Communications and Marketing Manager

Synopsis

Background: The Communications & Marketing Manager will work with the GS1 Ireland Senior Leadership Team to bring innovation to our communications and events, to enrich our engagement with both Members and key industry stakeholders and to continue to build GS1 Ireland’s brand awareness and reputation.

Using best-in-class tools we are looking for someone who can tell our members’ stories and use them to inspire other business leaders to continue their digital transformation journey towards a more efficient, transparent and sustainable supply chain.

This is a pivotal time in GS1 Ireland as we roll out several global programmes to fast track GS1 standards adoption in our core sectors – Retail/CPG, Healthcare and Construction – and we are looking for a future-focused, strategic-thinking communications expert to help us achieve our goals.

About Us: GS1 is a global organisation that develops data standards that enable speed, efficiency and the digitalisation of global trade.  From barcodes to interoperable data exchanges GS1 standards are used in our daily lives, from grocery shopping to hospital care, to the construction and maintenance of buildings.

GS1 Ireland has a team of 18 employees and contractors and a membership base of over 3,800 companies. Learn more about us on our website – www.gs1ie.org (which in fact we are about to re-build, and this will be one of the first projects you’ll be hands-on with)!

What are we looking for in you?

• Ideally you will have an interest in, or prior experience of the retail and consumer goods sector or online selling.
• Excellent written and oral English and a be confident presenter.
• A working understanding of some of the key trends impacting our core sectors, notably sustainability, the circular economy, meeting regulatory requirements and evolving consumer behaviour.
• Expert in using a CRM system, web & email marketing platforms, and design and publishing tools (e.g. Hubspot, Canva, Vimeo, Microsoft etc.)
• A mindset for helping others to learn, grow and improve their business.
• A can-do attitude and a team player.
• Requirements: a relevant qualification, 5+ years in a mid-senior marketing role, and a full clean driver’s licence.

Role Summary:

The role of the Communications and Marketing Manager (Comms Manager) will be to coordinate GS1 Ireland’s key external communications, and to ensure all messaging is professional but approachable in tone, and compliant with GS1 global brand and language guidelines.

Working alongside the Digital Content Manager, the Communications and Marketing Manager will define and deliver content that engages and informs members and key stakeholders about GS1 and the benefits of using standards.

The Comms Manager will support the GS1 Ireland CEO and Heads of Function for Retail/CPG, Healthcare and Construction to implement planned communications campaigns for events, trade shows & conferences, educational opportunities and updates on standards.

Key projects in each of these 3 core sectors include the “Global Migration to 2D Barcodes” for Retail Grocery, the “Scan4Safety” campaign in Healthcare and the Unique & Interoperable IDs campaign for the Construction sector.

The Communications and Marketing Manager will oversee several core areas including:

• Writing and publishing corporate and member communications across all channels including email, web, trade press and magazines.
• the curation of GS1 Ireland’s online presence to include the website, landing pages, blog, campaigns across our social media channels and leveraging other outlets including video and audio (podcast),
• the promotion of GS1 Ireland’s portfolio of products, services, and tools through paid, owned and earned channels,
• the coordination and advertising of GS1 events, webinars and selected external third-party events and awards that we support,
• booking and creating trade magazine articles/advertorials and banners,
• coordination of marketing-related activities for GS1’s Solution Partners, including events, case studies (written & video) and interviews
• GS1 brand building and awareness activities,
• participation in GS1 (global and European) marketing workgroups,
• management of the annual budget and monthly/quarterly activity reports for the GS1 Team and Board.

Role Responsibilities & Day-to-Day Activities:

1. Corporate Marketing and Member Communications

• Support the CEO and Head of Operations to craft and roll out key member communications throughout the year including annual renewals & fee notices, AGM and annual report, quarterly membership updates and scheduled and annual research/feedback initiatives.
• Craft content and seek out PR opportunities and events to explain and promote GS1 Ireland, and the benefits of GS1 standards among target stakeholders.
• Monthly and Annual Reporting on progress; maintenance of active contact data in our marketing CRM system Hubspot.
• Create and deliver an annual marketing plan, in line with the 3-year Strategic Plan. Prepare and adhere to the Annual Marketing Budget as approved by the CEO and Board.

2. Marketing Support for Products and Services.

• In conjunction with the Membership Services Team (Helpdesk) to create, maintain and update collateral and online content for GS1’s tools, products and services, supporting the on-boarding journey for new members and users.
• Promote GS1 Ireland’s product and service offering to Members throughout the year by leveraging a range of owned, paid and earned channels, with a focus on driving increased adoption of those tools and services e.g. Barcode Manager, training and consultancy services. Champion the use of digital formats and channels to deliver and report on engagement and success.
• Run surveys and report on member feedback on GS1’s tools & services using metrics including NPS and CSAT. Track satisfaction scores over time and identify areas for improvement or opportunities for new service offerings.

3. Sector-specific communications: 

• Support the Heads of Retail, Healthcare and Construction to create and deliver integrated communications campaigns that drive awareness and understanding of GS1, the beneficial role of standards in those sectors, and to drive and measure engagement with those target audiences. Leverage multiple communications formats and channels e.g. case studies, videos, podcasts, etc. to showcase opportunities and implementations. The Heads of Sector will provide support with the content and technical material. It will be the role of the Marketing Manager (and Digital Content Manager) to implement and deliver the agreed communications.
• Provide support for industry Events, Awards and Exhibitions as required including pre-event promotion, collateral and engagement during the event and leveraging any post-event opportunities available.

4. GS1 Ireland Knowledge Centre and Partner Programme

• GS1 Ireland has a number of Partner companies and runs joint activities throughout the year. These typically include hosting webinars, sharing whitepapers and collaborating on events. The Marketing Manager will provide communications support to these activities.
• Additionally, the Marketing Manager will lead the development and utilisation of the GS1 Ireland Knowledge Centre to showcase both our Partners’ solutions and the use of GS1 standards. The Knowledge Centre provides space to educate and inform both members and industry stakeholders.

5. Team Development and Operational Capability

• Identify and fill the training and development needs of the marketing team members. 
• Identify and implement best practices in marketing processes and leverage new technology and solutions where appropriate to drive GS1 Ireland’s own digital transformation programme.

Skills, Knowledge and Experience:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field.
  A minimum of 5 years’ experience in marketing, with at least 3 years in a management role, preferably in food & beverage, consumer goods or related retail sector.
• Strong understanding of the Irish consumer goods market, including consumer & buyer behaviour, industry trends, and the retail landscape.
• Proven track record of developing and executing successful marketing campaigns that drive engagement and business growth.
• Experience with digital marketing, including social media, e-commerce, and online advertising.
• Strong leadership and team management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate others.
• Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate with stakeholders at all levels.
• High-level creative thinking, writing and design capabilities, while keeping an eye on budgets as well as business and brand guidelines & policies.
• A passion for innovation in marketing.
• Proficient in the Microsoft suite of tools, Canva, Zoom events, CRM data management and email campaigns (ideally HubSpot Administrator experience).