In a nutshell
The Communications Manager is an integral part of the Consumer Communications team, responsible for supporting and managing a broad range of products and initiatives across Argos and Habitat, while delivering impactful PR campaigns and projects that support wider business objectives.
The role is suited to someone with strong consumer PR experience and a keen interest in the media landscape, including social media and evolving areas such as LLMs. The ideal candidate will have a proven record of overseeing and executing campaigns for big brands in a fast-paced environment, which deliver clear results and support broader business objectives.
What you need to do
Work closely and collaboratively with the other Consumer Communications Manager to support the Head of Consumer Communications on shaping and delivering the PR strategy across Argos and Habitat
Lead and deliver integrated traditional and digital PR activity, developing campaigns and content that maximise visibility, engagement and earned coverage, while incorporating SEO, GEO and AI search (LLM) considerations.
Consult and collaborate with internal stakeholders to identify strategic opportunities and develop PR plans that deliver impactful results.
Network and collaborate effectively with the broader Marketing teams, Commercial and Corporate Affairs in London and Coventry, seeking information on category plans and feeding back to our teams and agencies.
Support Head of Consumer Communications with internal stakeholder management.
Manage third-party suppliers such as PR agencies, design and production houses, third-party brands and influencer agencies to deliver campaigns and plans.
Oversee and delivery the cross-category proactive press office outreach programme, both in-house and in collaboration with the relevant PR agency.
Ensure all workstreams are effectively measured and communicated against KPIs.
Consult the business on reputational issues to mitigate risk and ensure effective reputation management where required, with support of the Sainsbury’s Media Relations and Strategic Communications team in Corporate Affairs.
Draft and review press releases, statements, copy, quotes, Q&As, briefs, presentations and reports where required.
Support with media training where required.
Build productive relationships with selected vertical and horizontal press contacts.
Ensure opportunities for regional amplification are maximised where appropriate.
Manage specific campaign/project budgets to ensure cost-effectiveness and best use of resource.
Ensure joined-up communication with internal channels to amplify activity where relevant (including Social, Brand Comms, Influencer team, Email, Digital, Corporate Affairs, Internal Comms, Store Comms and Customer Services).
Plan, execute and manage media and influencer events, ensuring they are delivered to a high standard and maximise content creation opportunities and drive earned PR and social media coverage.
Brief and manage Habitat’s seasonal photoshoots, working collaboratively with in-house and external production teams.
Support communications flow and team working across the Argos and Habitat Marketing teams to maximise other PR opportunities.
Be a brand guardian, ensuring relevant guidelines and handwriting across all PR assets and materials.
Manage proactive and reactive daily media enquiries, including imagery and sample requests alongside the relevant PR agency.
Coverage tracking and monitoring the news agenda regularly for creative and industry insights,as well as seeking reactive opportunities to leverage.
Management of campaign and seasonal imagery banks for external use.
What you need to know
Solid experience – ideally 5–7 years working in consumer PR with large consumer brands, either in-house or in an agency (retail, interiors, consumer goods, beauty).
Knowledge and understanding of the growing Digital PR landscape
Good project manager – highly organised and able to manage effectively upwards and downwards.
Strong attention to detail.
Good people person who proactively builds and nurtures relationships and is a natural networker.
Solid contacts across journalists, media and agents within the lifestyle, interiors, beauty, and consumer media space.
Strong persuasion and influencing skills.
Solution seeker and self-starter who overcomes obstacles to secure what is needed.
Positive and results-focused
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Keen interest in lifestyle and consumer trends, as well as the competitor marketplace.
Ability to drive deadlines with authority.
Strong knowledge of the changing media landscape.
Event production experience.
Lifestyle, interiors and studio shoot production and management experience.
Campaign budget management experience.
Interest in, and knowledge of, influencers and running successful integrated social media campaigns.
Essential Criteria
At Argos, we’re a digital-led UK retailer that keeps pushing boundaries to meet every generation with what they want, how and when they want it. As a market leader in general merchandise, serving millions of customers through our website, app, same-day delivery and Click & Collect services, we offer real opportunities to learn, grow and shape your career. With roles spanning Commercial, Buying, Merchandising, Design and Supply Chain, through to Digital, Operations, Customer Experience, Marketing, and People and Transformation , you will work with brilliant colleagues and directly shape how we serve our customers every day. From enabling inspiring choice across our owned brands, including Habitat, Chad Valley and Bush, alongside the world’s biggest brands like Apple, Lego, Xbox and Samsung, to making shopping effortlessly convenient, championing trusted value and accelerating our strategy - Argos is an exciting place to build your future.
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We are committed to being a truly inclusive retailer so you’ll be welcomed whoever you are and wherever you work. Around here, there’s always the chance to try something new — whether that’s as part of an evolving team or somewhere else across the business - and we take development seriously and promise to support you. We also recognise and celebrate colleagues when they go the extra mile and, where possible, offer flexible working. When you join our team, we’ll also offer you an amazing range of benefits. Here are some of them: Starting off with colleague discount, you'll be able to save 10% on your shopping online and instore at Sainsbury's, Argos, TU and Habitat, and we regularly increase the discount to 15% at points during the year. We've also got you covered for your future with our pensions scheme and life cover. You'll also be able to share in our success as you may be eligible for a performance-related bonus of up to 10% of salary, depending on how we perform. Your wellbeing is important to us too. You'll receive an annual holiday allowance and you can buy up to an additional week's holiday. We also offer other benefits that will help your money go further such as season ticket loans, cycle to work scheme, health cash plans, salary advance (where you can access some of your pay before pay day) as well access to a great range of discounts from hundreds of other retailers. And if you ever need it there is also an employee assistance programme. Moments that matter are as important to us as they are to you which is why we give up to 26 weeks’ pay for maternity or adoption leave and up to 4 weeks’ pay for paternity leave. Please see www.sainsburys.jobs for a range of our benefits (note, length of service and eligibility criteria may apply)."
Over 150 years old and still going strong, we’re the UK’s second-biggest retailer. Every day, the nation shops with us because they know they’ll get affordable, good food and excellent service.
We focus on great value and convenient shopping across our family of brands, from Argos, Nectar and Habitat to Sainsbury’s Bank, Smart Charge and Tu.
What’s next for Sainsbury’s?
We've put food back at the heart of our business and we’re taking Sainsbury’s to the next level. We’re investing in technology and people and we’re thinking bigger about how we attract and connect with our customers, while doing everything we can to create a more resilient UK food system.
