Head of Community Events & Marketing

About Us

Loungers is a substantial and growing operator in the UK hospitality sector, operating over 270+ sites in England and Wales across three distinct but complementary brands, Lounges, Cosy Club, and Brightside.

Established in 2002 in Bristol, we now have 235 caf/bars nationwide, with 35 more openings planned annually. Each Lounge is a neighbourhood caf/bar, combining elements of a restaurant, British pub, and coffee shop culture, predominantly located on suburban high streets, town centres, and shopping centres.

Our spaces are known for their informal, unique interiors that evoke a warm, "home from home" atmosphere. While the brand maintains a consistent identity, each Lounge is individually named and tailored to its local community. Our evolving designs ensure no two sites are the same.

At the heart of Lounges is a commitment to hospitality and a sense of community. Our local focus is reflected through staff engagement in community events, charity work, and social media activity at each site.

The role in a nutshell

Reporting directly to the Managing Director for Lounge, this role is accountable for driving the Community agenda within Lounge to ensure that it remains top of the agenda. This role has direct line management responsibility for 8 regionally based Community Managers. You will work closely with the Managing Director, Operations Directors and Regional Operations Managers to ensure that the existing and new site openings are at the heart of each community we are within across the UK.

Getting into the detail

Regional Community Manager (RCM) Management

• Directly manage a team of 8 Regional Community Managers.
• Oversee and deliver community and marketing training for the RCM team.
• Manage reporting on RCM performance and community engagement across the estate.
• Motivate and inspire the RCMs to uphold the "8 Commandments" in their work.
• Act as a liaison between RCMs and third-party partners (e.g., wireless social, Paint Club, Redtooth, PR contacts).

Community Training & Support

• Create and maintain training materials for sites and RCMs, including workshops, guides, videos, HQI content, and Ops induction support.
• Lead training delivery for HQI and Ops induction sessions.

Community & Communications Management

• Coordinate and drive LoungeAid - our company wide main charity initiative which happens twice a year (June & December) inspiring the teams to raise more money for their local chosen charities, including communicating and collating the totals (£158k raised during last June's LoungeAid).
• Manage key community events and activities, including seasonal campaigns such as Christmas, Macmillan Coffee Morning, and Mother's Day.
• Drive the Community Fund initiative whereby all sites are given a budget to give back to their local communities. Ensure the fund is used by all sites.
• Develop and maintain an annual calendar of community-focused activities across the estate.
• Establish and nurture community partnerships with initiatives like Paint Night, Talk Club, and Chatty Caf, finding new opportunities to strengthen local connections.
• Collaborate with the Marketing team to align internal community communications.
• Support RCMs in creating and delivering site-specific newsletters.
• Attend various periodical internal meetings to keep the Directors updated with progress on Community.

New Openings

• Ensure the Regional Community Managers serve as the primary point of contact for new site openings (NSO) and refurbishments, ensuring seamless marketing and community integration.
• Manage the pre-opening PR process, ensuring connections made are handed off to RCMs to cement each site within the local community.

What good looks like

• Proven experience in line management is essential.
• Previous experience of working within a community/events/sales/local marketing role.
• Experience of working within hospitality is desirable, or a similar fast paced environment.
• A natural motivator and "people person" with a passion for community engagement.
• Experience in generating ideas and hosting events that reflect the brand's ethos.
• Strong networking and relationship-building skills.
• Competency in using content management systems, such as WordPress.
• Familiarity with various digital systems and platforms.
• Experience with email CRM systems.
• Enthusiasm for community and charitable activities.

What's in it for you?

• Competitive salary.
• 20% bonus.
• Annual share awards.
• Private medical cover.
• Company pension contribution.
• 50% off food at all Lounges, Cosy Clubs and Brightsides.
• Fun office in the centre of Bristol.
• A culture that appreciates ideas and celebrates individuality.
• Founder-led business - we might have 270+ sites, but we still maintain an entrepreneurial spirit through everything we do.
• 24/7 mental health support.
• Amazing events including LoungeFest - our annual company festival - Christmas parties and more.
• We want to work with nice people so if you want to work hard, have fun and be part of the Loungers ride, we'd love to have you.

Location: UK, GB

Posted Date: 11/29/2024