Recruiting a Marketing Director for a Leisure Brand

Case Study: Recruiting a Marketing Director for a Household Name Leisure Brand

Background

A prominent leisure brand, well-recognised across the UK, was facing a strategic shift in its marketing operations. The company had a strong legacy in the industry, but with changing consumer habits, increased competition, and the rising importance of digital channels, it was clear that their marketing approach needed to evolve. The company required a Marketing Director capable of leading this transformation, someone with the right blend of experience, strategic insight, and innovative thinking.

The company approached NorthCo, recognising our deep expertise in executive recruitment and leadership strategy. They sought a marketing leader who could blend traditional brand strength with modern, data-driven marketing approaches, enabling them to remain competitive while expanding their market presence.

Objectives

• Recruit a Marketing Director with the expertise to lead a multi-channel marketing strategy, incorporating digital, social, and traditional channels.
• Ensure alignment with company culture, given the brand’s long history and strong identity.
• Manage the launch of three new websites through an outsourced developer, ensuring they support the overall marketing strategy.
• Future-proof the marketing strategy, focusing on data-driven decisions, customer engagement, and new technology adoption.

Approach

1. Understanding the Business Needs

NorthCo’s first step was to engage with the senior leadership team to fully understand the business strategy, challenges, and vision for the future. It was important to clearly identify what the business needed beyond a traditional marketing leader—someone who could lead a transformation, inspire change, and elevate the brand’s presence across new channels.

Through these discussions, it became apparent that the company needed a Director with strong digital expertise, an innovative mindset, and the ability to blend traditional brand-building techniques with cutting-edge digital marketing strategies. The ideal candidate had to be forward-thinking while still respecting the company’s legacy.

2. Market Mapping and Search Strategy

Our next step involved comprehensive market mapping, identifying candidates both within the leisure industry and beyond. While experience in leisure brands was important, we also looked for candidates with a proven track record in transforming marketing functions within other sectors, such as retail or hospitality, that were also experiencing similar digital disruption.

Using our established network and leveraging executive recruitment tools, we identified several high-potential candidates, each bringing a unique perspective on how to position a long-established brand in a modern marketplace.

3. Candidate Evaluation and Shortlisting

Once a broad pool of candidates was established, we conducted in-depth evaluations. This involved:

• Structured interviews focusing on leadership style, strategic thinking, and their ability to innovate within a structured corporate environment.
• Case study assessments to test their strategic approach to digital transformation, customer engagement, and driving revenue through modern marketing techniques.
• Cultural alignment assessments to ensure that the candidates would not only bring the necessary expertise but also fit within the organisation’s established culture.

From this, we shortlisted three candidates who met the brand’s criteria, all of whom had a strong digital and multi-channel marketing background, combined with experience in brand management and leading teams through transformation.

4. Managing the Website Launch

A critical aspect of the new Marketing Director’s role was to manage the launch of three new websites through an outsourced developer. This required exceptional project management skills to coordinate various stakeholders, including the outsourced developer, internal teams, and third-party vendors. The Marketing Director needed to:

• Define project scopes and timelines to ensure the launches met strategic deadlines.
• Set clear expectations and deliverables with the outsourced developer to prevent miscommunication and delays.
• Oversee the integration of marketing campaigns with the websites to maximize visibility and effectiveness at launch.

Additionally, maintaining quality and consistency across all platforms was essential. This involved ensuring each website reflected the brand’s identity, conducting regular reviews, and testing functionality and design before going live.

The use of an outsourced developer allowed the company to leverage external expertise and resources, enabling the Marketing Director to focus on strategic oversight rather than day-to-day development tasks. This flexibility was crucial in quickly adapting the websites to incorporate new features or marketing strategies based on real-time data and customer feedback.

5. Final Selection and Onboarding

After a final round of interviews with the senior leadership team, including the CEO and CFO, the company selected a candidate with a proven track record in transforming marketing operations within a large retail organisation. This individual had experience driving customer engagement through social media, loyalty programs, and personalisation techniques, along with extensive experience managing a brand with a rich heritage.

NorthCo played an active role in negotiating the offer and ensuring a smooth onboarding process, including setting performance benchmarks for the new Marketing Director’s first 100 days.

Outcome

The appointment of the new Marketing Director proved to be a turning point for the brand. Within six months, the company saw:

• A 25% increase in digital engagement, particularly through social media and email marketing channels.
• A revitalised marketing strategy, blending traditional campaigns with a strong digital focus.
• Successful launch of three new websites, which effectively targeted different customer segments and enhanced user experience.
• Increased market share among younger consumers, achieved through more targeted marketing and the use of data-driven insights.
• Improved internal alignment with other departments, as the marketing team began to work more collaboratively with sales and product development teams.

NorthCo’s approach in understanding the specific needs of the company, its culture, and the future direction of its marketing function ensured that the right leader was placed in a role crucial to the brand’s continued success.

Key Takeaways

• A deep understanding of the company’s vision and culture is critical to executive recruitment success.
• Blending traditional marketing expertise with modern, digital capabilities is essential for brands navigating evolving consumer habits.
• Effective management of outsourced resources is vital for delivering complex projects, such as website launches, on time and within budget.
• Recruiting for transformation roles requires a focus not only on skill set but on leadership and cultural alignment to drive sustained success.

NorthCo continues to support the leisure brand as they build on the success of this new direction, positioning themselves for future growth.