📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Digital Marketing Lead (6 Month FTC - Maternity Cover)
🔹 Company: Hastings Direct
🔹 Location: London, Leicester, or Bexhill (Hybrid: one day per week on-site)
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: May 12, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Driving direct acquisition via paid media and enhancing brand consideration through programmatic display and paid social.
- Leading the SEO strategy to achieve page 1 presence on Google for key search terms.
- Managing agency relationships and defining roadmaps for digital marketing initiatives.
- Collaborating with digital teams to optimize site speed, content, and design.
- Mentoring a digital marketing executive and driving change through various projects.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a balance of strategic thinking, hands-on execution, and strong stakeholder engagement skills. The ideal candidate will have experience in driving SEO strategies and managing agency relationships.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Drive direct acquisition through paid media channels, including PPC, display, and social media advertising.
✅ Enhance brand consideration through programmatic display and paid social campaigns.
✅ Lead the SEO strategy to improve search engine rankings and organic traffic.
✅ Manage agency relationships and define roadmaps for digital marketing initiatives.
✅ Collaborate with digital teams to optimize site speed, content, and design, and feed technical updates into an overall roadmap.
✅ Mentor a digital marketing executive and support their professional development.
✅ Drive change through various planned projects in 2025.
ASSUMPTION: The role requires a high level of stakeholder engagement, influencing skills, and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field.
Experience: Proven track record in digital marketing, with at least 5-10 years of experience in a similar role.
Required Skills:
- Strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills.
- Proven experience in driving SEO strategies and managing agency relationships.
- Excellent project management skills and the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
- Strong analytical skills and data-driven decision-making.
- Familiarity with Google Ads, Google Analytics, and social media advertising platforms.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience with SEO tools such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, or Moz.
- Knowledge of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript.
- Fluency in additional languages.
ASSUMPTION: While a degree in marketing or a related field is preferred, relevant experience and a strong portfolio may be considered in lieu of formal education.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum (AI-estimated, based on market research and company size)
Benefits:
- Flexible working: Champion a flexible hybrid working approach.
- Competitive bonus scheme: All colleagues are eligible for the annual 4Cs performance bonus.
- Physical wellbeing: Private medical insurance for Band 4 colleagues.
- Financial wellbeing: Life assurance, income protection, matched pension contributions, and additional benefits.
- Mental wellbeing: Thrive mental health app, colleague assistance program, mental health first aiders, support groups, and dedicated team support.
- 27 days annual leave + bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell one week.
- Health care cash back plans, dental plans, discounted health assessments, cycle to work and tech schemes, discounted and free on-site facilities, and social events throughout the year.
Working Hours: 37.5 hours per week, with one day per week on-site.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range is an estimate based on market research and company size. The actual salary may vary depending on the candidate's experience and skills.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Insurance. Hastings Direct is a fast-growing, agile, digitally-focused general insurance provider offering car, van, bike, and home insurance services to UK customers.
Company Size: 1,001-5,000 employees. As a mid-sized company, Hastings Direct offers a mix of structured processes and agile decision-making, providing opportunities for growth and career development.
Founded: 1997. Hastings Direct has over 2.7 million customers and over 3,400 colleagues, operating as an integrated insurance provider with two businesses: Retail and Underwriting.
Company Description:
- Hastings Group provides refreshingly straightforward products and services to UK insurance customers.
- The company operates as an integrated insurance provider, with the Retail business responsible for customer pricing, fraud management, product design, distribution, and customer relationship management.
- The Underwriting business focuses on risk selection, technical pricing, reserving, and claims handling, supporting the Retail business with a prudent approach to risk and reserving.
Company Specialties:
- Car Insurance
- Motorbike Insurance
- Home Insurance
- Van Insurance
- Pet Insurance
- Multi-car and Multi-bike Insurance
Company Website: https://www.hastingsdirectcareers.com/
ASSUMPTION: Hastings Direct is a well-established insurance provider with a strong focus on digital marketing and customer retention. The company offers a range of insurance products and services to UK customers.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Mid-level to senior. This role offers a unique opportunity to lead digital marketing efforts and drive change within a mid-sized insurance company.
Reporting Structure: The Digital Marketing Lead reports directly to the Head of Brand and Marketing and has one direct report (Digital Marketing Executive).
Work Arrangement: Hybrid: one day per week on-site, with the rest of the week working remotely.
Growth Opportunities:
- Proven success in this role may lead to a permanent position or other internal opportunities within the Marketing department or the wider organization.
- The role offers the chance to mentor a digital marketing executive, providing opportunities to develop leadership skills.
- Hastings Direct invests in colleague development and offers various training and development opportunities.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique opportunity to drive digital marketing strategies and make a significant impact on the company's growth and success.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Hybrid: one day per week on-site, with the rest of the week working remotely.
