Senior Marketing Director - Burnaby, BC

Location: This hybrid role requires 3 days on-site at our Burnaby office and 2 days remote per week.

 

Salary: We offer competitive compensation tailored to your experience as a Senior Marketing Director.
We also offer quarterly variable compensation package (bonus) + benefits

 

About Specsavers

 

Welcome to Specsavers – where we’re not just about eyewear and eyecare, we’re a purpose-driven organization committed to changing lives through better sight. As a certified Great Place to Work®, we take pride in our optometrist-owned and -led business model, providing quality eyecare and affordable eyewear to Canadians across the country.

 

Our journey began 40 years ago in the UK, with visionary optometrists Doug and Mary Perkins. Today, we support over 2,700 healthcare businesses, passionately caring for more than 44 million patients and customers worldwide.

 

At Specsavers, we believe that access to quality eyecare should be a right, not a luxury. That’s why we go above and beyond to transform the eyecare experience in Canada. With our advanced clinical equipment and an extensive range of affordable and high-quality eyewear, we’re here to make a real difference in the lives of our customers.

 

But that’s not all – we’re also dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive and supportive work culture. We strive to create an environment where our partners thrive while benefiting from the collective support and resources of our dedicated teams.

 

If you’re passionate about making a difference, providing incredible care, and being part of a values and purpose-driven organization, join us on our journey to revolutionize the way Canadians experience eyecare. Together, we can change lives through better sight.

 

What You’ll Do

 

Purpose of the role

 

Are you passionate about crafting impactful marketing strategies that drive brand growth, customer loyalty, and business success? Specsavers is seeking an experienced marketer to build awareness of our brand and create brand loyalty As a key member of the Marketing Leadership Team, you’ll report directly to the VP of Marketing/Trading and play a pivotal role in supporting profit growth, expanding brand presence, and strengthening our market share across Canada.

 

In this role, you’ll lead the planning, media buying, public relations, and social media functions, ensuring that every campaign resonates with our audience and enhances the Specsavers brand. Working collaboratively with the Retail, Clinical Services, and Business Development teams, you’ll foster a customer-first experience designed to attract new customers and build lifelong loyalty. Your expertise will be essential in shaping a cohesive and impactful marketing strategy that positions Specsavers as the go-to destination for eye care in Canada.

 

You’ll also work cross-functionally with our Leadership Team to develop marketing plans that support profit, reinforce our market position, and contribute to Specsavers’ overall strategic vision. From developing our annual marketing plan and budget to implementing innovative pricing strategies and new product launches, your leadership will ensure that our marketing efforts not only meet but exceed customer and partner expectations.

 

We’re looking for a strategic thinker and collaborative leader who can inspire and mentor the marketing team while fostering a culture aligned with Specsavers’ values. You will have proven retail industry experience across media strategy, media buying and media effectiveness whilst managing large scale and complex budgetary responsibility.

 

If you can see yourself being part of this journey, apply now! 

 

Key Responsibilities

 

GENERAL

• Manages and is responsible within approved company policy for the profitable marketing of the company’s products and services, based on market strategies and opportunities, market research, and the overall marketing plan.
• Accountable for leading the development and implementation of the National Marketing annual plan.  Work in collaboration with the Head of Retail and Local Marketing to ensure synergies across all programmes.
• Develops and controls tactical level activities such as public relations and advertising, and participates in key decisions regarding the selection of any external agency and consulting services used.
• Grows and seeks to improve the company’s competitive position through pricing policies, promotions, and new product launches.
• Develops annual Marketing budgets and accountable to governance and the Partnership for the Marketing Budget and how it is invested.

 

STRATEGIC PLANNING & DELIVERY

• Together with the Trading/Marketing Director, lead the development and delivery of the Canadian Marketing Annual Plan
• Lead the development of the annual Trading Calendar (including for Contact lens) balancing the needs to the customer and partners whilst delivering agility and innovation in offers
• Own Media buying function across all channels, ensuring effective and efficient spend of partner funds balancing awareness, eye exam bookings and purchase across all customer segments.
• Lead the development and delivery of all Public Relations & Social media plans ensuring content is relevant and impactful.

