Paid Social Lead

📌 Core Information

🔹 Job Title: Paid Social Lead

🔹 Company: B&Q

🔹 Location: Southampton, Store Support Office (Hybrid/Remote)

🔹 Job Type: Permanent

🔹 Category: Marketing

🔹 Date Posted: 2025-07-15

🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years

🔹 Remote Status: Hybrid (1-2 days per quarter in Southampton or London office)

🚀 Job Overview

Key aspects of this role include:

• Defining and delivering the performance paid social strategy in-house at B&Q, leading a small team of specialists
• Managing campaign budgets to maximize ROAS and revenue
• Overseeing the full campaign lifecycle, from planning and setup through to optimization, analysis, and reporting
• Building, optimizing, and scaling paid social campaigns to support a wide range of objectives
• Providing regular performance reporting with actionable insights, driving continuous improvement across all activity

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, strong analytical skills, and the ability to lead a team. It's ideal for someone with a proven track record in paid social advertising, looking to make a significant impact in a large retail organization.

📋 Key Responsibilities

✅ Define and deliver the performance paid social strategy in-house at B&Q, leading a small team of specialists

✅ Manage campaign budgets to maximize ROAS and revenue

✅ Oversee the full campaign lifecycle – from planning and setup through to optimization, analysis, and reporting

✅ Develop and lead a team of specialists, fostering a high-performance, test-and-learn culture

✅ Build, optimize, and scale paid social campaigns to support a wide range of objectives, including revenue growth, lead generation, and brand engagement

✅ Provide regular performance reporting with actionable insights, driving continuous improvement across all activity

✅ Define and implement a testing roadmap, including running frequent creative and audience tests to optimize performance

✅ Guide creative strategy and own the briefing of new image, video, and UGC assets

✅ Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to support wider marketing and brand campaigns

✅ Leverage platform insights and attribution tools to make data-led decisions and demonstrate the role of paid social in the customer journey

✅ Manage relationships with platform partners (e.g., Meta, TikTok) to stay ahead of trends and identify new opportunities

✅ Stay informed of the latest trends, tools, and innovations in the paid social landscape

ASSUMPTION: This role requires a hands-on approach to campaign management, along with strong leadership and analytical skills. It's essential to stay up-to-date with the latest trends and tools in the paid social landscape.

🎯 Required Qualifications

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)

Experience: 4+ years in a paid social role, including hands-on experience ideally in an agency setting

Required Skills:

• Deep knowledge of Meta Ads Manager and other key social platforms (e.g., TikTok, Pinterest, LinkedIn)
• Strong analytical capabilities with experience using reporting tools and platforms such as Google Analytics
• Creative mindset with the ability to brief and guide engaging social-first creative
• Confident leading and developing team members
• Able to work effectively at prioritizing multiple projects
• Highly proactive and comfortable with autonomy and accountability

Preferred Skills:

• Experience with TikTok Ads Manager
• Familiarity with data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
• Knowledge of the home improvement retail sector

ASSUMPTION: Candidates should have a strong background in paid social advertising, with a proven track record of delivering results. Experience in an agency setting is highly desirable, as is a creative mindset and strong analytical skills.

💰 Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: Up to £54,000 per year

Benefits:

• Pension
• PMI
• ShareSave
• 6.6 weeks holiday
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Shopping discounts
• Colleague wellbeing benefits

Working Hours: Full-time, with flexible working hours and the option to work from home most of the time

ASSUMPTION: The salary range is competitive for the role and experience level required. Benefits are comprehensive and include a range of wellness and financial benefits.

📌 Applicant Insights

🔍 Company Context

Industry: Retail, specifically home improvement and garden living

Company Size: 10,001+ employees, making it a large organization with significant resources and opportunities for growth

Founded: B&Q was founded in 1969 and has since grown to become the UK’s leading home improvement and garden living retailer

Company Description:

• B&Q operates over 311 stores throughout the UK and Ireland, offering great prices and over 100,000 products available to order online for home delivery or click and collect
• The company launched the UK’s first home improvement marketplace in 2022, offering additional choice for consumers with an integrated experience and in-store returns for many products
• B&Q is part of Kingfisher plc, the international home improvement company, operating 2,000 stores in 8 countries across Europe

Company Specialties:

• Home improvement
• Garden centre
• Customer service
• Retail
• Finance
• Human resources
• Management
• Procurement
• Purchasing & supply chain
• Buying
• Marketing & PR
• Digital & eCommerce
• Commercial
• Data analysis
• Diversity & inclusion
• Visual merchandising
• Social media
• Customer insight

Company Website: www.diy.com

ASSUMPTION: B&Q is a well-established retailer with a strong presence in the UK and Ireland. Its size and resources offer numerous opportunities for career growth and development.

📊 Role Analysis

Career Level: Mid-level to senior, depending on the candidate's experience and skills

Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Performance Media Planner Lead and may have a small team of specialists reporting to them

Work Arrangement: Hybrid, with 1-2 days per quarter required in the Southampton or London office

Growth Opportunities:

• Progression to a senior leadership role within the marketing team
• Expansion of responsibilities to include additional channels or markets
• Development of skills in team management, strategic planning, and data analysis

ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant opportunities for career growth and development, both within the marketing team and across the wider organization.

