DEPARTMENT: Operations
REPORTS TO: Chief Executive Officer
REPORTEES: Marketing Manager
LOCATION: Bristol Bears High Performance Centre, Abbots Leigh, Bristol, BS8 3TF. Where required, the role may include duties at off-site locations.
CONTRACT TYPE: Permanent
WORKING HOURS: Full time
SALARY: £55,000 + Discretionary Bonus
CLOSING DATE: Tuesday 23rd June at midnight
ABOUT BRISTOL BEARS
Bristol Bears Rugby is part of Stephen Lansdown’s sporting group of companies which includes Bristol Sport, Bristol City Football, Bristol Flyers Basketball and each of their respective community charities.
Our vision is ‘to inspire our community through rugby success’. Our supporters regularly attend Ashton Gate Stadium to watch the team perform in Premiership and European Cup Competitions as well as our Women’s team who play at the highest level of domestic competition.
ROLE SUMMARY
We are seeking an innovative and commercially focused Head of Marketing to lead the club’s marketing strategy, strengthen brand visibility, grow fan engagement, and drive revenue across ticketing, retail, and partnerships.
The Head of Marketing will lead all marketing and brand activity across the club. This role will oversee campaign strategy, digital marketing, content planning, fan engagement initiatives, and matchday marketing delivery.
The successful candidate will play a key role in growing the club’s audience, increasing commercial performance, and enhancing the overall supporter experience through creative and data-driven marketing initiatives.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Marketing Strategy & Brand Development
· Develop and implement the club’s overarching marketing strategy aligned with commercial and club objectives.
· Lead the development and protection of the club’s brand identity across all platforms and communications.
· Drive audience growth, fan engagement, and supporter acquisition strategies.
· Ensure consistent messaging and brand positioning across all channels.
- Lead testing strategies for creative, messaging, and audience targeting.
Campaign Management
· Plan and deliver optimised and integrated marketing campaigns across:
o Match ticket sales
o Season tickets and memberships
o Retail and merchandise
o Commercial partnerships
· Oversee campaign performance, reporting, and optimisation.
- Collaborate with media and partnerships teams to align campaigns to the Bears Way.
Digital & Content Marketing
· Lead digital marketing activity including email marketing, paid media, website strategy, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) campaigns.
· Work closely with content and media teams to deliver engaging and innovative content.
· Oversee fan engagement initiatives.
· Utilise analytics and audience insights to inform campaign decisions and improve performance.
Fan Engagement & Matchday Experience
· Develop initiatives to enhance supporter engagement and matchday atmosphere.
· Support fan communication strategies and community outreach activity.
- Analyse fan acquisition data, attribution models, and campaign performance metrics.
· Collaborate with operations teams to deliver high-quality supporter experiences.
Commercial Collaboration
· Work closely with the partnerships teams to maximise sponsor activation opportunities.
· Support commercial revenue growth through integrated marketing support and lead generation activity.
· Ensure commercial partners receive strong brand exposure and activation value.
Leadership & Management
· Lead and develop the marketing team, agencies, and external suppliers where applicable.
· Manage departmental budgets and marketing resources effectively to maximise ROI across campaigns tied to games, retail and fan engagement.
· Foster a collaborative, creative, and high-performance culture.
· Contribute positively to the Bears vision and culture
Reporting & Analysis
· Monitor and report on campaign KPIs including:
o Ticket sales
o Fan engagement
o Digital growth
o Conversion metrics
o Revenue performance
· Provide regular reporting on performance insights to Chief Executive Officer.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
· Chief Executive Officer
· Head of Finance
· Head of Partnerships
· Head of Media and Communications
· Marketing team
· Key Club Stakeholders
ESSENTIAL SKILLS
· Proven experience in a senior marketing role within sport, entertainment, events, or consumer brands.
· Strong understanding of digital marketing, CRM, social media, and audience engagement.
· Demonstrated success delivering integrated marketing campaigns with measurable results.
· Excellent communication and leadership skills.
· Commercially minded with strong analytical capability.
· Experience managing budgets, agencies, and cross-functional projects.
· Ability to work in a fast-paced professional sports environment.
DESIRABLE SKILLS
· Experience working within professional rugby or elite sport.
· Knowledge of ticketing and fan engagement systems.
· Experience in brand partnerships and sponsor activation.
· Understanding of supporter culture and live event marketing.
HEALTH AND SAFETY
· Responsible for ensuring all health and safety procedures are followed at all times, with relevant documentation to support
· To ensure all employees complete the training required to do their job
· Report all incidents and accidents as required
· To complete and review the risk assessments for their department.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES
We are committed to the principle of equal opportunity and its policies for recruitment, selection, training, development and promotion are designed to ensure that no employee or potential employee receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, age, ethnic and national origin, disability or gender reassignment.
SAFEGUARDING
Bristol Rugby Club Limited is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, young people and vulnerable adults and expects all employees to share this commitment. This role would be subject to a Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check.
BENEFITS
As part of the Bears family, you’ll have access to a wide range of benefits, including:
WORK LIFE BALANCE
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays (pro rata)
FINANCIAL SECURITY
- Hargreaves Lansdown pension scheme
- Life assurance policy
FAMILY FRIENDLY BENEFITS
HEALTH & WELLBEING
- Employee Assistance Programme
- HPC gym access (subject to player schedules)
- Company Sick Pay
- Career development opportunities through CPD and Apprenticeship Levy funding
TRAVEL & LIFESTYLE PERKS
- Cycle to Work scheme
- Discounted First Bus travel
- Electric vehicle scheme
FOOD & ON-SITE BENEFITS
- Subsidised meals at the HPC on training days
- Onsite parking at the HPC
SPORT, EVENTS & DISCOUNTS
- Matchday tickets for Bristol Bears Men and Women home fixtures
- Ad-hoc tickets for other Bristol Sport fixtures
- Discounts at Ashton Gate food and beverage outlets on matchdays
- Discounts with a variety of local businesses including attractions, hotels and cafes
- Discount at the Bristol Sport retail shop
- Bears Kit (where applicable for the role)
*Please note that some benefits are non-contractual and may be subject to change as well as subject to terms and conditions.
Pay: £55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Canteen
- Casual dress
- Company events
- Company pension
- Cycle to work scheme
- Discounted or free food
- Employee discount
- Enhanced maternity leave
- Free flu jabs
- Free parking
- On-site gym
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
- Store discount
Application question(s):
- Do you have current, valid right to work in the UK?
- Do you have you have reliable transport to travel to the Bristol Bears High Performance Centre in Failand, BS8 3TF. Please note that there is no public transport to the facility.
- Do you require any reasonable adjustments at any stage of our recruitment process?
- What are your salary expectations?
Work Location: In person
