At a Glance
- Tasks: Drive subscriber growth through innovative marketing strategies and performance campaigns.
- Company: Join The Observer, a progressive journalism leader with a commitment to quality.
- Benefits: Enjoy 30 days holiday, private healthcare, and hybrid working options.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team dedicated to inclusivity and equal opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in journalism while developing your marketing skills.
- Qualifications: 4-6 years in performance marketing with strong analytical skills.
The predicted salary is between 50000 - 60000 £ per year.
Who are we? The Observer’s promise is in the name. The Observer bears witness; the best of journalism being curious minds at work. It loves the arts and ideas, both for their own sake and because they can change lives. It’s proudly progressive, but has no party allegiance. It’s open to different arguments and its editorial independence is non‑negotiable. We are building a new Observer across print, audio and digital. We’re here to build journalism that lasts.
The Observer, London Hybrid - 1 day a WFH
About The Role
As Growth Marketing Manager, Acquisitions (Subscriptions), you’ll be responsible for driving subscriber growth for The Observer’s new suite of digital and print subscriptions. Using performance marketing, partnerships, social, SEO and other marketing and organic levers, you’ll help build a repeatable, scalable acquisition engine for The Observer’s new subscription business, enabling us to reach customers and build a sustainable revenue foundation to support our award‑winning newsroom.
Key responsibilities
- Own and allocate the paid media budget across performance campaigns.
- Develop and execute multi‑channel paid acquisition strategies to drive consumer growth, with a focus on Meta and Google.
- Identify and test new and emerging platforms that align with audience and subscription goals.
- Set goals and KPIs aligned with broader consumer strategy; oversee budget pacing and work to meet forecast requirements.
- Maintain lift study infrastructure in collaboration with the Analytics team.
- Liaise with the Editorial team on collaborations to create compelling messaging around The Observer’s subscription.
Campaign Execution & Optimisation
- Lead development, launch, and optimisation of paid campaigns from end to end, including creative briefing, targeting strategy, bidding, and performance tracking.
- Run structured A/B and multivariate tests across creatives, messaging, and platforms to improve efficiency and engagement.
- Translate insights into actionable recommendations to improve CAC, ROAS, and LTV.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Partner with creative and newsroom teams to produce high‑performing assets tailored for each channel.
- Work with analytics teams to monitor performance and support attribution analysis.
- Collaborate with Product and Technology to ensure appropriate pixel and tracking implementations.
Platform Management
- Build strong relationships with platform partners (e.g., Meta, Google) to pilot new features and gain insights.
This is a cross‑functional, high‑impact role for a strategic marketer who knows how to go deep into the data and wide across teams. You’ll turn insights into campaigns, experiments into scaled initiatives, and ideas into results.
Requirements
- 4–6+ years of experience in paid/performance marketing, preferably within subscription, publishing, or ecommerce environments.
- Strong technical understanding of pixel implementation, tracking infrastructure, and tools such as Meta’s Conversions API and Google Tag Manager; able to partner effectively with engineering or analytics teams on measurement setup and troubleshooting.
- Proven track record of managing large paid budgets and achieving consumer acquisition or revenue goals.
- Strong analytical acumen with familiarity in tools like Chartbeat, Looker, GA4, Piano, or similar.
- Experience managing or working closely with media agencies and creative teams.
- Excellent communication, organisational, and leadership skills.
- Comfort working in a fast‑paced, collaborative, and data‑driven environment.
Working with us
We are a progressive business with a diverse, motivated team; a mix of veterans and young people starting out in their careers. We are committed to equal opportunities and creating an inclusive environment for all our employees, and we welcome applicants regardless of ethnic origin, national origin, gender, race, colour, religious beliefs, disability, sexual orientation or age.
Salary & Benefits
- 30 days holiday + bank holidays
- Private healthcare
- Group income protection & life assurance
- Pension
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Interest‑free season ticket loan
- Free snacks and drinks in the newsroom
- Hybrid working (London newsroom + 1 day remote flexibility)
Growth Marketing Manager Acquisition (Subscriptions) in London employer: The Observer, company
The Observer is an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic and inclusive work culture that values diverse perspectives and fosters employee growth. With a commitment to progressive journalism and a supportive environment, employees benefit from generous holiday allowances, private healthcare, and hybrid working arrangements, making it an ideal place for those seeking meaningful and impactful careers in the media industry.
