Communications Manager - Homesense 12 month FTC
We may be famous for big brands at small prices, but our best kept secret is our amazing culture.
We’re part of the TJX Companies Inc, the leading off-price fashion and homeware retailer in the world. In Europe, we have over 690 stores across six countries, and two brands – TK Maxx and Homesense as well as growing our Ecommerce channels for tkmaxx.com. We’re a passionate bunch here and have exciting plans for the future.
We’ve been taking our responsibility as a business seriously for over 25 years. Whether it’s the millions we’ve raised for our charity partners (over £55 million so far), our green initiatives through the Carbon Trust or the sustainable trade programme we helped set up in Uganda, we believe in giving something back to our community.
Everyone who becomes part of the TJX family brings something unique to our collective culture – a diversity of experience, gender, ethnicity, age, viewpoint and much more.
Job Summary
The Homesense Communications Manager will work within the Brand & Marketing Function playing a critical role within the Homesense Brand Team to deliver comms strategy and activation for Homesense.
This is a dynamic, and varied Management role focused on the development and delivery of brilliant on-brand communications to support achievement of annual sales and business goals. It’s a pivotal time to join an ambitious brand team looking to take brand awareness to the next level with the appointment of a new comms agency partner and a clear mission to further drive sales and footfall in the year ahead.
The Communications Manager will lead by example, directing and managing a team of agency partners whilst acting as an ambassador for TJX and what it stands for.
The Role:
The Communications Manager is responsible for developing communications for a range of business stakeholders across the Brand and Marketing and UK Country Marketing function.
Reporting into the Manager of Campaign Marketing, Homesense, the role holder will develop and execute the communications strategy and plans for Homesense whilst leveraging best practice and efficiencies from a close working relationship with the TK Maxx Comms Hub team.
This role requires experience of activating communication channels (PR, social media, influence and experiential). The successful candidate will be able to demonstrate a strong commercial understanding and relevant retail experience.
What You'll Do
1. Leading on activating Q2 in house comms strategy
2. Leading on day-to-day management of Comms Agency pitch process, onboarding and roll out
3. Responsible for agency and internal comms alignment and integration across Campaign Marketing, Media and other relevant Centres of Expertise (Shopex, Loyalty, gift cards)
4. Developing and activating annual comms brand plan
5. Developing and activating drive action comms strategy
6. Developing a comms strategy to maximise prioritised X functional opportunities for comms (Shopex, Loyalty, gift cards)
7. Responsible for agency and internal alignment of consumer facing reputation strategy for HS
8. Reporting and metrics lead to ensure actionable insights and best practice
9. Lead on PRing the PR
10. Develop and activating relevant store opening/relocation comms strategies
11. Developing and activating Christmas comms strategy
12. Developing and activating a CR comms strategy for HS
13. Developing and activating a strategy for HS that supports the TJXE human & cultural calendar
14. Developing and activating a dual brand/X shopping comms strategy
Shared responsibilities:
1. Monitor progress against goals to deliver the best possible result
2. Oversee the delivery of compelling and useful outputs and learnings
3. Innovate and maintain up to date knowledge of communications from wider industry resources
4. Ensure that all processes are adhered to, clearly documented and communicated to key stakeholders (and your team, if managing Direct Reports)
5. Partner with TJX stakeholders where needed across all aspects of the role
6. Ensure you (and your team, if managing any Direct reports) consider(s) the consequences of future actions/ decisions for the long term and wider business
7. Presenting to large audiences (10 people plus)
8. Active participant in Cross-functional projects
9. Working with Comms Hub and wider Brand & Marketing team to define and manage communications processes, ensuring that they are efficient and integrated. Adjust processes and ways of working as the business evolves
10. To deputise (when required) for the Manager of Campaign Marketing and cascade relevant information
11. To report, control and monitor the communications annual budget, whilst pro-actively anticipating future challenges or opportunities impacting budget.
Team and Relationship Management
1. Lead on managing senior stakeholder relationships – ‘Manager of’ level and above
2. Build and develop strong relationships with key business partners within B&M team, E-commerce, Buying, Retail, Store Operations and Store Trading
3. Asks challenging and thought-provoking questions to gain understanding and role models cultural factors and leadership competencies
4. Manage on a day-to-day basis agency relationships: TCT and Comms agency
5. Develop and support performance objectives for the team (and conduct performance reviews if applicable) in line with business timelines.
6. Proactively develop agency teams, identifying development needs and training opportunities
7. Manage performance of external suppliers (including at a more senior level)
8. Build strong, effective working relationships with external partners - equivalent level or above
What You'll Bring
1. Passion for off price business model
2. Professional experience in either marketing or other relevant experience (Agency or Client side) – Omnichannel experience preferred but not essential
3. Experience of self-development, objective setting and performance management
4. Experience of working within a large retail business or matrix organisations (Preferable but not essential)
5. Ability to control and manage to tight deadlines
6. Flexible, able to find solutions in uncertain or unknown circumstances, comfortable working ‘in the grey’
7. Highly numerate and confident with data and measurement
8. Experience in managing third party agencies to deliver results
9. Solid project management skills with the ability to influence stakeholders
10. Experience of working with task management tools: Microsoft Word, Excel, Trello, Google Docs
Seniority level
Mid-Senior level
Employment type
Full-time
Job function
Marketing and Public Relations
Industries
Retail Furniture and Home Furnishings, Retail, and Retail Apparel and Fashion
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