across brand visibility, campaign ROI, customer satisfaction, digital engagement and retailer participation.
- Oversee the Senior Marketing & Community Executive and Marketing & Community Executive to deliver high-quality campaigns, social content, retail-facing comms, community programmes and media activity.
- Direct the development of integrated marketing campaigns, seasonal activations and brand-led destination experiences.
- Lead digital strategy including website optimisation, CRM/email strategy, social media growth and content performance.
- Oversee PR, media relations and influencer strategy, acting as spokesperson when required.
- Ensure consistent brand expression across marketing, customer service, operations, commercialisation and onsite experience.
- Customer Experience Strategy & Leadership
- Own and implement the centre’s Customer Experience (CX) strategy, aligning guest journey, tone of voice, service standards and operational delivery to brand expectations.
- Lead the Customer Services team to deliver exceptional guest service, effective complaint resolution and consistent brand representation.
- Use customer feedback, insight analysis and service metrics to drive continuous improvement.
- Partner with Operations, Security and Environmental Services to ensure a safe, clean, welcoming and brand aligned physical environment.
- Drive culture, training and behaviours that reinforce the destination's brand and service values.
- Retailer Engagement, Insight & Performance Integration
- Provide senior leadership to the Brand Ambassador, ensuring retailer insight, sales reporting and performance trends inform marketing and commercial planning.
- Oversee the retailer engagement strategy, including newsletters, opportunity packs, store visits, engagement forums and partnership initiatives.
- Develop and maintain strong relationships with Store Managers, Area Managers and Head Office teams.
- Ensure high-quality reporting of sales, footfall and trends, presenting insights to the Centre Director and clients.
- Contribute and own the brand and Marketing elements of the retail merchant association meetings.
- Commercialisation Alignment & Destination Appeal
- Line manage and guide the Commercialisation Manager to ensure commercial activity enhances customer experience and aligns with brand and destination strategy.
- Ensure mall activations, kiosks, pop-ups and brand partnerships deliver strong commercial value and visual quality.
- Build strong collaboration between commercialisation, marketing and operations to maximise revenue, vibrancy and guest appeal.
- Events, Activations & Community Strategy
- Oversee the annual events and activations calendar to ensure alignment with brand strategy, commercial aims and customer experience objectives.
- Lead the Senior Marketing & Community Executive and Marketing & Community Executive in delivering impactful community and charity programmes that strengthen the centre’s role within the region.
- Develop and implement a strategic framework for community partnerships, focusing on:
- Local charities and fundraising initiatives
- Schools, colleges and youth engagement
- Cultural and arts organisations
- Environmental, health and social impact projects
- Programmes that support local residents, families and community groups
- Ensure that community programmes and charitable partnerships are aligned to brand values, support client ESG priorities, enhance local reputation and build long‑term goodwill.
- Integrate retailer participation into community and charity initiatives to maximise reach and impact.
- Ensure all events and community activations comply with Health & Safety, operational and crisis management requirements.
- Develop strong relationships with external stakeholders including local authorities, community leaders, schools, charities, colleges and media.
- Represent the centre at senior stakeholder meetings, community forums, business groups and client presentations.
- Champion the destination’s role as a key community hub, ensuring strong alignment with regional priorities and social value commitments.
- Provide senior leadership and line management for:
- Brand Ambassador
- Commercialisation Manager
- Senior Marketing & Community Executive
- Marketing & Community Executive
- Customer Services Team
- Participate in the Duty Manager rota of one weekend in four, including occasional evening, weekend or peak‑trading cover as required.
Skills, Knowledge and Experience
Candidates will be required to demonstrate the following:
- Essential: Senior leadership experience in brand, marketing, community strategy, customer experience or multi‑disciplinary destination roles.
- Proven ability to lead teams across marketing, community engagement, customer service, retail engagement or commercial functions.
- Strong strategic planning capability and experience influencing senior stakeholders.
- Experience developing community strategies or delivering impactful, multi‑partner community programmes.
- Strong commercial awareness and ability to interpret insight from sales, footfall and customer data.
- Excellent communication, presentation and media handling skills.
- Extensive agency management experience across PR, creative, digital and media.
- Demonstrable ability to manage complex workloads and deliver strategic initiatives in fast‑paced environments.
- Desirable: Experience within large shopping centres, retail destinations or mixed‑use environments.
- Experience leading CSR, ESG, community engagement or charity partnership programmes.
- Qualifications in marketing, brand leadership, customer experience or community strategy.
Working Hours - 40 hrs per week (5 out of 7 to include duty management)
Please see our Benefits Booklet for more information.
Head of Brand, Marketing & Guest Experience - Lakeside Shopping Centre in South Ockendon employer: Savills Company
Contact Detail:
Savills Company Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Brand, Marketing & Guest Experience - Lakeside Shopping Centre in South Ockendon
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join relevant groups on social media, and don’t be shy to reach out to folks on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings!
✨Tip Number 2
Show off your personality! When you get the chance to meet potential employers or attend interviews, let your passion for brand and marketing shine through. Share your ideas and experiences that align with their vision – it’ll make you memorable!
✨Tip Number 3
Research is key! Before any interview, dive deep into the company’s brand identity and recent campaigns. This will not only help you tailor your responses but also show that you’re genuinely interested in contributing to their goals.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to follow up! After interviews or networking events, shoot a quick thank-you email to express your appreciation. It’s a simple gesture that keeps you on their radar and shows your enthusiasm for the role.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Brand, Marketing & Guest Experience - Lakeside Shopping Centre in South Ockendon
Some tips for your application 🫡
Show Your Passion for Brand and Marketing: When writing your application, let your enthusiasm for brand identity and marketing shine through. We want to see how you can elevate customer experiences and drive marketing excellence, so share examples of your past successes in these areas!
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your application to align with the job description. Highlight your experience in community partnerships and customer experience strategies, as these are key aspects of the role. We love seeing candidates who take the time to connect their skills with our needs!
Be Clear and Concise: Keep your application straightforward and to the point. Use clear language to describe your achievements and how they relate to the responsibilities outlined in the job description. We appreciate a well-structured application that’s easy to read!
Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your details and ensures you’re considered for the role. Plus, it shows you’re keen on joining our team at StudySmarter!
How to prepare for a job interview at Savills Company
✨Know Your Brand Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the Lakeside Shopping Centre's brand identity. Understand their values, mission, and recent marketing campaigns. This will help you articulate how your vision aligns with theirs and demonstrate your commitment to enhancing their brand.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Style
As a senior leader, it's crucial to convey your leadership style effectively. Prepare examples of how you've successfully led teams in the past, particularly in marketing and customer experience. Highlight your ability to inspire and drive performance across diverse functions.
✨Prepare for Stakeholder Engagement Scenarios
Expect questions about stakeholder management and community engagement. Think of specific instances where you've built strong relationships with external partners or influenced key stakeholders. This will showcase your strategic thinking and ability to represent the centre effectively.
✨Demonstrate Your Data Savvy
Given the role's focus on commercialisation and performance metrics, be ready to discuss how you've used data to inform marketing strategies. Bring examples of how you've interpreted sales and customer insights to drive successful campaigns and improve customer experiences.