Company Background

Airtricity is Ireland’s fastest-growing, greenest and largest independent energy provider, supplying over 800,000 domestic and commercial gas, electricity and home energy services customers in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

The business is the cheapest supplier of home electricity and dual fuel home energy (gas and electricity) in the Republic of Ireland. Airtricity Home Energy Services, its dedicated Boiler & Home Services Division, is Airtricity’s newest business and carried out over 20,000 gas boiler services last year.

Airtricity is powered by SSE with renewable energy from the largest wind generation portfolio on the island of Ireland. Over 500MW of renewable energy from 25 wind farms powers Airtricity’s greener electricity supply – including power from Ireland’s largest wind farm, the 84MW Meentycat Wind Farm in Co. Donegal.

Parent Company

SSE, formerly Scottish and Southern Energy, is the UK’s second largest utilities company and the parent of Airtricity. The business, based in Perth, is involved in the generation and supply of electricity, the supply of gas, the operation of networks (electricity, gas and telecoms) and other energy related services including gas storage, contracting, maintenance, connections and metering.

SSE currently has:-

·         8.5m domestic customers

·         500,000 commercial electric / gas customers

·         520,000 domestic customers in Ireland

·         50,000 commercial customers in Ireland

·         450,000 domestic / commercial maintenance customers

·         an M&E contracting business

SSE supplies electricity and gas as:-

·         Southern Electricity and SSE in England

·         SWALEC in Wales

·         Scottish Hydro in Scotland

·         Airtricity in Ireland

·         Atlantic throughout Great Britain

In addition to energy customer accounts, the business provides home services including: Gas boiler, central heating and wiring maintenance and installation products and services telephone line rental, calls and broadband services.

Head of Marketing Role

Reporting directly to the Managing Director, the Head of Marketing will be a key figure in the Leadership Team at Airtricity. As a result, the successful candidate will be self-motivated, with a strong marketing, creative and analytical background that can support business and brand development.

The new marketing position will support the acquisition routes to market, supporting the delivery of new customers through a variety of channels (inc. retail, online and face to face). The role will have responsibility for the development of effective marketing campaigns to deliver potential customers to the sales function to be converted into new customers.

The key responsibilities for this role are to:

·           Act as the “voice of the consumer”. Identify and leverage consumer insights, exploiting data to create offerings that surprise and delight customers.

·           Be responsible for the development and delivery of a marketing customer acquisition and retention strategy which builds on Airtricity’s brand, differentiating itself as a Trusted Energy Provider

·           Understand the customer, industry and market trends, develop new and innovative mediums through which the business can grow and promote products & services and enhance the brand and customer loyalty

·           Develop and execute a business plan to meet targets for brand affinity, acquisition, retention, growth and profitability

·           Develop customer analytics capability to drive profitable acquisition and retention strategies

·           Develop strategic/tactical relationships with brand partners to broaden our acquisition channels and enhance retention

·           Develop robust KPI models to measure and monitor performance of marketing initiatives and take appropriate action to ensure they deliver maximum return

·           Ensure consistency of external and internal communication and alignment with the Company communication strategy and brand position

·           Support the acquisition and retention of customers through the development, implementation and management of energy products

·           Manage and coordinate sponsorship activities to meet marketing, sales and CSR objectives

·           Manage relationships with external suppliers and agencies to achieve optimum service levels, value for money and results

·           Supervise and monitor schedules, production and distribution arrangements and other details to ensure timely completion and quality control of marketing activities and publications

·           Coordinate marketing activities and strategic development in line with the overall SSE marketing policy;

Experience & Personal Characteristics Required

·           An outstanding commercially focused marketing leader, with strong marketing experience within Ireland.

·           A track record of successfully leading marketing, brand positioning, strategic planning retention and growth initiatives; demonstrated experience in customer acquisition building as well as techniques, tools and processes for enhancing customer loyalty.

·           Track record in successful scale campaign management; media planning; budget management and strategic development. Track record of delivering profitable growth. Strong digital marketing experience; understanding of digital advertising, media planning, website content management and SEO.

·           Highly commercial customer focused; future-thinking; delivery–focused; strength of conviction. High levels of energy and enthusiasm with proven leadership skills and an ability to motivate others

·           Strong leadership and management style with proven ability to coach and develop team members; a proven and ambitious team leader with the enthusiasm and drive to inspire and motivate others to higher performance

·           Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to build relationships and influence key internal and external stakeholders

·           Energetic and enthusiastic with initiative and self-motivation; thrive in leading and working in environment of change. Comfortable working to tight deadlines and prioritising work-load

·           Eager to drive and initiate change and an innovative results-orientated approach.

·           Degree educated; Formal Marketing qualification (would be advantageous) or significant and rounded experience

Leadership Characteristics

Our suggested characteristics would be:-

Understanding the Business

Knows the business and the mission-critical technical and functional skills needed to do the job; understands various types of business propositions and understands how businesses operate in general; learns new methods and technologies easily.

Creating the New and Different

Is able to come up with the next great breakthrough thing to do; is creative, a visionary and can manage innovation; is an effective strategist full of ideas and possibilities; sees multiple futures; has broad interests and knowledge; can both create and bring exciting ideas to market; comfortable speculating about alternative futures without all of the data.

Getting Organised

Is well organised, resourceful, and planful; effective and efficient at marshalling multiple resources to get things done; lays out tasks in sufficient detail to mark the trail; is able to get things done with less and in less time; can work on multiple tasks at once without losing track; foresees and plans around obstacles.

Dealing With Challenge

Fearlessly takes on all issues, challenges, and people; comfortably confronts and works through conflict; delivers negative feedback and messages without hesitation; deals promptly and fairly with problem performers; lets everyone know where they stand; thrives in crises and is energised by tough challenges; not afraid to make tough decisions and take action; challenges the status quo.

Focusing on Action and Outcomes

Attacks everything with drive and energy with an eye on the bottom line; not afraid to initiate action before all the facts are known; drives to finish everything he/she starts.

Evaluating and Deploying People Accurately

Reads people accurately; can diagnose strengths, weaknesses, and potential; knows what skills are required to fill a job or role; hires the best.

Communicating Effectively

Writes and presents effectively; adjusts to fit the audience and the message; strongly gets a message across.