Head of Digital Activation | THG Beauty

Life at THG Beauty 

We know that beauty isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our portfolio of leading retailers and iconic beauty brands caters to everyone, everywhere, empowering customers all over the world to look and feel fantastic.

By combining our portfolio of owned brands with a marketplace for over 1,300 third-party beauty brands through online retail sites LOOKFANTASTIC, Cult Beauty, and Dermstore, THG Beauty's ambition is to be the global digital partner of choice across the beauty industry, supporting the channel shift to online.

THG Beauty’s breadth of relationships is unique to the beauty market; it engages with brands as a retailer, a brand owner, and a product developer and manufacturer, making it the industry’s digital strategic leader. 

 

Why be Head of Digital Activation at THG Beauty? 

As Head of Digital Activation – THG Beauty, you will lead the media planning function across three online beauty businesses within the THG portfolio (LOOKFANTASTIC, Dermstore and Cult Beauty) This is a strategic leadership role focused on delivering a unified, high-performing media planning ecosystem - ensuring consistency, efficiency, and measurable outcomes across all three retailers. 

You will oversee the end-to-end digital planning process across all offsite channels including paid search, paid social, programmatic, affiliate & CTV. Your responsibility will be to evolve the digital activation model, embed shared processes, and ensure each business delivers on its growth targets - while aligning back to THG’s overarching commercial and marketing strategy.  

 

As Head of Digital Activation, you’ll be responsible for:  

Strategic Leadership 

• Develop and implement a centralised digital media planning framework to be deployed consistently across the three THG Beauty brands. 

• Lead the evolution of the digital activation ecosystem, ensuring the right tools, workflows, and governance are in place to scale efficiently. 

• Align media strategies with customer, trading, and commercial objectives across each brand, ensuring all outputs ladder back to THG’s growth goals. 

Execution & Ownership 

• Oversee full-funnel digital campaign planning across all key channels: paid search, paid social, programmatic/display, influencer, affiliate, and performance partnerships. 

• Ensure consistent and data-driven campaign processes across all three businesses—covering briefing, audience targeting, activation, measurement, and reporting. 

• Own and optimise media budgets across brands, driving both efficiency and incremental growth opportunities. 

Collaboration  

• Partner closely with internal stakeholders (e.g. Trade, Performance Marketing, Analytics, and Brand teams) to align on KPIs, targeting strategies, and creative direction. 
• Act as the central point of contact for external media partners and agencies, ensuring plans are executed on brief, on time, and on budget.
   
• Establish consistent reporting frameworks and performance dashboards across brands to track ROI and guide media investment decisions.
   

Team & Leadership 

• Manage and mentor a growing team of media planners and channel leads across the portfolio. 

• Create a culture of operational excellence, encouraging innovation, agility, and data-led decision-making. 

• Support the professional development of your team through coaching, feedback, and training initiatives. 

 

What skills and experience do I need for this role? 

• Proven experience leading integrated digital media planning across brand and performance 

• Strong background in eCommerce and DTC media strategy, ideally within beauty, fashion, or consumer goods 

• Deep knowledge of paid media platforms (Google Ads, Meta, TikTok, Programmatic DSPs), tracking tools, and customer journey mapping 

• Experience implementing standardised planning processes across multiple business units or brands 

• Strong commercial acumen and ability to translate marketing plans into tangible business results 

• Confident communicator and cross-functional collaborator, with the ability to influence senior stakeholders 
  
  
• A data-driven and solutions-focused mindset with a passion for digital innovation
   
• Developing and leading agency partnerships – equipping media agencies with the knowledge and tools to understand Retail Media Network (RMN) value and seamlessly integrate it into their planning cycles 

• Securing commercially smart agreements – negotiating data licensing and multi-channel media deals that deliver mutual value for both the retailer and agency partners 

• Collaborating for scaled growth – working closely with Innovation, Strategy, and Data teams to build a best-in-class media offering and future-ready proposition 
  
  

What’s in it for me? 

Career Development 

• Access bespoke development programmes that have been designed and developed by our in-house L&D team. 

• Continued development through our upskilling programme that is delivered in partnership with an industry-leading training provider. 

Enhanced Leave 

• 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays. 

• Don’t want to work on your birthday? We don’t either! Enjoy your day off on us! 

• Enhanced maternity and paternity pay, depending on length of service.  

• Up to 10 days compassionate leave. 

• Buy back up to 3 days each year. 

• Unlock 2 days volunteer leave after 12-months. 

Wellbeing Support 

• Access face-to-face and virtual appointments with our in-house GP.
   
• Access our 247 Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which is provided by Bupa.  

• State-of-the-art on-site gym. 

• Access to our on-site physio. 

Other Perks 

• Save up to 12% on the cost of personal tech through our salary sacrifice scheme. 

• Subsidised bus pass from Manchester City Centre to our ICON office.  

• Up to 50% staff discount on THG brands. 
  
  
• On-site staff shop.
   
• Know someone who would be perfect for THG? Refer them and get up to £1000 when they pass their probation. 

• Anniversary gifts when you hit 5 and 10 years of service.