Head of Marketing
About the Role
This is an amazing opportunity to head up the Marketing team at a hugely exciting time for the Museum. With a new set of Strategic Priorities to take us to 2030 and beyond, ambitious plans already in progress to redevelop all our exhibition spaces, and a major capital project on the horizon, this is an exceptional career move for a professional marketeer to make a significant impact on the Museum’s future using their skills and experience.
It is a fast-paced role and, while the primary mission of the Marketing team is to support the growth of Museum visitor numbers, your expertise and marcomms guidance will also be essential across the Museum’s various trading activities. As a registered charity, the Museum relies on strong stakeholder engagement and effective communication to support its purpose and long-term sustainability.
You will be joining a dynamic and engaged team of staff and volunteers. We have a very positive and supportive culture with collaboration, communication and consideration central to our values. We also believe work should be fun, each member of the team should be empowered to grow, and that collectively we can achieve so much more.
About Us
Haynes Motor Museum is an Arts Council England accredited museum, a registered charity, one of the leading museums and visitor attractions in the South West and home to the UK’s largest exhibition of cars and motorcycles dating from the present day back to 1898. We welcome over 125,000 visitors annually.
Our Vision
A future where everyone, regardless of age, background, or ability, can explore, understand, and be inspired by the engineering, technology, and design that shape our world.
Our Mission
To fuel a passion for motoring past, present, and future, and transform that passion into a lifelong curiosity for how things work.
Charitable Objectives
To conserve our collection and use it to bring automotive heritage to life by exploring how things work, integrating engineering innovation with history and human stories. Through the lens of motoring, we aim to grow meaningful engagement with STEM to inspire the next generation of engineers, innovators, and problem-solvers.
Other Business Activity
In support of the Charity, the Museum also operates a Trading Company which comprises:
Haynes Heritage Engineering – A commercial classic and modern classic car workshop, MOT facility and restoration centre
- Conference Department - The Museum has state-of-the-art conference facilities and hosts the full spectrum of corporate and private events for groups
- Events – The Museum hosts multiple outdoor events including monthly Breakfast Club car meets, Car Boots, Autojumbles, and the John Haynes Classic Car Show.
- Café 750 – The Museum’s in-house grab and go café.
- The Museum Shop
About You
You will of course be a strategic marcomms planner, but it is equally important that you are a dynamic, results driven, hands on marketeer.
It is essential that you have the following skills, experience and approach:
Excellent copywriting skills across all platforms with the ability to adapt tone and messaging for different audiences.
A creative, proactive mindset with the ability to balance strong process with the agility and awareness to identify and react to opportunities, generating timely and innovative promotions.
A collaborative leadership style with a genuine interest in mentoring, supporting and developing your team (two direct reports and one peer to peer relationship).
A consummate ability to build relationships and partnerships with all stakeholders and in particular motoring journalists and the wider related media community.
You will either have a genuine interest in cars and/or heritage motoring or a demonstrable history in a previous role of embracing a new sector and investing time, effort and enthusiasm to swiftly learn about it. Previous visitor attraction experience, whilst not essential, would be great.
Responsibilities of the Role
- The right individual will have a strong grasp and understanding of all marketing disciplines across B2C and B2B channels.
- Lead, develop and deliver the strategic direction of the brand, marketing and communications across the Museum and Trading Company
- Build the Museum’s profile in the South West and across the UK.
- Devise and implement an audience development programme, in conjunction with the Development Director and Museum Curator. Utilising audience insights to tactically inform marketing strategy and reach.
- Identify and implement tactics to increase Museum visitor numbers and its online community channels, ensuring the Museum nurtures existing audiences whilst developing a plan to grow and acquire new followers and customers.
- Develop a communications plan which strengthens the Museum’s overall reach, reputation and standing with multiple stakeholders, including the core five sets of Museum visitors: The Motor Enthusiast, The Family, The Museum Enthusiast, The Social Visitor and Educational Groups.
- Work closely with Trading Company departmental managers, guiding them with effective marketing support to help grow each business unit.
- Oversight of the Museum’s core marketing channel mix with a strong focus on digital communications. Advancing organic and paid digital media platforms including social media, Google ad suite and CRM activity.
- Provide strategic oversight and development of the Museum’s website.
- Oversight and lead on agencies, ticketing partners and affiliate marketing programmes.
- Direct and oversee the Museum’s multi-channel marketing campaigns and, collaborating with your team, create and curate content (copy, imagery and video) which can be utilised across the whole marketing channel mix.
- Write compelling copy to support marketing team output that can help inform marketing activity.
- Develop and maintain close relations with key media and press teams both in the motoring world and more generally at a local, regional and national level.
- Work closely with the Head of Design to ensure that the Museum communicates, engages and presents key messages in a consistent and professional manner.
- Working closely with the CEO and Finance Director, oversee visitor forecasting and develop reports on monthly, quarterly and annual visitor performance.
- Planning, management and tracking of the marketing budget.
- Be an inspiring leader promoting a positive and collaborative environment, supporting and developing the marketing team.
Essential Skills
- Able to develop and implement a marketing strategy
- Good IT skills and comfortable with all Microsoft Office software
- Brilliant organisational and project management skills
- Ability to analyse data, derive insights and present findings to influence decision-making and create effective plans
- A consummate copywriter
- A hands on ‘doer’ as well as strategic ‘thinker’
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to build and maintain positive relationships with a wide range of stakeholders.
- A strong understanding of issues relating to UK GDPR requirements
- Strong budget management
- Strong leadership skills
Essential Experience
- 3 - 5 years’ similar marketing experience at management level
- Degree level or equivalent qualification in relevant field
Benefits
- 29 days holiday (increasing in line with service)
- An extra day off for your birthday
- Free on-site parking
- Staff discounts in the on-site café and gift shop
- Free entry into the Museum for you and your family
- Ongoing training and development
Hours & Structure
Salary £45k - £55k per annum depending on experience.
Location The Museum is based in Sparkford, Somerset BA22 7LH, just minutes off the A303, the main trunk road to the South West. Hybrid working available.
Contract Full time, 40 hours per week with occasional weekend working required to support events and support the Duty Manager rota.
Next Steps
Please submit your application and any enquiries to Natalie Mackay at natalie.mackay@haynesmuseum.org
Please enclose a CV along with a covering letter (no longer than 2 pages) explaining how your personal skills, qualities and experience provide evidence of your suitability – and your passion – for this role.
Closing date for applications 15th July 2025.
Applications and interviews are being shortlisted on a rolling basis, so get in touch ASAP to avoid disappointment.
We are committed to equality of opportunity for all staff and applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief and marriage and civil partnerships.
