Cluster Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications

Purpose:

The Cluster Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications is a senior leadership position responsible for developing and executing comprehensive strategic PR and marketing communications plans. This role is crucial in promoting the unique experiences and offerings of Red Sea Global's luxury hotels and resorts, ensuring alignment with business objectives and enhancing brand visibility in a competitive market.

Professional qualifications & Experience:

• Fluency in English and Arabic, with excellent reading, writing, and verbal communication skills.
• A minimum of 5 years of experience in Public Relations and/or Marketing Communications, specifically in luxury hotels or resorts.
• Proven track record in PR strategy development and execution in a luxury setting.
• Excellent personal and professional references.
• Proficiency in relevant software and digital marketing platforms.
• Knowledge of the Saudi Arabian market and cultural nuances is a plus

Education:

• Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) with a preference for Marketing, Communications, or Hospitality.

Work Environment:

• The position is based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, with occasional travel to resort locations and other destinations as required.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, and holidays as needed to accommodate business requirements

Position Outline & Key Activities

Leadership & Cross Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with key stakeholders, including Operations, Sales, Reservations, and Revenue Management, to foster productive relationships.
• Build connections with Destination Marketing teams and keep relevant parties informed about significant PR events.
• Recruit, onboard, and develop team members within the PR & Marketing Communications department.
• Conduct performance evaluations and provide staff development opportunities.
• Work with the Director of Sales and Marketing to establish performance standards and review progress.
• Promote a cooperative work environment that enhances employee morale and productivity.
• Identify process improvement opportunities and ensure adherence to budgets and performance goals.
• Establish and ensure adherence to budgets, goals, and performance requirements.

Consumer Insight and Performance Management

• Leverage in-market intelligence, consumer insights and provide strategic recommendations to enable data-led decision-making.
• Establish a robust success measurement framework ensuring activities are monitored and optimised against the pre-established KPIs.
• Conduct monthly performance reviews with third-party agencies to establish a forward-looking approach to marketing planning, ensuring digital opportunities are maximised.
• Monitor Hotels and competitor media coverage, social media, as well as online reviews for more in-depth market insight.

Strategic Planning and Implementation

• Collaborate with the Director of Sales and Marketing to develop and execute the annual PR, social media, and Marketing Communications strategy for the assigned hotels, including insight-led tactics, multi-channel campaigns, and content creation.
• Contribute to the hotels annual business plans by establishing actions and budgets for PR and marketing programs.
• Define the property positioning framework in partnership with the Director of Sales and Marketing, ensuring it aligns with brand insights and goals.
• Create annual planning calendars for Hotel PR, social media, and digital marketing initiatives to support commercial objectives.
• Leverage global brand initiatives to promote local offerings effectively.
• Identify partnership opportunities to enhance PR, marketing, and commercial activities.
• Manage the budget and expenses for PR, social media, and Marketing Communications plans.

Hotel PR & Marketing presence and content development

• Manage and enhance the hotels online and offline presence through integrated PR, social media, and Marketing Communications activities that strengthen brand equity.
• Collaborate with Destination Marketing teams to create brand-driven, search-focused content that highlights each hotel's unique offerings.
• Ensure consistency with brand guidelines across all communication content.
• Direct editorial content for PR, social media, and Marketing Communications, ensuring alignment with property positioning and brand tone.
• Build strong relationships with local and regional media and influencers, managing events and inquiries effectively.
• Contribute to reputation management by monitoring public perception, crafting key messages, and coordinating crisis communications with corporate teams as needed.
• Successfully manage relationships with third-party agency partners, guiding strategy and keeping them informed of relevant updates.
• Strategically manage community relations, CSR initiatives, and internal communications specific to the hotels and VIP guests.
• Maximize content opportunities across all owned and earned platforms, including brand.com, mobile apps, and B2B communications.

Demand Generation and Acquisition

• Ensure Hotels leverage the full range of global Marketing and Digital Programs including SEO, PPC, Paid Social, Display, Programmatic.
• Define an annual digital marketing and direct marketing strategy and plans by working closely with the Cluster Director of of Sales & Marketing and Director of Revenue in identifying key opportunities and gaps in business.
• Works closely with the F&B and Spa teams to develop promotional and marketing activities and calendars to stimulate and capture revenue opportunities.
• Devise customer acquisition tactics to build local database, while maintaining compliance to privacy guidelines

Competencies

Key behavioural competencies

• Strong leadership qualities that inspire and motivate teams.
• Ability to think strategically and solve complex problems.
• Proactive and adaptable, with a focus on continuous improvement.
• Excellent negotiation and budget management capabilities.
• Skilled in influencing and engaging stakeholders at all levels.

Key Functional skills

• Expertise in public relations, marketing strategy, and digital marketing.
• Proficient in data analytics and performance measurement.
• Strong knowledge of the hospitality industry.

Generic Skills

• Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities.
• Effective project management and organizational skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively across teams.