Brand Marketing Graduate

About Auto Trader

You’ve probably heard of Auto Trader, but do you know what we’re all about?  

We’re the UK’s leading automotive marketplace, a heritage brand, and a tech darling of the stock market. We bring together vehicle buyers and sellers to give them real choices. Cars may be what we're best known for but we’re also the place for pretty much everything else on wheels, from e-bikes to caravans. 

In the automotive world, change is a constant, that’s why we take our job of untangling the complex car-buying journey very seriously. 
 
At our core, we’re all about people. We go our own way while embracing diversity and celebrating our differences. We dedicate ourselves to the idea that we work better together. 

Auto Trader is a beautiful, surprising and vibrant place to work. We might not be for everyone, but we could be perfect for you. 

About the Job 

As a Brand Marketing Graduate, you will play an integral role in supporting our marketing initiatives, while building trust, recognition and awareness in the Auto Trader brand. You’ll work closely with the Head of Brand and Brand Marketing Manager to keep Auto Trader front of mind for consumers through a broad range of creative campaigns designed to resonate with new audiences.

You’ll support the planning and execution of brand campaigns that increase our brand visibility and awareness, and drive business goals. This includes managing above the line (ATL) marketing initiatives (including TV advertising, radio ads, print and digital campaigns), feeding into brand strategy, supporting market research and creative testing. You’ll also get the chance to develop brand partnerships/sponsorships (last year we had exciting partnerships with Channel 4, Global Radio and The Guardian).

You’ll work on multiple marketing plans, communicating their progress and success to internal stakeholders. You’ll collaborate with other teams to create engaging content for your campaigns, like our in-house creative studio for podcasts and film. As you develop your skills, you’ll also assist in managing external relationships with advertising, media, production, research agencies and key stakeholders.

This is an exciting and dynamic role that combines creative and collaborative skills to develop and grow Auto Trader’s presence and reputation. Some examples of projects the Brand team work on include our monthly Electric Car Giveaway (yes, we literally give away a brand new electric car every single month), our consumer podcast ‘Show on the Road’ (where we drive celebrities round the UK to the places that helped shape their careers) and multi-million pound brand campaigns designed to change perceptions of Auto Trader at the highest level.

Throughout your 2-year programme with us, you'll have the opportunity to collaborate with experienced professionals and deepen your knowledge of brand marketing. You'll also have the chance to attend industry-leading conferences.

Our graduate programme starts in October 2025.

What we're looking for 

• A graduate (or graduating in 2025) in any degree discipline, or hold a level 6 qualification, with a passion for marketing
• Understanding and interest in brand marketing and be able to explain how that might have led to personal/university projects or any work experiences
• Creative and strong communicator, able to engage with different audiences and interested in consumer behaviours and buying psychology
• Comfortable working towards long-term gains and return on investment (ROI), and not just quick wins
• As a digital business, we're constantly evolving, so the ability to adapt to an ever-changing landscape is a must   
• Our marketing community values collaboration and teamwork, and you'll be eager to learn from the people you work with and embrace the opportunities on offer
• You might believe that a passion for cars is a requirement, but guess what? It’s not! At Auto Trader, you’re welcome just as you are

We believe every candidate brings a unique blend of talents. If you find yourself ticking some, but not all, of the requirement boxes, we'd love to hear from you.

To help you submit your best application, you can check out our application top tips video here.

Auto Trader's Graduate Academy 

Our graduate programme is designed to fast-track your career and develop your skills. It’s a 2-year programme with a permanent role from day one.  Your journey starts with a 6-week Academy Foundation alongside other graduates, learning about our company, culture, products and customers. You'll then focus on your specific role while working on practical projects as a cohort, with support from mentors, your dedicated line manager and the Early Careers team. For full details, visit our early careers blog here

Benefits and more

We’re offering a salary of £x, plus an additional 10% of your salary awarded to you in shares each year. These awarded shares will become yours in yearly instalments over the next three years, and you can choose to either sell them or keep them as shares. And you'll receive 29 days holiday, plus bank holidays and comprehensive private medical cover. 

That’s not all. We have employee pension contributions up to 7%, enhanced family leave provisions, a car salary sacrifice scheme, share-save options, and much more. 

We always want to give you the support you need and help prioritise your wellbeing, that’s why we provide access to 24/7 online GP and dentist, as well as specialist support for assisted fertility, gender dysphoria, menopause, period care plans and lots more.  

On top of all that, our hybrid model, Connected Working, combines the best of both worlds – office and home working. You’ll have two fixed weekly office days for team collaboration and one more of your choice to suit your work-life balance.  

Additionally, during July and August, along with two weeks in December, we have our remote first periods. During these times, you can work remotely, whether that's from another location in the UK or even from certain locations abroad.