📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Local Marketing & Events Lead
🔹 Company: John Lewis Partnership
🔹 Location: Bracknell, England, United Kingdom
🔹 Job Type: Permanent
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: July 28, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (3 office days per week)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Strategic leadership in local marketing and events
- Cross-functional stakeholder management
- Budget optimization and financial management
- Team leadership and development
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high degree of commercial acumen and strategic thinking to drive brand engagement, customer loyalty, and revenue growth.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Sets the strategic direction for all events and experiences, ensuring alignment with overarching brand and commercial objectives, and maximizing ROI and revenue generation
✅ Drives the development of innovative event concepts that enhance brand positioning, create memorable customer experiences, and benefit partner happiness
✅ Leads the development and implementation of comprehensive local marketing strategies that support the business's growth ambitions
✅ Oversees the development and execution of proactive competitive defense strategies, leveraging data and insights to mitigate competitor impact and protect market share, with a strong emphasis on delivering profitable growth
✅ Provides strategic guidance and support for marketing of new store openings and refurbishments, ensuring impactful launches that generate excitement and drive customer acquisition, while carefully managing costs and maximizing revenue potential
✅ Builds and maintains strong, influential relationships with senior stakeholders across the organization, acting as a trusted advisor and collaborator, with a focus on aligning marketing and events activities with overall business objectives and financial targets
✅ Leads, mentors, and develops a high-performing team of marketing and events professionals, fostering a culture of innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement, with a strong emphasis on target delivery
✅ Establishes and monitors key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the effectiveness of local marketing and events initiatives, ensuring data-driven decision-making and a strong focus on financial performance and ROI
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a high level of strategic thinking, leadership, and stakeholder management to deliver successful local marketing and events programs.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Degree level
Experience: Extensive senior leadership experience in marketing, with a proven track record of developing and executing successful marketing and events strategies in a multi-channel retail environment, with a strong emphasis on delivering measurable commercial results
Required Skills:
- Entrepreneurship: Takes ownership and looks for creative opportunities to promote services and products to increase sales and create commercial value
- Stakeholder Management: Identifies key stakeholders, their motivations and priorities, and considers these when building and managing relationships. Anticipates stakeholder challenges and proactively plans for these, displaying strong communication skills
- Influencing: Outstanding communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly and persuasively, and to inspire and excite audiences, while also effectively communicating the financial implications of marketing and events plans
- Commerciality: Deep understanding of retail business, market dynamics, and financial performance, with the ability to make data-driven decisions that maximize ROI, drive revenue, and enhance profitability
- Win Hearts and Minds: Exceptional leadership skills, with the ability to build, motivate, and develop high-performing teams, fostering a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement
Preferred Skills:
- Local marketing experience
- Retail experience (either in a head office or in shops)
- Executing change and innovation
- Professional Marketing qualification
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong background in marketing, with a proven track record in driving commercial results and managing teams.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £70,900 - £111,000 per annum
Benefits:
- Employee ownership of the business
- Competitive pension scheme
- Generous holiday allowance
- Discounts across John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners
Working Hours: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday. Exact working pattern to be discussed at interview
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is based on industry standards for similar roles and experience levels in the retail sector.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Retail
Company Size: 10,001+ employees. As a large employee-owned business, the John Lewis Partnership offers a unique work environment with a strong focus on collaboration and shared responsibility.
Founded: The John Lewis Partnership was founded in 1929, with John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners being its two main brands.