 

CUSTOMER INSIGHT AND PERFORMANCE TRACKING

• In partnership with the consumer insights function, use customer insights for strategic advantage and growth and ensure all marketing activity ladders back to agreed brand objectives and measurable brand health metrics
• Monitor competitors and develop response strategies where appropriate
• Oversee campaign performance reviews and create an environment and forum where learnings are shared
• Via the consumer insights function represent Canada in creating the global measurement framework

 

CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT

• Provide thought leadership across the Specsavers business on the development of brand creative

 

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

• Continue to develop and mentor marketing team members to put the customer at the heart of every decision.
• Be an integral part of the senior management team within Marketing (SLT) and foster a culture of coordinated harmonious and beneficial working practices and relationships
• Together with the Head of Digital and CRM, determine and implement our media automation opportunities for Canada in collaboration with our global marketing team
• Attend and contribute at weekly and monthly trade and marketing meetings
• Inform and educate marketing, and other departments, on digital media advancements
• Present at key internal and partner forums
• Develop a clear understanding of future skills and capability requirements across your team and put in place the appropriate succession plans.
• Liaise with other departments: IT, Professional Services, Finance, Legal, Business Reporting, Retail Ops, and broader marketing departments: Digital and CRM; Local and Retail Marketing; Brand and Creative.

 

What We’re Looking For

 

Essential

• Minimum 15+ years of experience in Marketing leadership
• Significant experience within the retail industry at a senior level
• Proven experience leading teams, including people managers, providing leadership and guidance
• High level of strategic acumen
• Extensive experience managing complex projects cross-functionally
• Large scale and complex budgetary responsibility ($30-60M+)
• Experience leading teams through hyper-growth, and supporting high performing teams to deliver to objectives.
• Strong competitor analysis and awareness at a local, national and international level
• Significant knowledge of the media industry, media buying, and media effectiveness
• Highly analytical and understand how to structure response reporting so as to calculate return on media investment
• Strong customer service focus
• Skilled at recruiting and managing high performing teams and leading by example to elicit results
• Strong change management skills and ability to demonstrate where you have implemented change effectively and added further value to well established processes and working practices Demonstrate the ability to manage a wide range and high volume of projects at the same time with multiple stakeholders
• A high level of interpersonal skills with the ability to build strategic working relationships with a diverse range of people
• Ability to travel regionally and internationally on occasion.

 

 

Our Fellow ‘Speccies’ Enjoy

• Generous vacation allotment and 1 paid volunteer day
• 1 extra paid day off and an eyecare voucher on your birthday
• RRSP matching
• Quarterly performance bonus
• Healthcare spending account
• Health and dental benefits effective on your first day
• Team and company social events

 

Behaviours We Value

• Collaborative: We work together as one Specsavers to deliver our purpose
• Curious: We question, explore, and seek out diverse perspectives to develop our knowledge and understanding
• Courageous: We challenge the status quo, we experiment with good ideas, and we are brave, bold, and fast in our decision making
• Compassionate: We care, support, and help each other
• Commercial: We treat money wisely and make decisions that are good for our customers, our partners, our people, and good for the long term

 

We hope that in applying with us, you value these things as well!

 

Our Hybrid Work Model

 

Be part of the dynamic culture! Our workplace thrives on a hybrid model, combining in-office collaboration and flexibility. Join us in office, three days a week to contribute, connect and excel in our vibrant environment.

 

Equal Opportunity Employer

 

At Specsavers, we are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We believe that a diverse team enriches our work environment and enables us to achieve our goals. We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds and abilities to apply. If you believe you can contribute to our mission and vision, we welcome your application, even if you don’t meet every qualification listed. We value the unique skills and perspectives each individual brings to our team.