Head of Online Marketing Innovation

The pandemic has upended the travel industry. For Sunweb Group, this has led to accelerating its strategic transformation. The new Head of Online Marketing Innovation will act as a change agent within the organization and develop a futureproof digital channel strategy.

Sunweb Group

Sunweb Group is an enterprising tour operator offering holiday packages all over Europe. Combining organic growth and strategic acquisitions have resulted in Sunweb Group’s firmly established top position in the European travel industry. Since December 2018, Swedish PE investor Triton Partners has a majority of shares in Sunweb Group. Most employees are based in Rotterdam, but there are offices in Zurich, Girona, Antwerp, Paris, and Copenhagen as well.

Ever since the Dutch entrepreneur Joost Romeijn founded the company in 1991, the business solely operates as a platform that brings supply and demand together, which makes for an ideal business model in volatile times. Due to the fact that the company doesn’t own assets such as planes or hotels, scaling up or down is quick and easy. That proved a good choice in 2020.

Sunweb Group operates a wide range of package holiday brands, including Sunweb, Eliza was Here, Primavera, GoGo, Beachmasters, Husk, Bizztravel, X-travel, and Sudtours. These are bundled into three business units, each with its own P&L.

Digital professionalization
Digital professionalization is at the top of the company’s list of priorities. Their main goal is to anchor a customer-centric, data-driven, and result-oriented way of working while leaving room for exploring new initiatives. In keeping with the transformation, Sunweb Group is recruiting top talent for key positions to help shape a futureproof travel organization. A good example is the appointment of Brenda van Leeuwen as Chief Digital Officer in February 2020. 

Vacancy: Head of Online Marketing Innovation

This is a centralized role. While the business units are responsible for managing the day-to-day campaigns, the Head of Online Marketing Innovation has a helicopter view. How successful are the current campaigns? Which tools will actually make a difference for the business? What is the role of SEO, SEA, display, social, affiliate marketing, and email marketing? And how are these channels optimized? In other words: how can Sunweb Group optimize its channel performance? The Head of Online Marketing Innovation will take ownership over these questions, analyze the data, and develop an effective long-term channel strategy.

This is a new role within the organization. As such, the Head of Online Marketing Innovation will have the opportunity to shape the role and proactively forge partnerships to ready the organization for the next step. They will be supported by a multidisciplinary team of high-performing specialists.

“The Head of Online Marketing Innovation is an inspiring change-agent who will bring people on board and help them reach greater heights when it comes to digital. As such, this person will have a great impact on the future of Sunweb.” – Brenda van Leeuwen, Chief Digital Officer

Data-driven thought leader
The Head of Online Marketing Innovation will prove to be a passionate and data-driven thought leader. A digital native who knows how to communicate and bring people on board. Someone who is always up to date with the latest developments and available data. Who continuously and effortlessly forms strategic decisions and useful solutions that contribute to the greater good: the best service for existing customers and reaching as many new customers as possible.

The Head of Online Marketing Innovation has a flair for inspiration. A strong network within and outside the organization is essential to get things moving. Driven by a customer-centric mindset and a results-oriented approach, the Head of Online Marketing Innovation is able to bring the channel strategy and performance of the entire organization to the next level. This role reports directly to Brenda van Leeuwen, Chief Digital Officer.

Sunweb Group works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Jessica Lim at jessica.lim@topofminds.com for more information.