Full Time, Permanent, based in Verwood Dorset
Salary dependent on experience
About us - At West Design Products Ltd, we bring creativity to life.
As a leading UK manufacturer and distributor of arts, crafts, gifting, and stationery products, we supply both independent retailers and major brands including Hobbycraft, John Lewis, Ryman, Waterstones, and TK Maxx.
Our in-house team creates innovative, themed collections that inspire creativity across all ages and skill levels. We are proud to collaborate with some of the UK’s most iconic organisations, including:
- Royal Horticultural Society
- Natural History Museum
- Royal Shakespeare Company
- Battersea Dogs & Cats Home
Discover more about us at www.westdesignproducts.co.uk
About the role - We are looking for an experienced and commercially driven Head of Marketing to lead and shape the marketing strategy for West Design Products. This is a senior leadership role responsible for all marketing activities, driving brand growth, product visibility, and customer engagement across both our own manufactured product ranges and licensed portfolios.
Key Responsibilities
As part of your role you will:
- Take ownership on the company's pricing model (including the annual retail price list UK & Export; set and manage pricing for all new and existing products to protect the company's current and planned market position; set and manage pricing for all new and existing products to protect the company's current and planned market position; customer pricing in collaboration with the relevant account holders; implementing 3rd party pricing of distributed products).
- Work alongside the marketing design team on company presentations, brand brochures and promotional brochures including creating deals.
- Work closely with the sales team to support revenue growth, customer acquisition and retention strategies.
- Perform range rationalisation analysis to avoid product proliferation and excess stocks by continuously monitoring product performance and market trends.
- Manage any product discontinuation, phasing out or substitution of products in a cost-effective manner without detriment to company profitability, where necessary.
- With the assistance of the Compliance & Quality Manager, determine product specifications and ensure the information is up to date on the system.
- Analyse market trends, customer insights, and competitor activity to inform strategy.
- Monitor products performance against budgets and to propose appropriate action where necessary to ensure achievement of budget/objective.
- Coordinate product launches in co-operation with the Product Development Team.
- Build and maintain relationships with external partners, agencies, distributed brands and licensors.
- Manage and coordinate the company’s website to ensure it is up to date and compliant, as well as trade websites.
- Have responsibility of trade shows (both trade and end user shows). To include which shows we attend, what stand and stock is required, staffing, marketing etc is required and to also be responsible for both the set up and break down of the stand itself.
- Report on the impact of trade shows/exhibitions and other marketing events etc in terms of sales revenue, return on investment/profitability to ascertain the potential of the events for future consideration.
- Identify and enter West Design Products for the relevant industry awards to support company’s recognition.
About you -
The ideal candidate will have a thorough understanding of commercial and product analysis, with advanced Excel skills.
Proven experience in a senior role, ideally within FMCG, creative products, gifting, or stationery sectors, is essential, together with a strong track record of developing and delivering successful strategies that drive commercial results.
In return we can offer -
- Company pension and Life Assurance
- Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) and Video GP access
- Staff discounts on our product ranges
- Casual dress code and on-site parking
- 28 days holiday (including bank holidays), increased after 5 years of service
The role is full-time (5 days a week, Monday to Friday, 37.5 hours per week), office based in Verwood with monthly visits to Folkestone (Kent) and Plymouth (Dorset)
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From £55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Company pension
- Employee discount
- Free parking
- Health & wellbeing programme
- Life insurance
- On-site parking
Education:
- Diploma of Higher Education (preferred)
Experience:
- Pricing: 5 years (preferred)
- B2B marketing: 5 years (preferred)
Work Location: In person
