📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Manager, Brand Marketing
🔹 Company: KAYAK
🔹 Location: London, United Kingdom
🔹 Job Type: Full-time
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: June 17, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: 10+ years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site (London) with remote work options
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Developing and implementing brand marketing strategies for KAYAK in the UK and Momondo across the Nordics
- Leading integrated marketing campaigns and managing strategic brand partnerships
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners to drive brand awareness, relevance, and preference
- Adapting global creative and messaging to ensure cultural relevance and resonance in local markets
- Managing traditional media planning and vendor negotiations
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic, creative, and execution-focused individual with strong local market knowledge and media planning expertise.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Develop and implement brand marketing strategies for KAYAK in the UK and Momondo in the Nordics, aligned with consumer insights, brand positioning, and business goals
✅ Lead the development and rollout of integrated marketing campaigns, including creative briefing, media planning, and cross-functional coordination
✅ Identify and use local consumer and market insights to tailor brand marketing strategies for the UK and Nordic markets
✅ Write clear, insight-led creative briefs and work closely with the in-house Creative team and Creative Production Managers to bring campaigns to life
✅ Manage traditional media planning (TV, OOH, radio, print), including direct negotiation with media agencies and local vendors
✅ Collaborate with the in-house digital media team to ensure strong alignment between brand messaging and digital channel performance
✅ Adapt global creative and messaging to ensure cultural relevance and resonance in the UK and Nordic markets
✅ Track campaign performance, define important metrics, and deliver actionable insights to optimize future activity
✅ Identify, negotiate, and manage strategic brand partnerships that enhance visibility, drive engagement, and reinforce brand positioning
✅ Work closely with PR, Creative, Performance Marketing, Product, and Commercial teams to ensure consistency and alignment across all consumer touch points
✅ Lead the local Sr. Specialist, Social Media to integrate local insights into content creation for enhanced brand messaging in the UK and Nordic markets
✅ Manage relationships with media agencies in the UK, and liaise with the Creative team on coordination with creative agencies and production partners
ASSUMPTION: This role involves a high degree of collaboration, stakeholder management, and strategic decision-making.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field
Experience: 10+ years of brand marketing experience with a strong understanding of the UK market; exposure to Nordic markets is a plus
Required Skills:
- Proven experience leading integrated campaigns across both traditional and digital channels
- Strong media planning and vendor negotiation skills
- Experience identifying and managing brand partnerships or sponsorship deals
- Skilled in briefing creative teams and managing asset production processes
- Strategic problem solver with strong cultural awareness and attention to local market nuance
- Highly collaborative, organized, and thorough
- Fluent in English; a Nordic language is a plus
Preferred Skills:
- Experience working with global brands and managing cross-functional teams
- Proficiency in using data and analytics to inform marketing strategies
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with experience in the travel industry or metasearch engines would be highly desirable.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: £80,000 - £120,000 per year (based on industry standards for a senior marketing role in London)
Benefits:
- Work from (almost) anywhere for up to 20 days per year
- Company-paid therapy sessions through SpringHealth
- Company-paid subscription to HeadSpace
- Company-wide week off a year
- No meeting Fridays
- Paid parental leave
- Generous paid vacation + time off for your birthday
- Paid volunteer time
- Development Dollars
- Leadership development
- Access to thousands of on-demand e-learnings
- Travel Discounts
- Employee Resource Groups
- 5 weeks paid vacation
- Private health & dental insurance
- Income protection and life assurance
- Employee Assistance Program - including 24/7 GP & free legal advice
- Pension plan contributions
- Discounted gym membership
- Bike2Work
- Season ticket loan
- Social events & Thursday happy hours
- Free lunch 2 days per week
Working Hours: Full-time (37.5 hours per week) with flexible working arrangements
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a senior marketing role in London. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Travel Technology
Company Size: Medium-sized (1,001-5,000 employees)
Founded: 2004
Company Description:
- KAYAK is the world’s leading travel search engine, helping millions of travelers find the information they need to make confident travel decisions
- As part of Booking Holdings Inc., KAYAK operates sites in more than 70 countries and territories and offers a portfolio of global metasearch brands
- KAYAK is committed to helping travelers explore the world more confidently by providing innovative tools and features
Company Specialties:
- Travel search engine
- Metasearch brands
- Travel tools and features
Company Website: http://www.kayak.com
ASSUMPTION: KAYAK's extensive global presence and portfolio of brands provide unique opportunities for growth and exposure in the travel industry.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior Manager
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the VP of Brand Marketing, EMEA
Work Arrangement: On-site in London with remote work options for up to 20 days per year
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential to expand responsibilities across additional markets or brands within the KAYAK portfolio
- Opportunities for professional development and leadership training
- possibility to work on high-impact projects and campaigns that drive business results
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth potential within a dynamic and innovative organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: Modern, collaborative office space with remote work options
Office Location(s): 1266 E Main St, 700R, Stamford, Connecticut, 06902, US (Global HQ) and 12-16 Laystall Street, London, England, GB (EMEA Office)
Geographic Context:
