Head of Marketing & Brand (12-Month FTC)
Founded over 20 years ago by three entrepreneurial women with a passion for beautiful, practical, and comfortable homes, OKA is more than a furniture and homeware retailer: it is a love affair with living well.
We inspire people to confidently create a home that reflects their personality, a space where nothing should be too precious or perfect to be enjoyed with family and friends. British-born, today we have 13 stores across the UK – an established Interior Design and Trade business, a mail-order service, and a thriving website.
We are currently looking to recruit a full-time Head of Marketing and Brand on a 12-month fixed-term contract, to lead and manage our Marketing, PR & Brand teams, based at our office in Didcot.
We operate a hybrid working model: three or more days from the office, with the remainder of the week from home.
ABOUT US
Reporting directly to the CEO, the Head of Marketing and Brand is responsible for creating and leading ambitious, customer-led marketing and brand strategies. Based on a deep understanding of the OKA customer, you will work in collaboration with our commercial teams to deliver a seamless customer experience and achieve our sales ambitions. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on management to ensure the successful delivery of marketing initiatives.
This individual will have management responsibility for Marketing, PR, Social Media, Creative Design, and Photography. They will work closely in collaboration with the Head of CRM and the Head of Ecommerce to ensure cohesive strategies that align with overall business goals.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
People & Culture
1. Accountable for your department embodying OKA's culture and values by fostering a positive and inclusive environment that inspires creativity and collaboration.
2. Provides strategic leadership to direct reports (including Managers and technical experts), ensuring alignment with OKA’s culture and vision.
3. Responsible for setting a clear vision for the team and tracking successes by being results-focused, fostering motivation, and celebrating achievements.
4. Oversees day-to-day team management responsibilities, ensuring team members are supported, productive, and working effectively towards their goals.
5. Responsible for conducting regular performance reviews, managing team development, and recruiting new team members as needed to ensure the department operates effectively.
6. Build a deep understanding of today’s consumer landscape through insight about the market and competitive landscape, constantly providing feedback into the brand value proposition, and sharing with the wider team to enrich decision-making.
7. Accountable for delivering the functional marketing strategy, ensuring alignment with OKA’s wider strategic pillars.
8. Contributes to strategic business planning by bringing consumer insights and data-driven recommendations to enhance OKA’s marketing and brand approach.
9. Creates, drives, and embeds key initiatives that elevate OKA’s brand visibility, engagement, and growth, seeing them through from inception to execution.
10. Able to challenge the roadmaps of other departments, collaborating closely with the Head of CRM and Head of Ecommerce to ensure alignment with OKA’s overall objectives and customer-centric values.
Commercial
1. Accountable for your team’s contribution to OKA’s P&L, ensuring marketing and brand initiatives deliver measurable ROI and support business growth.
2. Strategic planning and management of the marketing budget aligning to the business strategy, with a focus on improving cost efficiencies.
3. Plays an active role in navigating trade challenges by adapting strategies to respond to market conditions and ensuring commercial resilience.
Content and Campaigns
1. Lead the creative team to deliver inspirational and engaging content and campaigns across all consumer touchpoints: digital, retail, magazine, and social presence.
2. Lead the communications team on the development and execution of a robust press and media strategy to strengthen OKA brand awareness and equity.
3. Strengthen OKA brand awareness and equity, increasing our digital presence and customer engagement through robust social media strategies and authentic brand partnerships.
4. Ensure OKA has a strong and active presence on social media, leveraging it as a tool for storytelling, community growth, and commercial performance.
5. Working with the Sales Director to create marketing plans for the key commercial channels including retail, trade (B2B), and OKA’s interior design studio.
6. Acting as brand guardian and taking ownership of the brand guidelines and the brand design aesthetic.
Collaboration and Customer Experience
1. Be a strong and influential voice in the end-to-end CX mapping project, delivering compelling communications throughout the customer journey.
2. Drive ESG from a brand strategy and customer communications perspective with a particular focus on charity.
3. Work closely with the Head of CRM and Head of Ecommerce to create cohesive and aligned marketing strategies that ensure an integrated customer journey.
ABOUT YOU
1. Proven track record, at senior level, of leading a marketing and brand function within homewares or a parallel sector, operating in the premium contemporary marketplace.
2. Strong knowledge of social channels and how to maximize their potential.
3. Customer-centric and data-led approach, able to rapidly interpret data to ensure the right outcomes for the brand and customer.
4. Strong strategic and business acumen with a clear creative vision within a commercial environment.
5. Outstanding people manager with an engaging and open management style who can train and motivate a team, manage performance, and drive productivity.
6. Proactive in identifying opportunities for improvement and implementing these initiatives.
7. A hands-on team player who thrives on collaboration and is confident interacting with colleagues at all levels across the business.
8. Passion for interiors and design, with a creative, problem-solving spirit.
9. Passion for the OKA brand and its values.
OUR BENEFITS PACKAGE
1. 33 days holiday (including bank holiday entitlement), pro rata, plus Length of Service increases.
2. Day off for your birthday.
3. Enhanced Maternity Pay.
4. Employee Assistance Programme.
5. Eligibility for a discretionary company Bonus Scheme.
6. Plus a suite of additional employee benefits including Company pension scheme, life assurance cover, free eye tests, cycle to work scheme, interest-free travel loans, social events, online wellbeing centre, and more.
If successful, you will become part of the OKA family, a fast-paced and dynamic business. If you would like to apply for this position, please send your CV and details of your salary expectations, notice period, and right to work information via the link provided.
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