At WHSmith our people are at the heart of everything we do. They are the ones that go the extra mile for our customers. The ones that enable our growth. That’s why

our Commercial team is passionate about creating an environment where people can be creative and trailblazing in order to do their best work. The Media & Activations Sales Lead role is critical to support the commercial teams with creating supplier campaigns so we can land our sales, margin and income VCOs now and in the years to come!

What you will be doing:

• Supporting the retail media selling and planning process for categories within either impulse and food, or non-food
• Ensuring to track/meet personal sales and income targets.
• Ensuring the retail media strategy for your category is put into practice with your work.
• Working closely with suppliers to understand their campaign objectives and develop campaign strategies that meet these.
• Collaborating with the buying team on joint business plans, ensuring all media elements agreed are in line with portfolio rate cards.
• Making sure all pre-agreed media monies is spent in an optimised way and quickly so the team can tap into incremental budgets.
• Overseeing any post campaign reporting requirements at the time of the deal, ensuring this is logged on the system.
• Supporting with pitching campaign ideas to your category suppliers alongside the buying teams ensuring this meets the overall customer plan, this may include both retail media and the space proposition in store.
• Managing your campaign timings with suppliers ensuring no conflicts of like-minded brands.
• Submitting correct and accurate briefs to the scheduling team.
• Logging all media income accurately in the system in accordance with buyer agreements and contracts, applying the appropriate rate card split for multi-asset deals where required
• Ensuring the locations for the media campaign contain the relevant product and work cross-functionally to ensure stock and space is appropriate for the media campaign
• Supporting the wider media sales team with liaising with stakeholders to gather key information from brands on their campaigns to ensure complete and full briefs.

What we are looking for:

• Previous experience in a retail media team
• Experience in activating brands
• Excellent organization and planning skills, including strong Excel and PowerPoint
• Strong communicator, with an ability to influence at all levels of the business
• A self-starter, with the initiative to drive improvement and change without prompt
• A team player who can self-manage, but is willing and able to support colleagues and share best practice
• Proven experience of prioritization and managing ambiguity required
• Experience of managing high profile, time critical projects
• High level of analytical experience, and excellent commercial acumen

How we reward our teams:

• Competitive salary

• Annual bonus based on company and personal performance

• Hybrid working model from home and in the office

• 24 Days holiday, plus your Birthday off, plus Bank Holidays with an opportunity to buy extra days holiday

• Finish at 4pm on a Friday

Competitive pension contribution

• Staff discount card for stores and online

About us:

Celebrating over 230 years, we’re proud to have grown and evolved into a globally recognised brand present in over 30 countries around the world, and we’re proud to be that air of familiarity people love and trust on their journey, both in life and through life. As a diverse group of over 5,000 colleagues, we are all on the same journey to a better business through our commitments to our planet, people and the communities we serve.

Our UK Travel office is based in a buzzing part of central London close to Liverpool Street Station. We are an ambitious team that thrives on pace, collaboration and innovation resulting in a real entrepreneurial culture. It’s perfect for people who are happy to use their initiative and embrace life outside their comfort zone. 

At WHSmith, we’re all about creating an inclusive and welcoming workplace where everyone can be themselves and do their best. No matter your background, age, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, race or ethnicity, marital status, religion, sex, sexual orientation or anything else that makes you, you—you’re welcome here.

We’re also open to flexible working where possible, so if that’s something you need, let’s chat. And if you need any adjustments during the selection process, just let our Talent Acquisition team know—we’re happy to help!