Company Description:
- Employee-owned business with a strong focus on customer service and quality
- Operates in the retail sector with two main brands: John Lewis & Partners and Waitrose & Partners
- Committed to being brilliant at retail, innovating, and adapting to diversify its offerings
Company Specialties:
- Retail
- Online
- Distribution
- Finance
- Technology
- IT
- Digital
- Hotels
- Personnel
- Buying
- Marketing
Company Website: http://www.jlpjobs.com
ASSUMPTION: The John Lewis Partnership is a well-established retailer with a strong focus on customer service and quality, operating in a competitive market.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior leadership role with strategic and operational responsibilities
Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Head of Marketing and Events
Work Arrangement: Hybrid work arrangement with 3 office days per week, with the remaining days worked remotely or on-site at various locations
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to progress to a more senior role within the marketing and events function
- Opportunities to work on high-profile projects and events, enhancing visibility and career prospects
- Access to learning and development opportunities to support personal and professional growth
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential for the right candidate, with opportunities to progress within the marketing and events function and to work on high-profile projects.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Head office with a blend of on-site and remote work
Office Location(s): Bracknell Campus, Doncastle Road, Bracknell, Berkshire, RG12 8YA
Geographic Context:
- Bracknell is a town in Berkshire, England, with a population of approximately 115,000
- The town is located about 30 miles west of London and is well-connected by road and rail
- Bracknell is home to several major employers, including the John Lewis Partnership
Work Schedule: 35 hours per week, Monday - Friday, with a flexible working pattern to be discussed at interview
ASSUMPTION: Bracknell offers a convenient location for commuting to London, with a blend of on-site and remote work providing flexibility for employees.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application
- Phone or video screening
- On-site or virtual interview with the hiring manager
- Final interview with the Head of Marketing and Events
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and commercial acumen
- Leadership and team management skills
- Stakeholder management and influencing skills
- Communication and presentation skills
- Cultural fit and alignment with company values
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare examples of your past marketing and events successes, demonstrating your ability to drive commercial results
- Research the John Lewis Partnership and its marketing and events strategies to show your understanding of the business and its objectives
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, the team, and the company's future plans
ATS Keywords: Local marketing, events management, strategic planning, stakeholder management, commercial acumen, team leadership, retail experience
ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role will focus on assessing the candidate's strategic thinking, leadership, and stakeholder management skills, as well as their cultural fit with the John Lewis Partnership.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Google Workspace
- CRM and marketing automation platforms (e.g., Salesforce, Marketo)
- Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)
- Data analysis and visualization tools (e.g., Excel, Power BI)
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and Google Workspace, as well as experience with CRM, marketing automation, project management, and data analysis tools.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Employee ownership and shared responsibility
- Customer focus and exceptional service
- Innovation and continuous improvement
- Integrity and ethical behavior
Work Style:
- Collaborative and inclusive
- Data-driven and analytical
- Adaptable and responsive to change
- Focused on delivering results and driving commercial growth
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do I thrive in a collaborative, employee-owned work environment?
- Am I passionate about delivering exceptional customer service and driving commercial results?
- Do I have strong leadership and stakeholder management skills, with a proven track record in marketing and events?
ASSUMPTION: The John Lewis Partnership values a collaborative, inclusive, and data-driven work environment, with a strong focus on customer service and driving commercial growth.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing a large team with diverse skills and experience levels
- Balancing multiple priorities and projects simultaneously
- Navigating a complex stakeholder landscape and influencing senior leaders
- Working in a competitive retail environment with evolving market dynamics
ASSUMPTION: This role presents significant challenges, including managing a large team, balancing multiple priorities, navigating a complex stakeholder landscape, and operating in a competitive retail environment.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- This role is unique in its focus on local marketing and events strategy, requiring a strong blend of strategic thinking, leadership, and stakeholder management skills
- Compared to other marketing and events roles, this position offers a broader scope of responsibilities and a higher level of strategic influence
- Career progression in this role may lead to more senior marketing and events positions within the John Lewis Partnership or other large retail organizations
ASSUMPTION: This role is distinct in its focus on local marketing and events strategy, requiring a unique blend of skills and offering significant career progression opportunities.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a comprehensive local marketing strategy for a new store opening, driving customer acquisition and maximizing revenue potential
- Creating and delivering a high-profile event series that enhances brand positioning and drives revenue growth
- Implementing a proactive competitive defense strategy, leveraging data and insights to mitigate competitor impact and protect market share
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic and operational responsibilities of the Local Marketing & Events Lead role, requiring a strong blend of skills and experience.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- What are the key priorities for this role in the first 30 days?
- How does this role collaborate with other marketing and events teams within the John Lewis Partnership?
- What are the most significant challenges facing the local marketing and events function, and how can this role address them?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within this role and the John Lewis Partnership?
- How does the John Lewis Partnership support work-life balance for its employees?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions will help applicants understand the role's priorities, challenges, and growth opportunities, as well as the company's culture and support for work-life balance.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills for this role
- Prepare examples of your past marketing and events successes, demonstrating your ability to drive commercial results
- Research the John Lewis Partnership and its marketing and events strategies to show your understanding of the business and its objectives
- Prepare questions to ask the interviewer about the role, the team, and the company's future plans
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to express your continued interest in the role
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