Office Location(s): London, Leicester, or Bexhill
Geographic Context:
- London: A vibrant, multicultural city with a thriving digital marketing scene.
- Leicester: A historic city with a growing tech industry and a lower cost of living compared to London.
- Bexhill: A coastal town in East Sussex, offering a quieter, more relaxed pace of life.
Work Schedule: Flexible working hours, with one day per week on-site and the rest of the week working remotely.
ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement offers a good balance between on-site collaboration and remote flexibility, allowing for a better work-life balance.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Recruiter screening call
- 1st stage interview with the hiring leader
- 2nd stage interview with hiring leaders
Key Assessment Areas:
- Digital marketing expertise and strategic thinking
- Stakeholder engagement and influencing skills
- Project management and organizational skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with Hastings Direct's 4Cs principles
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your digital marketing experience, SEO success stories, and agency management skills.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions focusing on your experience driving SEO strategies, managing agency relationships, and influencing stakeholders.
- Research Hastings Direct's 4Cs principles and be ready to discuss how your values align with the company's culture.
ATS Keywords: Digital Marketing, SEO, Paid Media, Stakeholder Engagement, Agency Management, Change Management, Traffic Generation, Project Management
ASSUMPTION: Hastings Direct is a Disability Confident employer and welcomes applications through the Disability Confident Scheme (DCS). The company is committed to ensuring a fair and inclusive recruitment process.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Google Ads
- Google Analytics
- Social media advertising platforms (e.g., Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads)
- SEO tools (e.g., SEMrush, Ahrefs, Moz)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Microsoft Office Suite
ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with the listed tools and technologies is preferred, but not required. The ideal candidate will be eager to learn and adapt to new tools as needed.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Customer-focused: Hastings Direct prioritizes understanding and meeting the needs of its customers.
- Commercially minded: The company makes data-driven decisions and focuses on delivering value to both customers and the business.
- Collaborative: Hastings Direct fosters a culture of teamwork and cross-functional collaboration.
Work Style:
- Agile: The company embraces change and encourages continuous improvement.
- Data-driven: Hastings Direct uses data and analytics to inform decision-making and drive growth.
- Customer-centric: The company prioritizes understanding and meeting the needs of its customers.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How have you demonstrated strong stakeholder engagement and influencing skills in previous roles?
- Can you provide an example of a successful SEO strategy you've implemented, and how you measured its impact?
- How do you approach managing agency relationships, and what steps do you take to ensure successful collaboration?
ASSUMPTION: Hastings Direct values candidates who align with its 4Cs principles and can demonstrate a strong cultural fit with the company's values and work style.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple projects simultaneously may require strong organizational skills and time management.
- Driving change through various projects may face resistance from stakeholders and require strong influencing skills.
- The hybrid work arrangement may present challenges in maintaining work-life balance and staying connected with colleagues.
- The role may require occasional travel between the London, Leicester, and Bexhill offices.
ASSUMPTION: The ideal candidate will be proactive, organized, and adaptable, with strong communication skills to overcome these potential challenges.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to other digital marketing roles, this position offers a unique opportunity to drive SEO strategies and manage agency relationships within a mid-sized insurance company.
- Industry-specific context: The insurance industry is competitive and data-driven, requiring strong analytical skills and a focus on customer retention.
- Career path comparison: This role offers a clear path for career progression within the Marketing department or the wider organization, with opportunities to mentor a digital marketing executive and develop leadership skills.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers a unique blend of strategic thinking, hands-on execution, and leadership development opportunities within the digital marketing field.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and implementing a comprehensive SEO strategy to improve search engine rankings and organic traffic for key search terms.
- Managing agency relationships to deliver successful paid media campaigns, driving direct acquisition and enhancing brand consideration.
- Collaborating with digital teams to optimize site speed, content, and design, and feeding technical updates into an overall roadmap.
ASSUMPTION: The role offers a diverse range of projects, requiring a broad skill set and the ability to adapt to different challenges.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the digital marketing team structure and how this role fits within it?
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30, 60, and 90 days?
- How does Hastings Direct support the professional development of its colleagues, particularly in the Marketing department?
- What are the key challenges facing the digital marketing team, and how can this role help address them?
- How does Hastings Direct foster a culture of collaboration and cross-functional teamwork?
ASSUMPTION: Asking thoughtful, well-researched questions demonstrates your interest in the role and shows that you have done your homework.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your digital marketing experience, SEO success stories, and agency management skills.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions focusing on your experience driving SEO strategies, managing agency relationships, and influencing stakeholders.
- Research Hastings Direct's 4Cs principles and be ready to discuss how your values align with the company's culture.
- Follow up with the recruiter one week after submitting your application to confirm receipt and inquire about the next steps in the process.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
