Investment Performance & Optimisation Manager

Because we strive to put people first.
Culture, our way.

The Investment, Performance & Optimisation Manager is responsible for ensuring Customer Marketing investment is strategically aligned, commercially effective and continually optimised to deliver maximum value for the business. Working across Customer Marketing, Digital, Finance and Commercial teams, the role provides the financial, analytical and commercial insight required to support investment decisions, prioritisation and performance improvement across a significant global marketing portfolio.

Moving beyond traditional budget management, the roles acts as a strategic partner to senior stakeholders to understand the relationship between investment, activity and business outcomes. It will identify opportunities to improve effectiveness and ensure investment decisions are informed by robust data, insight and commercial judgement. As part of the Trade Planning & Operations team, the role will connect financial planning and performance with wider trade planning, operational priorities and transformation, helping to create a more agile, efficient and commercially focused Customer function.

Key responsibilities

Investment Strategy & Planning

• Lead the annual investment planning process for the Customer Marketing portfolio, ensuring investment is aligned to strategic, commercial and customer priorities set by the Global Marketing strategy
• Translate business and marketing plans into clear investment requirements, identifying opportunities, trade-offs and areas requiring greater focus.
• Partner with senior Customer, Digital, Brand, Commercial and Finance stakeholders to shape investment decisions and ensure investment is placed where they can create the greatest value.
• Own the investment forecasting and reforecasting cycle, providing clear visibility of future commitments, risks, opportunities and investment requirements.
• Establish robust approaches to investment prioritisation across activities, markets, channels and business priorities.
• Challenge budget assumptions and investment requests, ensuring they are supported by a clear commercial rationale and expected outcome.

Performance & Commercial Insight

• Develop a clear view of marketing investment performance, connecting spend and resources to customer, commercial and operational outcomes.
• Translate complex financial and performance data into clear recommendations for senior stakeholders.
• Partner with Finance and marketing teams to strengthen understanding of marketing effectiveness and return on investment.
• Lead regular investment and performance reviews with key stakeholders, ensuring insight translates into action.

Optimisation & Value Creation

• Continuously challenge how Customer Marketing investment is deployed, identifying opportunities to improve effectiveness, efficiency and value.
• Partner with the Trade Planning and Marketing Operations teams to ensure investment decisions are connected to planning, capacity and delivery requirements.
• Ensure learnings from investment and performance analysis are embedded into future planning and ways of working.

Financial Governance & Control

• Maintain strong financial governance across the Customer Marketing investment portfolio, ensuring appropriate controls, accountability and visibility.
• Partner closely with Finance to ensure accurate reporting, forecasting and compliance with financial policies and processes.
• Provide oversight of budget performance, commitments and financial risks, escalating issues early and recommending appropriate action.
• Ensure investment decisions are supported by accurate and timely financial information.
• Working with stakeholders to discuss spend, forecasts, reporting and ensure all PO’s are raised as required and supplier set ups managed

Transformation & Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve the way investment, performance and financial information is captured, analysed and used across the Customer function.
• Drive greater automation and use of data to improve forecasting, reporting and decision-making.
• Establish consistent approaches and best practice across global teams while allowing flexibility where market or business requirements differ.

Leadership & Stakeholder Partnership

• Act as a trusted commercial and financial partner to senior Customer Marketing and Digital leaders.
• Build strong relationships across Finance, Commercial, Digital, Brand, Ecommerce, Procurement and other relevant functions.
• Constructively challenge senior stakeholders, bringing an objective financial and commercial perspective to decision-making.
• Lead and develop the Investment, Performance & Optimisation capability, creating a culture of accountability, insight and continuous improvement.
• Work closely with the wider Trade Planning & Operations team to create an integrated approach to planning, investment, performance and delivery.

• 10+ years experience managing significant budget amounts in a global retailer or similar.
• Demonstrate strong commercial judgement and financial expertise, with the ability to connect investment decisions to wider business performance.
• Have experience operating in a complex, fast-paced organisation, preferably within retail, FMCG or another consumer-focused environment.
• Be able to move comfortably between strategic thinking and practical execution, turning insight into measurable action.
• Be confident challenging senior stakeholders and influencing decisions through evidence and commercial rationale.
• Have marketing or customer experience knowledge as an advantage, but deep marketing expertise is not essential.
• Manage the cost team, which includes a direct report in Dublin.
• Significant experience in financial management, commercial planning, investment management, business performance or a related discipline within a complex global organisation.
• Strong understanding of investment prioritisation, forecasting, financial modelling and performance management.
• Strategic thinker who is comfortable operating with ambiguity and shaping solutions rather than simply managing established processes.
• Collaborate with various stakeholders within Finance, Customer & Brand & Digital Marketing, to manage a sizeable budget across multiple currencies.
• Proven experience managing and influencing significant budgets and investment portfolios across multiple markets or currencies.

What You’ll Get 

People are at the heart of what we do here, so it’s essential we provide you with the right environment to perform at your very best.

Let’s talk lifestyle: Healthcare, pension & potential bonus. 27 days of leave, plus bank holidays and if you want, you can buy 5 more. Because Primark is all about tailoring to you, we offer Tax Saver Tickets, fitness centre, and a subsidised cafeteria.

Does this sound like you? Great, because we can’t wait to see what you’ll bring. You’ll be supported within a team of equally capable people, celebrating who you are and aiding you reach your potential. At Primark, we’re excited about our future - and we’re excited to develop yours.

About Primark 

At Primark, people matter. They’re the beating heart of our business and the reason we’ve grown from our first store in Dublin in 1969 to a £9bn+ turnover business and over 80,000 colleagues and over 440 stores in 17 countries today. Our values run through everything we do. In essence, we're Caring and always strive to put people first. We're also Dynamic, bravely pushing the boundaries to stay ahead. And finally, we succeed Together.  

If you need any reasonable adjustments or have an accessibility request, during your recruitment journey, such as extended time or breaks between online assessments, a sign language interpreter, mobility access, or assistive technology please contact your talent acquisition specialist. 

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, including right to work, reference education and for some roles criminal, and financial checks. If you have any concerns, please reach out to our talent acquisition team to discuss. 

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