Automation Manager

Sphere Digital Recruitment; Lancashire; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Sphere Digital Recruitment is seeking an Automation Manager to own the strategy and implementation of marketing automation and gamification across a multi-brand portfolio in Manchester. You will partner with Marketing, Product, Data, CX and Retention to optimise journeys and drive engagement.

The role requires 3–5 years in digital marketing with a data-driven approach, experience in rewards or loyalty programmes, multi-channel campaigns, and the ability to lead testing.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years' digital marketing experience.
• Strong track record in marketing automation and/or gamification.
• Strong understanding of customer journey optimisation, lifecycle marketing and retention.
• Experience managing rewards or customer loyalty programmes.
• Data-driven approach with experience across A/B testing, analytics and digital marketing tools.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Experience working within a multi-channel environment.
• Strong Excel and MS Office skills.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities within a complex organisation.
• Experience leading, coaching or mobilising teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel 15-20%.

Responsibilities

• Develop the strategy and roadmap for marketing automation and gamification across the portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to improve customer engagement, retention and loyalty through automation and gamified experiences.
• Manage business cases and oversee the implementation of new marketing technologies.
• Review the existing automation stack, identifying gaps and opportunities for development.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, Data, CX and Retention teams to deliver customer journey initiatives.
• Work with Retention Leads to develop tactics that improve KPIs across key customer segments.
• Lead test-and-learn programmes, including A/B and multivariate testing.
• Analyse campaign performance and work with BI/Performance Insights teams to turn data into actionable recommendations.
• Own review and approval processes for automation and gamification solutions.
• Manage campaign budgets, ensuring activity delivers against profitability targets.
• Share best practice and help embed effective automation and gamification approaches across teams.

Skills

Marketing automation

Gamification

Customer journey

A/B testing

Analytics

Multi-channel

Excel

Stakeholder management

Leadership

Communication

Job description

Automation Manager

Salary: Competitive + Excellent Benefits
Location: Manchester - Hybrid

About the Role

We're looking for an experienced Automation Manager to join the Engagement team, owning the strategy and implementation of marketing automation and gamification across a multi-brand portfolio.

Reporting to the Head of Platform CRM, you'll work across Marketing, Product, Data, Customer Experience and Retention to optimise customer journeys, increase engagement and improve retention and loyalty.

This is a highly collaborative role combining strategy, technology, customer journey optimisation and data-led experimentation, with the opportunity to shape how automation and gamification are used across the wider organisation.

What You'll Be Doing

• Develop the strategy and roadmap for marketing automation and gamification across the portfolio.
• Identify opportunities to improve customer engagement, retention and loyalty through automation and gamified experiences.
• Manage business cases and oversee the implementation of new marketing technologies.
• Review the existing automation stack, identifying gaps and opportunities for development.
• Partner with Marketing, Product, Data, CX and Retention teams to deliver customer journey initiatives.
• Work with Retention Leads to develop tactics that improve KPIs across key customer segments.
• Lead test-and-learn programmes, including A/B and multivariate testing.
• Analyse campaign performance and work with BI/Performance Insights teams to turn data into actionable recommendations.
• Own review and approval processes for automation and gamification solutions.
• Manage campaign budgets, ensuring activity delivers against profitability targets.
• Share best practice and help embed effective automation and gamification approaches across teams.

What We're Looking For

• 3-5 years' digital marketing experience, with a strong track record in marketing automation and/or gamification.
• Strong understanding of customer journey optimisation, lifecycle marketing and retention.
• Previous experience managing rewards or customer loyalty programmes.
• Strong data-driven approach, with experience across A/B testing, analytics and digital marketing tools.
• Proven ability to manage complex projects across multiple teams and stakeholders.
• Experience working within a multi-channel environment.
• Strong Excel and wider MS Office skills.
• Highly organised, able to manage multiple priorities within a complex organisation.
• Experience leading, coaching or mobilising teams.
• Excellent communication, negotiation and stakeholder management skills.
• Willingness to travel 15-20%.

Sphere is an equal opportunities employer. We encourage applications regardless of ethnic origin, race, religious beliefs, age, disability, gender or sexual orientation, and any other protected status as required by applicable law.

If you require any adjustments or additional support during the recruitment process for any reason whatsoever, please let us know.