Head of Marketing, Lifestyle - Adult Consumer Marketing & Publicity

We are looking for a dynamic, adaptable and experienced marketing leader to head up the Bloomsbury Lifestyle marketing team in planning and realising ambitious, industry-best campaigns, and launching and growing Lifestyle communities and audiences. You will be full of ideas and energy, ready to become a key strategic voice as the Lifestyle division grows and develops, and you will be the driving force behind blockbuster marketing campaigns and long-term brand strategies.

Bloomsbury Lifestyle is a fast-growing division publishing first-class lifestyle books that help readers live their fullest lives – engaging curious minds, and illuminating the world around us. The Head of Lifestyle Marketing will work across cookery and craft, nature and gardening, interiors and beauty, mind-body-spirit and personal development as well as entertaining reference and gift – all high quality and distinct. No matter the subject, Bloomsbury Lifestyle’s books, authors and team are all here to connect readers with the people and ideas that will enrich their lives.

Bloomsbury Lifestyle’s cookery list is already home to bestselling brands and brilliant new talent  - from Tom Kerridge to Dishoom, Gino d’Acampo to Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Paul Hollywood to Poppy Cooks, Georgina Hayden to Olia Hercules. And with exciting plans underway for Bloomsbury’s wellbeing and illustrated publishing, this is a brilliant opportunity for you to make your mark!

You will be an experienced marketer who thinks commercially and strategically about your audience, with excellent leadership and stakeholder management skills. You will be well versed in working with brands, VIPs, and working with personalities to develop their platforms and communities. You will have great insight into wellbeing, cookery and lifestyle audiences, a keen eye for trends and for the next big thing. You will be energised by the prospect of connecting readers with their next great read across a wide range of subjects – cooking, psychology, nutrition, health, parenting, inspirational thinking, mindfulness… 

You will join a collaborative and friendly marketing team that works across Fiction and Non-Fiction, reporting into the Marketing Director. You will inspire those you manage and work alongside, and work with them to build effective strategies for brands, imprints, communities and channels, at a pivotal time in Bloomsbury’s divisional growth.

The role

LINE MANAGEMENT

• Lead and manage the Lifestyle marketing team in planning and implementing ambitious, best-in-class marketing campaigns, and building Lifestyle-specific community channels, ensuring communications with internal and external stakeholders are timely and effective
• Manage Lifestyle marketers to deliver superb campaigns in line with budgets, targets and outcomes.
• Coach reports effectively, developing them as marketers and ensuring a clear focus on priorities.
• Work closely with the Marketing Director, Social Media Director, Publicity Directors, and other Heads of Marketing, to audit and facilitate best practice in the team across key areas of marketing.

CAMPAIGN PLANNING

• Work with Marketing Director to set budgets, review spends and regularly review with team members to update.
• Work with Marketing Director to agree allocations and clarify roles within campaigns, ensuring skills in the team and division are utilised to their best effect.
• Identify key Lifestyle frontlist and backlist opportunities and work with Marketing Director to pinpoint areas of focus for the team.

• Drive long-term brand strategy and blockbuster campaigns for key Lifestyle brands
• Lead on backlist marketing strategy for the Lifestyle list

• Work closely with Bloomsbury’s Social Media Director and Marketing Director on Non-Fiction communities strategy and KPIs
• Work with editorial to agree AI copy/positioning are on message and on point for the audience.
• Create and run best-in-class, blockbuster marketing campaigns for key authors, brands and titles, to include:

- Successfully plan, implement and deliver creative, strategic and measurable marketing campaigns and materials using the full marketing mix, on time and within budget

- Work alongside publishing teams to ensure all key stakeholders stay informed and involved in campaign strategy

- Ensure that every aspect of activity feeds in to and reflects the broader Adult Trade business strategy

• Understand the importance of social media and digital activity as part of campaigns, working with the internal digital teams to drive fiction priorities and to create holistic campaign strategies across online/social and print. 
• Support a culture of collaboration, working closely with the publicity, sales and editorial teams, feeding ideas into the wider company and being a great spokesperson for Lifestyle/Illustrated Non-Fiction on the Adult Consumer list.
• Work with Marketing Director on strategies for new advertising channels and marketing opportunities, sharing results and building and championing expertise within the team
• Proactive approach to third party partnerships, building a long-term partnership strategy for the Lifestyle list