🌍 Location & Work Environment

Office Type: Store Support Office (SSO) in Southampton, with the option to work remotely most of the time

Office Location(s): Southampton, with occasional requirements to visit the London office

Geographic Context:

• Southampton is located on the south coast of England, with a population of around 250,000 people
• The city offers a mix of urban and coastal living, with easy access to beaches, parks, and cultural attractions
• Southampton has excellent transport links, including an international airport and direct train services to London

Work Schedule: Full-time, with flexible working hours and the option to work from home most of the time

ASSUMPTION: The hybrid work arrangement offers a good balance between remote work and in-person collaboration, with the option to work from home most of the time.

💼 Interview & Application Insights

Typical Process:

• Online application and CV screening
• Phone or video screening with the hiring manager
• In-person or video interview with the marketing team
• Final interview with the head of marketing or another senior stakeholder

Key Assessment Areas:

• Strategic thinking and planning
• Analytical skills and data-driven decision-making
• Leadership and team management
• Creative mindset and ability to brief engaging social-first creative
• Knowledge of paid social advertising and relevant platforms

Application Tips:

• Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills
• Be prepared to discuss your approach to paid social advertising and provide examples of successful campaigns you've managed
• Demonstrate your understanding of the home improvement retail sector and B&Q's business

ATS Keywords: Paid social advertising, performance media strategy, campaign management, budget management, team leadership, analytical skills, creative strategy, reporting, optimization, collaboration, data-driven decisions, trend analysis, social media platforms, Meta Ads Manager, Google Analytics

ASSUMPTION: The application process is likely to be competitive, with a focus on assessing the candidate's strategic thinking, analytical skills, and leadership potential.

🛠️ Tools & Technologies

• Meta Ads Manager
• TikTok Ads Manager
• Google Analytics
• Data visualization tools (e.g., Tableau, Power BI)
• Project management tools (e.g., Asana, Trello)

ASSUMPTION: Familiarity with these tools is essential for success in this role. Candidates should be comfortable using them and able to demonstrate their proficiency.

👔 Cultural Fit Considerations

Company Values:

• Customer-focused
• Collaborative
• Inclusive
• Respectful
• Accountable

Work Style:

• Data-driven
• Creative
• Collaborative
• Results-oriented

Self-Assessment Questions:

• Do you have a proven track record of delivering results in a paid social advertising role?
• Are you comfortable leading a team and fostering a high-performance culture?
• Do you have a creative mindset and the ability to brief engaging social-first creative?
• Are you comfortable working autonomously and making data-driven decisions?

ASSUMPTION: B&Q values a customer-focused, collaborative, and inclusive work environment. Candidates should be able to demonstrate their fit with these values and be comfortable working in a data-driven, results-oriented team.

⚠️ Potential Challenges

• Managing a team remotely, with only occasional in-person meetings
• Balancing multiple projects and priorities
• Keeping up with the latest trends and innovations in the paid social landscape
• Proving the ROI of paid social advertising and demonstrating its impact on the customer journey

ASSUMPTION: These challenges can be overcome with strong leadership, effective communication, and a data-driven approach to decision-making.

📈 Similar Roles Comparison

• This role is similar to a Paid Social Manager or Paid Media Specialist role in other retail or eCommerce organizations
• However, this role has a specific focus on the home improvement retail sector and requires a strong understanding of B&Q's business and customers
• Career progression in this role could lead to senior leadership positions within the marketing team or across the wider organization

ASSUMPTION: While this role shares similarities with other paid social advertising roles, its focus on the home improvement retail sector and B&Q's business makes it unique.

📝 Sample Projects

• Developing and executing a paid social advertising strategy for a major product launch
• Optimizing campaign performance across multiple platforms to maximize ROAS and revenue
• Conducting A/B tests to optimize creative and audience targeting
• Analyzing campaign performance data to identify trends and insights, and using these to inform future strategy

ASSUMPTION: These projects demonstrate the range of responsibilities and skills required for success in this role, from strategic planning and execution to data analysis and optimization.

❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview

• Can you describe the 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 B&Q support the professional development and growth of its marketing team members?
• What are the key challenges facing the paid social advertising team, and how can this role help to address them?
• How does B&Q measure the success of its paid social advertising campaigns, and what are the key KPIs?

ASSUMPTION: These questions demonstrate the candidate's interest in the role, the team, and the company's broader marketing strategy.

📌 Next Steps for Applicants

To apply for this position:

• Submit your application through this link
• Tailor your CV and cover letter to highlight your relevant experience and skills, including specific examples of successful paid social advertising campaigns you've managed
• Prepare for the interview by researching B&Q's business and customers, and thinking about how your skills and experience make you a strong fit for this role
• Follow up with the hiring manager after the interview to express your interest in the role and ask any remaining questions

⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.