Senior Experiential Sampling Manager

As Senior Experiential Sampling Manager, you’ll lead a high-performing team to deliver a market-leading experiential sampling programme that creates memorable moments for customers and delivers measurable uplifts in customer sentiment and profitable sales. You’ll be a dynamic and influential leader with a proven ability to navigate complex stakeholder landscapes, and a passion for creating standout and commercially successful customer experiences. A high degree of commercial astuteness is essential to maximise the return on investment of all initiatives and spot growth opportunities.

Key differences between the roles available;

Permanent role (with 4 direct reports) - You’ll contribute to the strategic vision, development, and execution of an impactful own label and supplier funded sampling programme that includes in-store experiences and activations that serve our brand positioning and drive; brand engagement, customer loyalty, and sustainable commercial growth and revenue return.

Temp/Secondment (1 year contract with 2 direct reports) - You’ll shape and deliver a programme that brings our brand positioning to life in experiential form, driving brand fame and talkability. The programme includes end to end delivery of food and drink festival(s) and sampling experiences that supports local marketing campaigns for new store launches and store re-launch moments.

At a Glance:

• Job Title: Senior Experiential Sampling Manager 
• Contract Type: Permanent and a 1-Year Fixed-Term Contract (End date 29/01/28)
• Salary: £55,500.00 - £88,500.00
• Hours of Work: 35 hours per week (Full Time)
• Partnership Level: Partnership level 6
• Location: Hybrid, 3 days in person at our Bracknell Head office and out in shops

Key Responsibilities

• Drive the strategic direction, operational process, and execution of a best-in-class experiential sampling programme aligned with overall Customer strategy and brand positioning.
• Accountable for budget management, financial modeling, cost efficiency, and rigorous financial analysis to maximize ROI and profit return.
• Lead, mentor, and empower a high-performing team, fostering a culture of innovation, accountability, continuous improvement, and Partner happiness.
• Build influential, trusting relationships with senior internal stakeholders up to Director level and manage key external partners, including marketing and staffing agencies.
• Establish robust operating models, supply chain integration, and ensure all sampling activities strictly adhere to legal, regulatory, and Health & Safety requirements.
• Define KPIs, track programme effectiveness (CSAT, sentiment, sales uplift), analyse market/competitor trends, and continuously optimise activations based on data insights.
  

Essential Skills & Experience

• Permanent role specific - Extensive experience developing and executing successful, multi-channel retail sampling programmes that deliver measurable sales uplift and enhanced customer sentiment.
• Temp/Secondment Specific - Proven track record of developing the commercial model and executing profitable live production experiences at scale that delight customers 
• Strong financial astuteness with demonstrated capability in budget management, financial modeling, and optimising resource allocation to maximise efficiency, effectiveness and profitability.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a track record of managing, developing, and inspiring high-performing teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Outstanding communication and presentation skills with proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders up to Director level.
• Deep understanding of supply chain integration, operational execution, and Health & Safety / legal compliance requirements for sampling programmes.
• Degree holder or equivalent experience.

Desirable Skills & Experience

• Previous experience working within retail environments (either Head Office or shop floor).
• Hands-on operational delivery experience with food and drink events and activations.
• Relevant professional marketing qualification (e.g., CIM).
• Food Hygiene & Safety Level 2 certification.
• Proven experience in executing change initiatives and continuous innovation in customer experience.

We are offering both a Permanent and a 1-Year Fixed-Term Contract opportunity. As each role targets slightly different skill profiles, please state your preferred role in your application. 

We’re the largest employee owned business in the UK and home of our cherished brands, John Lewis and Waitrose. We’re not just employees, we’re Partners, driven by our purpose to build a happier world. As we look to our future, there’s never been a more exciting time to join us.  

We’re ruthlessly focused on being brilliant at retail. We continue to innovate, adapt and diversify. Never Knowingly Undersold on price, quality and service in John Lewis and passionately serving food-lovers in Waitrose.   

As Partners we all share the responsibility of ownership and in its rewards. We use our voices to contribute to our success, working together through the good and challenging times, holding true to our behaviours and treating everyone with kindness and respect. 

We all own making the Partnership somewhere we belong. Embracing our differences and creating an environment where we’re free to be ourselves and can THRIVE. Growing ourselves individually, and as a collective. 

As Partners, we make all the difference. And, we all own it.  

Important points to note:  

It’s important to note that some of our roles are subject to pre-employment vetting (which may include DBS checks for successful candidates). If required, you’ll be informed and provided with information about vetting during the recruitment process and we encourage you to complete any vetting documents quickly to avoid delays. Any DBS checks required will be carried out by a third-party registered body and financial probity checks may also be required for some of our roles.  

We occasionally close vacancies early in the event we receive a high volume of applications, and therefore, we recommend you apply early. If you require a reasonable adjustment due to a disability which means you may need longer to complete your application please contact us as soon as possible.

We want all of our Partners to have a good work-life balance and we support flexible working. This might mean flexible or compressed hours, job sharing or shorter hour contracts, where possible. Please discuss this further with the hiring manager during your interview.