Head of Retention

Head of Retention

Full-Time 43200 - 72000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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At a Glance

  • Tasks: Lead retention strategies to maximise customer engagement and loyalty for The Sun.
  • Company: Join one of the UK's most trusted media brands with a vibrant culture.
  • Benefits: Enjoy private medical insurance, gym discounts, generous leave, and training opportunities.
  • Why this job: Make a real impact on audience engagement while working with a passionate team.
  • Qualifications: Experience in retention or lifecycle marketing, strong analytical skills, and creativity.
  • Other info: Hybrid work model with a focus on collaboration and community.

The predicted salary is between 43200 - 72000 £ per year.

Your Team: The Sun is one of the UK’s most recognised and trusted media brands, reaching millions of readers daily across print, digital, and social platforms. We are committed to delivering engaging, relevant, and entertaining content that keeps our audience coming back for more.

Your Role: We are seeking a strategic, commercially minded Head of Retention to lead our efforts in maximising customer lifetime value, engagement, and loyalty. This role is pivotal to The Sun’s growth strategy, ensuring our audience and subscribers are engaged and retained.

You will be responsible for defining and delivering retention strategies across multiple channels, using insight and data to continuously improve the customer experience, reduce churn, and increase revenue from our audience base.

Key Responsibilities
  • Own The Sun’s retention strategy, setting measurable objectives to reduce churn and increase customer lifetime value.
  • Partner with editorial, product, data and wider marketing teams to embed retention best practices across all audience touchpoints.
  • Develop targeted initiatives to engage customers and reduce churn including winback.
  • Design and execute lifecycle marketing programmes that increase engagement with The Sun’s content, products, and membership proposition.
  • Lead campaigns that deepen reader loyalty, including exclusive benefits, rewards, and personalised communications.
  • Collaborate with the editorial, product and UX teams to improve digital experiences that keep audiences active.
  • Use analytics and segmentation to understand user behaviour and churn drivers.
  • Track and report on KPIs including churn rate, active days, engagement frequency, and customer lifetime value.
  • Continuously test, measure, and optimise initiatives for maximum impact.
  • Lead and develop a retention and engagement team, fostering a high-performance, data-driven culture.
  • Manage budgets and resources effectively to deliver growth targets.
What we’re looking for from you
  • Proven track record in retention, lifecycle marketing, CRM, or loyalty, ideally in a subscription or media environment.
  • Strong understanding of customer segmentation, personalisation, and behaviour-driven marketing.
  • Analytical mindset with proficiency in interpreting data to inform strategy.
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing at a senior level.
  • Excellent communication skills with the ability to tell compelling stories through data.
  • Creative thinker with a test-and-learn approach.

If you think you have what it takes but don’t tick every requirement on the list, please do apply. We recognise that considering someone’s potential as well as their experience is a great way to hire. We want to hear from people who have a passion to learn and develop.

At News UK, we embrace a hybrid work model, currently requiring a minimum of three days per week in the office. This approach fosters collaboration, innovation, and team spirit within our workspace.

We take pride in our exceptional employee-led networks that bring together individuals with shared interests and create a vibrant sense of community. We believe our networks play a vital role in fostering a collaborative and supportive work culture at News UK.

Some of our benefits include:
  • Private medical insurance including coverage for pre-existing conditions.
  • Discounted gym memberships, free ClassPass at Home, weekly in person/ virtual exercise classes.
  • ‘Bikes for Work’ and ‘Electric Car’ scheme.
  • Up to 60% discount on Harper Collins books.
  • Maternity leave up to 18 weeks full basic salary & paternity leave up to 2 weeks.
  • Access to exclusive events and competitions with exciting brands such as talkSPORT, Virgin Radio UK & The Times.
  • Access to wellbeing benefits such as EAP, physio/massage and counselling.
  • A generous pension scheme with employer contributions of up to 5%.
  • Wide range of training available, plus full LinkedIn Learning access.
  • 25 days holiday, plus bank holidays and up to 4 volunteering days per year.

We want to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to perform to their best when applying for a role. If you would like to receive any information in a different way or for us to do anything differently to support you to apply for any of our roles please contact us on careers@news.co.uk.

Head of Retention employer: The Sun

At News UK, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer that champions a vibrant and inclusive work culture. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through extensive training opportunities, a supportive hybrid work model, and a range of benefits including private medical insurance and generous leave policies. Join us in a dynamic environment where your contributions matter, and be part of a team that reflects the diverse communities we serve.
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Contact Detail:

The Sun Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Head of Retention

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to people in the industry, attend events, and connect on LinkedIn. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Prepare for interviews by researching The Sun and its audience. Understand their retention strategies and think about how your skills can enhance their efforts. Show them you’re not just another candidate, but someone who gets their mission.

✨Tip Number 3

Practice your storytelling skills! Be ready to share compelling examples of your past successes in retention and engagement. Use data to back up your claims and demonstrate your analytical mindset.

✨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 our team at News UK.

We think you need these skills to ace Head of Retention

Retention Strategy
Lifecycle Marketing
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
Customer Segmentation
Personalisation
Behaviour-Driven Marketing
Data Analysis
Cross-Functional Team Leadership
Communication Skills
Campaign Management
User Behaviour Analysis
KPI Tracking
Creative Thinking
Budget Management
Team Development

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter to highlight your experience in retention and lifecycle marketing. We want to see how your skills align with our goals at The Sun, so don’t hold back on showcasing your relevant achievements!

Show Your Analytical Side: Since this role is all about data-driven strategies, include examples of how you've used analytics to inform your decisions in past roles. We love a good story backed by numbers, so let us see your analytical mindset in action!

Be Creative: We’re looking for someone who thinks outside the box! Share any innovative ideas or campaigns you’ve led that increased customer engagement or loyalty. Show us your creative flair and how it can benefit The Sun.

Apply Through Our Website: Don’t forget to submit your application through our website! It’s the best way for us to keep track of your application and ensure it gets the attention it deserves. We can’t wait to hear from you!

How to prepare for a job interview at The Sun

✨Know Your Numbers

As a Head of Retention, you'll need to be comfortable with data. Brush up on key metrics like churn rate and customer lifetime value. Be ready to discuss how you've used analytics in past roles to drive retention strategies.

✨Showcase Your Strategic Mindset

Prepare to talk about your approach to developing retention strategies. Think of specific examples where you’ve set measurable objectives and achieved them. This will demonstrate your ability to think strategically and deliver results.

✨Collaborate Like a Pro

This role requires working with various teams. Be prepared to share experiences where you successfully partnered with editorial, product, or marketing teams. Highlight how collaboration led to improved customer engagement or reduced churn.

✨Bring Creative Solutions

The Sun is looking for a creative thinker. Think of innovative initiatives you've implemented in the past to engage customers. Whether it’s a unique winback campaign or a personalised communication strategy, be ready to share your ideas!

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