Media Centre Manager - Co-op Wholesale

Co-op; Manchester; Hybrid; GBP 60,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading retail cooperative in the UK is seeking a Media Centre Manager to lead the development of their media strategy. You'll manage supplier-funded advertising budgets, lead a team for effective media placement, and ensure campaign impact across multiple channels. The ideal candidate will have a strong media planning background and excellent negotiation skills. This role offers a competitive salary and great benefits, including private healthcare and an annual bonus.

Benefits

Private healthcare

Annual bonus

28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service)

Pension with up to 10% employer contributions

30% discount on Co-op products

Cycle-to-work scheme

Qualifications

• Strong background in media planning/buying or media agency management.
• Experience managing supplier-funded budgets.
• Excellent negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Create and deliver a joined-up media strategy across all customer channels.
• Manage supplier-funded advertising budgets and negotiate spend.
• Lead a team to plan, buy, and place media.
• Track performance and share insights.
• Work closely with internal teams to support campaign goals.

Skills

Media planning/buying

Commercial acumen

Negotiation skills

Data-driven campaign analysis

Job description

Media Centre Manager – Co-op Wholesale

£60,000 plus great benefits (Work Level 5)

Location: Manchester/Scunthorpe (hybrid working – typically two to three days per week spent across our Manchester and Scunthorpe offices, with at least one day each week based in Scunthorpe)

About the role

Co-op Wholesale is growing, and we’re looking for people who want to shape what comes next. As a Media Centre Manager in our brand-new Customer Experience team, you’ll lead the development of our media strategy, making sure supplier advertising spend is used in the most effective way across print, events, and digital channels. You’ll lead a talented team of colleagues and, together, make sure every campaign delivers real value for Wholesale and our diverse partners.

Why this role matters

We’re building something big at Co-op Wholesale. With a refreshed structure and exciting plans ahead, we’re creating new opportunities to strengthen our proposition for our independent retailers, key accounts, and a growing corporate client base. To do this, you’ll lead the way in making sure supplier-funded advertising is smart, strategic, and really impactful.

This is your chance to bring new ideas to life and make a real impact across Co-op Wholesale. Be part of it.

What you’ll do

• Create and deliver a joined-up media strategy across all customer channels
• Manage supplier-funded advertising budgets and negotiate spend
• Lead a team to plan, buy, and place media in the right spaces
• Track performance and share insights with partners and suppliers
• Work closely with internal teams to support wider campaign goals
• Make sure all media activity meets our brand standards and media buying practices

What you’ll bring

• A strong background in media planning/buying or media agency management
• Commercial acumen, with experience managing supplier-funded budgets
• Excellent negotiation skills and the ability to manage successful partner relationships
• A data-driven approach to campaign analysis and optimisation

Why Co-op?

At Co-op, we’re owned by our members. And because we’re owned by you, we can do right by you. So when you join us, you’re not just taking a job, you’re joining a movement. We’re an organisation that puts people and communities first, and we’re powered by purpose. We want this to be a place where you can thrive, so you’ll also receive:

• Private healthcare
• An annual bonus (based on personal and business performance)
• 28 days holiday (rising to 32 with service) plus bank holidays
• A pension with up to 10% employer contributions
• 30% discount on Co-op products and 10% off other brands
• Stream – early access to a percentage of your pay as you earn it
• Virtual healthcare including GP appointments, mental health support, nutrition and fitness advice
• 24/7 colleague support service
• Training and support for your development and career progression
• Cycle-to-work scheme

A place you’ll belong

We’re building diverse teams that reflect the communities we serve. We welcome applications from everyone, and our support centre is an inclusive environment where all our colleagues can thrive.

If you have a disability, we’ll make reasonable adjustments to support you through the recruitment process. We’re also proud to be part of the Disability Confident scheme - if you’re disabled and you meet the minimum criteria for this job, we’ll guarantee you an interview.

Learn more about our recruitment process at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/apply-process

Explore our commitments to diversity, inclusion and wellbeing at https://jobs.coop.co.uk/diversity-inclusion-wellbeing

As part of your application, you'll need to complete an online assessment. This assessment typically takes up to 50 minutes. If you're a current Co-op colleague, this does not need to be completed.