- London is a major global hub for the travel industry, offering ample opportunities for networking and professional development
- The UK market is one of KAYAK's largest and most strategic regions
- The Nordics represent a significant growth opportunity for the Momondo brand
Work Schedule: Full-time (37.5 hours per week) with flexible working arrangements
ASSUMPTION: The London office provides a vibrant and dynamic work environment, with ample opportunities for collaboration and growth.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Phone or video screen with the Talent Acquisition team
- In-depth interview with the hiring manager and a member of the Brand Marketing team
- Final interview with the VP of Brand Marketing, EMEA
- Background check and offer extension
Key Assessment Areas:
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving skills
- Cultural awareness and understanding of local market nuances
- Media planning and vendor negotiation expertise
- Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and external partners
- Creativity and adaptability in campaign development and execution
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role
- Provide specific examples of your experience leading integrated campaigns and managing brand partnerships
- Demonstrate your understanding of the UK and Nordic markets and how you would adapt global creative and messaging for local relevance
- Prepare questions that showcase your interest in the role and KAYAK's mission to help travelers explore the world more confidently
ATS Keywords: Brand Marketing, Media Planning, Campaign Execution, Consumer Insights, Creative Briefing, Vendor Negotiation, Digital Media, Cultural Awareness, Collaboration, Strategic Problem Solving, Asset Production, Market Knowledge, Partnership Management, Performance Tracking, Team Coordination, Social Media
ASSUMPTION: KAYAK's application process is designed to assess candidates' strategic thinking, creativity, and cultural awareness, as well as their ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Docs, Sheets, Slides)
- Asana or similar project management tool
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Social media management platforms (e.g., Hootsuite, Sprout Social)
- Media planning and buying tools (e.g., MediaMath, Google Ads)
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in using various project management, creative, and media planning tools to manage campaigns and collaborate with cross-functional teams.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Customer-centric
- Innovative
- Collaborative
- Data-driven
- Inclusive
Work Style:
- Dynamic and fast-paced
- Highly collaborative and cross-functional
- Data-driven and results-oriented
- Flexible and adaptable
- Open and inclusive
Self-Assessment Questions:
- How do you ensure that your marketing strategies and campaigns resonate with local cultural nuances and consumer preferences?
- Can you provide an example of a time when you successfully adapted global creative or messaging to ensure cultural relevance in a specific market?
- How do you approach working collaboratively with cross-functional teams and external partners to drive brand awareness, relevance, and preference?
ASSUMPTION: KAYAK values candidates who are customer-centric, innovative, collaborative, data-driven, and inclusive, with a dynamic and adaptable work style.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple brands and markets simultaneously may require strong organizational skills and time management
- Working with global creative and messaging may present cultural challenges that require adaptability and creativity
- Collaborating with cross-functional teams and external partners may require strong communication and stakeholder management skills
- Keeping up with industry trends and consumer behavior may require continuous learning and adaptation
ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges that require a strategic, adaptable, and collaborative approach to brand marketing.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Unlike traditional brand marketing roles, this position requires a strong understanding of both traditional and digital media planning and execution
- This role involves a high degree of collaboration and stakeholder management, which may be more challenging than roles with more clearly defined responsibilities
- Career progression in this role may be faster than in more traditional brand marketing positions, given KAYAK's growth and expansion into new markets
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique opportunities and challenges compared to traditional brand marketing positions, with a focus on collaboration, adaptability, and strategic problem-solving.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a integrated marketing campaign to launch a new product or feature in the UK market
- Adapting global creative and messaging for a Momondo campaign in the Nordics to ensure cultural relevance and resonance
- Managing a strategic brand partnership with a major airline or travel provider to enhance visibility and drive engagement
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic, creative, and collaborative nature of the brand marketing role at KAYAK.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- How does KAYAK approach brand marketing in the UK and Nordics, and how does this role fit into that strategy?
- Can you describe the team structure and dynamics within the Brand Marketing department, and how this role will collaborate with other teams and brands within the KAYAK portfolio?
- How does KAYAK measure the success of brand marketing campaigns, and how will this role contribute to driving business results?
- What opportunities are there for professional development and growth within the Brand Marketing department and KAYAK as a whole?
- How does KAYAK support work-life balance and employee well-being, particularly for employees working remotely or on a hybrid basis?
ASSUMPTION: These key questions help applicants understand the role's context, team dynamics, and growth opportunities within KAYAK.
📌 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, with a focus on brand marketing, media planning, and campaign execution
- Prepare for your interviews by researching KAYAK's brand, market presence, and recent campaigns to demonstrate your understanding of the company and its goals
- If selected for an in-depth interview, be prepared to present a creative brief or campaign idea that showcases your strategic thinking and ability to adapt global creative and messaging for local markets
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after your final interview to express your continued interest in the role and ask 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.
