Consumer PR Manager – 12 Month FTC
Contract type: Fixed Term Contract (12 months)
Location: Hatfield (Blended working – 3 days in the office)
Working hours per week: 40 hours
Level: Manager
Application closing date: Monday 10th February 2025
About us
Our mission is to deliver joy in every shop, through unbeatable choice, unrivalled service, and reassuringly good value.
We’re Ocado Retail, a market-leading, joint venture between Ocado Group and M&S and the world’s largest dedicated online supermarket ocado.com. Not only is Ocado.com the only place to shop a full range of M&S food online, but it’s also the home to the widest online supermarket range in the UK and champion of small, independent brands. We’re also the brains behind Zoom by Ocado, our same-day grocery delivery service.
About the team and the role
The Communications & PR Manager will join the tight-knit communications team at Ocado Retail, alongside the Head of Communications, an existing Communications and PR Manager (corporate), two PR Executives, a Social Media Lead and an Influencer Executive, plus 1-2 participants of the Ocado Retail Graduate programme at any one time.
They will report into the Head of Communications and will have 2 direct reports.
The successful candidate will be primarily responsible for all consumer and food PR for Ocado Retail, though will also be required at times to support across other areas such as issues management, corporate PR and internal communications.
What You'll Do:
Consumer and Food PR
- Responsible for shaping and executing Ocado Retail’s consumer and food PR strategy, in line with our overarching Brand and Channel objectives
- Partner with our consumer PR agency to deliver strong brand-building media coverage that drives fame for Ocado Retail’s range, service and value, from ongoing press office activity to wider integrated consumer campaigns
- Work with our food and drink PR agency to drive product-specific media coverage, supporting key business trading priorities e.g. Christmas and Easter etc
- Work with PR and social counterparts at M&S, to strategically align on consumer media outreach and to identify collaboration and amplification opportunities
- Use insight to uncover interesting trends and data that can be turned into compelling PR stories that drive positive coverage and support Ocado’s key messages
- Responsible for owning and managing the consumer PR budget, ensuring we remain on track to spend in line with our annual forecast
- Manage a PR Executive and Grad, working closely with them to deliver the consumer and food PR strategy and overseeing and encouraging their development and progression at Ocado
- Work closely with the Social Media and Influencer team to align channel plans, collaborating on agency briefing where relevant and proactively looking for opportunities to amplify and extend activity across platforms
- Collaborate with other internal teams, such as Content, Partnerships and Internal Comms to help achieve cross-functional objectives and deliver integrated campaigns
- Work with Buying teams to identify and enter relevant consumer awards to showcase Ocado’s extensive range of products
- Channel reporting, including Leadership Team activity and results updates
Internal Communications
- Work closely with the Leadership Team and help prepare events materials and briefing documents
- Shared responsibility for drafting the CEO message for the all company weekly bulletin
- Build strong relationships with colleagues across the Ocado network, and be tuned into the latest internal news and happenings
Issues Management/Corporate PR
- Help to manage Ocado Retail’s entries into key business awards, sourcing necessary information from others in the business and developing entry materials
The Corporate Communications & PR team will principally be responsible for issues management and corporate PR, however there will be occasions when the candidate will be required to support this activity:
- Help to manage the inbound to Ocado Retail’s press office
- Work closely with our Customer Hub colleagues to ensure alignment on messaging for issues that may impact customers
- Keep relevant stakeholders informed of any issues concerning Ocado in the media
Who You Are:
- Strong experience in consumer PR , either in house or within an agency sector
- Demonstrated success working with brands (food preferred) to generate positive media coverage
- Experience leading high profile integrated PR campaigns
- Experience working across departments e.g. with social media
- Experience/interest dealing with quick-turnaround media enquiries
- Used to working in fast-paced environments and able to meet tight deadlines
- Capable of building and developing strong internal relationships through collaboration
- Excellent communication skills
- Highly organised and self-motivated
- Highly literate – able to produce clear, concise and effective written material
- Able to build positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders
- Able to work in a fast-paced environment
- Experience in retail/food/drink
- Adaptability within a fast-growing company and a desire to grow with the business
- Excellent verbal, written, and interpersonal skills
What’s in it for you
By joining Ocado Retail you’ll have the chance to experience life at the world’s largest online retailer, work with an amazing bunch of people who challenge what’s possible each day, and grow your skills and career in online retail.
If that’s not enough to tempt you, you’ll also get access to loads of great benefits to sweeten the deal. Here’s a taste of what we offer:
Health & Wellbeing: Private medical insurance with the option to add your family, Digital GP appointments, market-leading family policies, mental health support, discounted gym memberships, dental insurance, and more.
Spend & Save: Recognition with reward platform, up to 7% matched pension contributions, 15% Ocado discount, 20% M&S discount, free breakfast every day in the office, electric vehicle leasing scheme and free shuttle bus from Hatfield station to the office.
Never miss the moments that matter: Blended/Hybrid working, 26 days holiday plus 8 flexible bank holidays, options to buy an extra holiday, 2 weeks work from anywhere, and lifestyle break opportunities.
Our Hiring Process
Lucky for us, we get loads of great applications and we really appreciate that so many people put the time and effort in to apply. To recognise that, we treat all applications respectfully and fairly. So, if yours stands out, you’ll follow our standard hiring process – one of our Talent Partners will talk you through this in an initial call.
Everyone’s welcome
We’re an equal opportunities employer. That means that we make sure all potential colleagues are treated fairly and equally. If you require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know on the application form.