Marketing Manager - NRO & Local Growth

Location: London (hybrid), with travel across the UK & Ireland

Reports to: Head of Marketing, UK & Ireland

Contract: Full-time, permanent

About Dave’s Hot Chicken

Dave’s Hot Chicken is the cult-favourite US fried chicken brand serving up Nashville hot chicken with serious flavour and even

more serious vibes. We’re bringing the heat to the UK & Ireland at pace, and we’re building a brand that’s culturally switched-on,

creator-friendly and relentlessly guest-obsessed.

The Role

We’re looking for a high-energy Senior Marketing Manager to lead marketing for new restaurant openings and drive sustained

local growth. This is a hands-on, fast-paced role at the heart of our expansion, owning hype generation before launch, flawless

execution during opening and meaningful community marketing after doors open.

You’ll be the bridge between Brand, Digital, PR and Operations, ensuring every new store opens with momentum and builds

lasting local love. Alongside NSOs, you’ll also support wider digital campaigns and brand marketing initiatives.

This is a true builder role for someone who thrives on pace, loves being in-market and knows how to activate communities.

What you’ll do

New Store Openings (Primary Focus)

• Own the full NSO marketing journey: pre-launch awareness → opening-week buzz → post-launch local growth

• Build and manage a repeatable NSO playbook covering timelines, channels, content, PR, creators and local partnerships

• Create hype for every opening through social, creators, PR activations, community outreach and grassroots marketing

• Be physically present for key launches to manage on-the-ground activation and ensure energy, queues and visibility

(be prepared for travel)

• Develop hyper-local marketing plans for each restaurant, tailored to neighbourhoods, universities and cultural pockets

• Build relationships with local communities, creators, businesses and partners to embed the brand locally

• Deliver post-opening support to drive repeat visits, loyalty sign-ups and sustained footfall

Digital, Social & Campaign Support

• Support wider brand and digital campaigns (paid/owned/earned), including creative builds and performance

optimisation

• Work closely with agencies on activations and campaigns to support on execution

• Help support content creator with TikTok-first, social-native content that feels authentic to each local market

PR, Culture & Partnerships (support)

• Work with PR partners to land newsworthy stories around launches and local activations

• Spot cultural moments and community opportunities that bring relevance to each opening

• Support brand partnerships that drive awareness at both national and local level

Insights & Performance

• Track NSO performance (footfall, loyalty sign-ups, sentiment) and feed learnings into future openings

• Translate local insights into smarter creative, targeting and activation

• Partner with Ops and guest experience exec to continuously improve guest experience based on feedback and reviews

Ways of Working

• Manage agencies and freelancers (briefs, timelines, budgets)

• Track NSO marketing budgets

• Collaborate closely with US HQ while ensuring UK/IE cultural relevance

• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Guest Experience Exec, Social Media Exec and Digital

What you’ll bring

• 3–5 years’ experience in brand or growth marketing, ideally in QSR, retail, hospitality or consumer brands

• Proven experience driving store launches, local area marketing or community-based campaigns

• Strong understanding of how to build excitement for physical openings: online and offline

• Confidence working directly with neighbourhoods, creators and local partners

• Solid digital campaign experience (paid social, creators, performance briefs)

• Excellent project management skills and comfort operating at speed

• Data-literate, with the ability to turn insights into action

• Hands-on, proactive and happy to be in-market regularly

• Clear communicator with strong social-first instincts

• Right to work in the UK; ability to travel frequently across the UK & Ireland

What we offer

• £40k + performance bonus

• Hybrid working (London)

• Pension scheme

• 25 days’ holiday + UK public holidays

• Perks: on-shift meals, brand discounts

How success will be measured (first 12 months)

• Successful new store openings hitting footfall and sales targets

• Strong opening-week buzz and creator/PR coverage

• Sustained post-opening performance (loyalty sign-ups, repeat visits)

• Positive local sentiment and review scores

• Consistent delivery of digital campaigns alongside NSO activity