MEETINGS

• Co-ordinate and lead on key focus title meetings for Lifestyle, to include the agenda, running order and materials to ensure our title ambitions are effectively represented
• Review meeting strategy with Marketing Director and senior marketing team and suggest improvements/feedback when needed
• Attend relevant meetings for key titles and campaigns, communicating relevant information when required, back to the team
• Deputise Marketing Director when necessary at acquisitions, covers and positioning meetings

RETAIL

• Key point of contact for the sales team (UK/Export) for Lifestyle, working closely with sales colleagues to identify retailer opportunities and keep updated with all plans
• Work with the marketing team to ensure strong relationships between sales and marketing, and involving team members in planning meetings.
• Develop direct relationships with key retailers and keep abreast of all marketing opportunities and partnerships available with them relevant to Lifestyle titles.

GLOBAL

• Work with internal export sales team and international colleagues to ensure our priorities are being represented across the global market, ensuring aligned thinking on campaigns.

Skills/Knowledge:

• Strategic thinker
• Strong audience awareness
• Effective decision maker
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Positive, motivational mind-set
• Impeccable communication and stakeholder management skills
• Inspiring and motivating people management
• Ability to be reactive and change direction quickly when needed, as well as work well under pressure
• Ability to work on multiple projects to deliver quantifiable results
• Up-to-date knowledge of best practises of advertising and industry developments
• Strong creative copywriting and visual briefing skills

Experience:

• Several years of demonstrated experience in marketing, with an impressive campaign track-record, and line management experience
• Experience of working on major publications and with high-profile brands or platforms, with a proven track record in leading creative and effective marketing campaigns
• An in-depth understanding of the Lifestyle landscape  
• Experience of working with high profile, complex chains of internal and external stakeholders, including authors, editors, freelancer designers/animators, digital agencies, and beyond. To include experience of commissioning video content, working with content creators, and running video shoots.
• Experience of working successfully with third parties on innovative marketing partnerships and initiatives, with a strong network of relevant Lifestyle contacts
• Broad market awareness within publishing and within marketing

Additional information

The role is a full-time permanent position

Salary Range: £48,500 - £60,000

The role is based at our London office 50 Bedford Square, London, WC1B 3DP on a hybrid-working pattern of 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred).  Allocated office days for this role are Monday and Tuesday.

Please apply with a CV and covering letter addressed to Human Resources (Word or PDF format only) via the ‘APPLY NOW’ button detailing how you meet the requirements outlined above for this role by 21st April 2024.

For best results, please use a desktop to apply as some mobile browsers may not fully support the application portal.

Bloomsbury reserve the right to close the role early if we exceed the required number of applications

Bloomsbury Benefits

As well as a fantastic opportunity to join a global award-winning organisation, Bloomsbury offers the following competitive benefits package:

Working Pattern

• hybrid working pattern of: 2 days office based / 3 days home based (or fully office based if preferred)

Holidays

• 25 days holiday
• 3.5 days Christmas company holiday

Other Benefits

• Two paid Personal Wellness Days
• Flexible Fridays – take Friday afternoon off by working an additional 3 hours and 30 minutes earlier in the week
• Season Ticket Loan
• Share save Scheme
• AXA Healthcare Plan (Private Medical Insurance)
• In-house Doctor
• Eye care Voucher Scheme

Company culture – Employee Voice Meetings, Staff Networks (Bloom (BAME), Accessibility, Mental Health, Pride, and Parents, Guardians and Carers, Multi-Faith) and 21 Mental Health First Aiders trained across the UK offices, Publishing Events and access to free Publishing Resources

For additional benefits see below

Bloomsbury is a place where anyone of any background, race, ethnicity, religion, sexuality, gender identity, age, ability, or socio-economic status can thrive, feel comfortable, and be heard and accepted. We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all sections of the community.

We are willing to make any reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process, please flag to the recruitment team if required

Applicants must have the legal right to work in the UK.