Digital Marketing Lead - PPC

We’d all like amazing work to do, and real work-life balance. That’s waiting for you at Sainsbury’s. We’re one of the biggest supermarkets in the UK, with one of the largest retail websites. So marketing here happens at scale. We move faster than you might expect too, across Brand Planning, Brand Comms and Creative, Digital Marketing, CRM and Loyalty, Nectar 360 and Insights. With more people shopping with us every week, there are more interactions, more moments to connect. And thanks to data and insight, we understand our customers in a way few others can. We work alongside incredible brand partners and some of the best agencies in the industry. So if you’re passionate about learning, growing and experiencing new teams, come and explore it all with us.

Job Title: Digital Marketing Lead
Location: Hybrid Farringdon
Reports To: Digital Marketing Manager
Role Overview
Digital Marketing Lead (Equivalent to Account Manager)
Direct reports: 1 to be hired (Equivalent to Account Executive)
This is a hands on, high ownership performance marketing role responsible for rebuilding, growing, and scaling paid search activity for Occasions by Sainsbury’s - a distinct and evolving proposition within the wider Sainsbury’s ecosystem.
The role currently focuses on Paid Search and Shopping, with scope to expand into Affiliate and broader performance marketing channels as the proposition matures.
You will own the end-to-end Google and Microsoft accounts - from strategy and forecasting to execution, optimisation, and stakeholder communication. This is a self-directed role suited to someone comfortable operating with autonomy, making decisions, and proactively shaping the roadmap in partnership with analytics, tech, and commercial teams.
Key Responsibilities

Performance Marketing Ownership

• Own paid search and shopping activation across:
  • Google Ads
  • Microsoft Ads
  • SA360
• Rebuild and develop the Occasions by Sainsbury’s paid search account, setting clear structure, standards, and performance foundations.
• Manage budgets, pacing, and optimisation to deliver against agreed commercial and performance targets.
• Lead test and learn initiatives across bidding, keywords, audiences, formats, and creative.
• Ensure best in class account hygiene, structure, and execution.
   

Strategy, Measurement & Activation

• Act as the primary owner of the Occasions by Sainsbury’s performance roadmap, working closely with your manager to align priorities and long-term plans.
• Own performance forecasting, budget planning, and scenario modelling.
• Lead performance analysis and insight generation, supported by analytics teams.
• Ensure technical accuracy across tracking, tagging, attribution, and UTM structures.
• Translate data into clear, actionable recommendations for stakeholders.
   

Stakeholders Delivery Management

• There will be 1 direct executive team member who will be hired into this management line.
• Act as the key performance contact for Occasions by Sainsbury’s within:
  • Sainsbury’s Digital Marketing
  • Analytics & Data Science
  • Marketing Technology
  • Finance & Commercial teams
• Work closely with platform partners (e.g. Google, Microsoft) to identify innovation and growth opportunities.
• Communicate performance clearly and confidently, providing proactive updates rather than reactive reporting.
   

Ways of Working

• Operate with a high degree of autonomy and accountability - this role is resigned for self-management.
• Proactively identify opportunities, risks, and improvements - this role is designed for close day to day management of the account.
• Be comfortable making decisions, setting direction, and moving work forward independently.
• Help shape how performance marketing is delivered for a growing proposition.
   

Essential Criteria 

• A few years’ hands on experience in digital performance marketing, ideally within ecommerce or retail.
• Strong practical experience across:
  • Google Ads
  • Microsoft Ads
  • SA360
• Experience managing significant budgets and delivering against performance KPIs.
• Good grasp of digital tracking and basic marketing tech concepts (tagging, UTMs, cookies, attribution).
• Confident working cross functionally in a large organisation.
• Strong communication, prioritisation, and problem solving skills.
• A proactive, self starting mindset with commercial awareness.
   

Desirable

• Experience working on new propositions or rebuilding accounts.
• Exposure to broader performance channels.
• Familiarity with automation, feed management, or large scale account tooling.
• Understanding of retail calendars, policy compliance, or multi brand environments.
   

Why This Role

• High visibility ownership of a growing proposition.
• Real influence over strategy, structure, and future channel expansion.
• Opportunity to shape how performance marketing scales beyond paid search.
• Clear pathway to increased scope and leadership as the account grows.

#LI-CM1

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).