Channel and Product Manager : Virgin Atlantic

About the job

Salary: Competitive

Hours: 37.5 per week

Contract: Permanent

Location: Crawley, West Sussex

Closing Date: 2nd December 2020 

Many of our staff at Virgin work flexibly and in many different ways, including different core hours or remote working. Please talk to us at your application or interview stage about the flexibility you need. We can't promise to give you exactly what you want, but we are happy to explore what's possible for the role.

In a nutshell

At Virgin Atlantic, we’re just as passionate as we’ve always been about becoming the most loved travel company. It’s been an uncertain year, for us, for everyone. There’s been ups and downs, some successes, and some sadness. One thing we know for sure – this year has shown that when we combine our brand with the power of amazing people, we make something truly magical.

Virgin Atlantic is still proudly flying, creating the same fabulous flight experience we’re famous for, and we’re busily laying the foundations for a profitable future. We know that the right people are key to creating success – so we’re looking for someone brilliant to join our team and help us achieve our vision. Perhaps that’s you? We’d love to find out.

In this exciting role as Channel & Product Marketing Manager you'll be responsible for translating brand activity to relevant frontline sellers and customers which may include shops, trade, third part agents and business travellers. You'll create data-driven marketing strategies & processes, while also planning integrated marketing campaigns in partnership with the account & product managers – to include paid/earned media, social, sponsorships & activations in support of the overall brand and business objectives. This will also include production & execution of marketing plans for Virgin Atlantic (and sub brands) trade, retail, and third-party distribution channels.

Working across the Marketing, Commercial and Sales functions, the role is responsible for building a deep understanding of the target segments; interfacing with the sales & product teams to deepen the understanding of customer needs and framing the marketing strategy both above-the-line and below-the-line.

You will be accountable for developing the efficient and targeted end-to-end customer collateral journey which supports both brand and commercial objectives will play a key part in this role. This will involve building a sound understanding of the technology platforms that can assist our transformation journey. You will develop and lead simplified processes to ensure brand guidelines are outlined, understood and adhered to by these partners, and leading on marketing plans for sales partner marketing funds across the year in line with the master brand and business strategy.

Day to day

• Inspire & lead cross-functional teams to achieve brand and commercial targets, whilst building outstanding cross-functional relationships across Commercial, Network, Alliances, Marketing/Comms, Customer, and Rev Management, through effective collaboration and stakeholder management 
• Establish best in class matrix ways of working with internal and external stakeholders to ensure efficiency of activity development and execution; including driving templated/repeatable or automated solutions with clear, documented processes. 
• Maintain and leverage relationships with Delta, Air France & KLM B2B marketing teams to ensure alignment and that partnership synergies are being fully leveraged in channels and media across the UK 
• Attend key trading, product and sales meetings as the marketing representative, providing insight to both sales and marketing on the marketing plan, performance and industry updates.
• Contribute to the growth of a high performing team, actively seeking ways to personally contribute to the UK marketing team “happiness” score. 
• Develop annual brand / product and channels plans in partnership with commercial teams to achieve brand and commercial targets. 
• Lead the development and implementation of insight-led channel/ product marketing plans, define budgets and KPI’s to ensure ROI. This includes multichannel communications, leveraging owned media channels along with targeted print, digital, social and sponsorships activations
• Leading evaluation/ ROI of customer marketing activities and identifying cost saving opportunities to shift budget to working spend. Visiting and speaking with sales partners, clients and prospects (in partnership with the sales and product teams) to augment the plan to best deliver against target customer needs.
• Monitor and report on marketing activities undertaken by competitor airlines
• Lead the development and implementation of activity, from briefing, planning, development, internal stakeholder management to evaluation. 
• Ownership and maintenance of the channel & product asset bank, ensuring all content is up to date, relevant and easily available to all stakeholders (sales teams, sellers, corporate communications, global marketing teams)
• Support the brand restage across channels acting as brand guardian across all channels/ products. Ensuring all marketing and creative briefs are defined to a brand standard and aligned to commercial targets. 
• Ensure activity across market is in “on brand” and adheres to brand standards defined in templated guidelines. 
• Spot opportunities for automation and standardisation of activity across customers to reduce costs and lead times for activation, enabling agile quick to market solutions.

About you

Do you have experience in managing content, website, social platforms in a direct to consumer and B2B context? Do you have a thorough understanding of the market segments & distribution structure in the UK, US & European travel industries? Then this could be the role for you

Alongside the above we're looking for the following to be successful in this role:

• Proven experience in developing plans & implementing tactical marketing campaigns
• Proven track record of managing complex projects, matrix working, large stakeholder groups at all levels of the organisation 
• Ability to work in fast paced, dynamic environments with an ability to reprioritise and flex priorities and tasks easily
• The aptitude to make things happen, driving things through from start to finish

If the above sounds like you and you want to be a pivotal part in the marketing team overseeing the B2B Channels..then we want to hear from you!