Position Summary / Job Purpose:
The Senior Manager, Public Relations and Communications is to proactively and independently lead the PR team to a) strengthen media relationships to support brand/product image building and maximize brand events/activation program media exposure. b) promote Royal Caribbean International as the top choice of cruise brand for vacationers across China through effective external communications c) crisis management d) in charge of corporate communication within the organization.
This role is responsible for developing and implementing communications to promote Royal Caribbean as the best vacation company that can provide worldwide travelers with lifetime vacation experience, to support the transition for the company proposition and contribute to the business goals of tapping into the 2 trillion global vacation business.
This role is responsible for promoting Royal Caribbean International as the top choice of cruise brand for vacationers across mainland China and Hong Kong, China through effective external communications, contributing to the business goals to drive high YIELD, high APD, high OBR, high load factor, high NPS.
Whilst reinforcing Royal Caribbean’s leadership in mainland China and Hong Kong, China through effective PR advocacy programs we need to create a favorable external climate for Royal Caribbean in mainland China and Hong Kong China through maintaining and developing wide and warm relationships with media, influencers, partners, industry stakeholders.
This role works closely with global corporate communications and brand PR offices, to keep consistent global messaging and localize the communications in regional market effectively. To promote and encourage more Chinese vacationers to cruise with Royal Caribbean on overseas products. In the meantime, being international bridge, to increase China office’s profile globally and obtain global exposures to drive international vacationers to China products.
This role is also responsible for managing corporate issue communications by working closely with global head office and relevant business functions, to protect Royal Caribbean’s reputation and image.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
PR
- Lead overall strategy and planning for annual PR communications activities to achieve the overall goals.
- Lead overall strategy and planning for e-PR communications activities; Develop new opportunities through online media PR exposure, including websites, OTV, APP, social, etc.
- Designing the top notion PR advocacy and external communications strategy that are consistent with global corporate messaging and aligned with business goals.
- Leading the annual, quarter, and project base plannings for communications activities and events that are in line with the designated strategy.
- Leading the innovative initiatives and successful implementations of various media events not limited to press conference, media gatherings, famil. Press trips on China products and overseas products. Taking care of event concept, event program, media exposure strategy, venue design and production, procurement, on-site control, media invitation, media logistics, media interviews, leadership briefing, etc.
- Developing persuasive communications contents and leading effective communications with media, not limited to press releases, interview editorials, product advertorials, newsletters, factsheets, product visuals and videos, etc.
- Developing strategic partnership opportunities, including industry awards, executive speech opportunity summits, media event sponsorship etc.
- Pitch media interview opportunities for leadership and manage the delivery of interview arrangements, talking points, publication exposures for the interest of Royal Caribbean.
- Manage the China press center social and digital platforms, ensuring the media contents are up to date and performing as an effective toolkit for media.
- Lead the external PR agencies to efficiently perform their duties by designated goals and manage the executions at high quality.
- Leading the budget planning process and managing the spending in compliance with the company’s policies and procedures.
- Lead issue/Crisis management, including standard reaction system and process build-up and optimize, top management training, internal crisis policies design.
- Performing as key contact person of Royal Caribbean for China media, responding to media enquires in timely manner, maintaining the good relationships with existing network and be agile to media landscape changes and keep developing the network in an effective way.
Internal Communications
- Leading corporate issue communications including providing consultancy, liaising with HQ corporate team and local business team, prepare media statements and manage the response to media enquiries.
- Taking leadership in providing latest media insights and communications consultancy for senior leadership, cross-teams, global offices.
- Making sure the delivery of communications activities and messaging in line with the company’s compliance and policies, within assigned budget, and managing the relevant risk.
- Manage a cross-cultural team of PR to achieve goals effectively and support talent development.
- Own & work closely with internal teams like HR, product marketing, brand marketing to conduct internal communications.
Perform other duties as required. This job description in no way states or implies that these are the only duties to be performed by the employee occupying this position. Employees will be required to perform any other job-related duties assigned by their supervisor or management.
Education, Experience, Knowledge & Skills:
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KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:
List specific knowledge and skills necessary to perform this job related to the Essential Duties and Responsibilities identified above.
- Excellent understanding of public relations strategy development, working approach, activity measurement.
- Profound understanding of China media landscape including general news, business and financial news, travel and lifestyle, industry vertical media.
- Good understanding of China social media landscape and communications trends.
- Good understanding of China cruise market, cruise industry, cruise products, Royal Caribbean brands and products.
- Deep understanding of international political landscape especially Sino-U.S. relationships and the potential impact on business operations and external communications.
- Deep understanding of China policy environment especially those relevant to inbound/outbound tourism and foreign investment, and the impact on external communications.
- Strong existing media networks and relationship building expertise.
- Exceptional written and verbal communications skills.
- Great interpersonal communications skills with C-Suite leadership.
- Strong in strategic thinking and planning.
- Excellent details oriented.
- Strong hands-on skills, for example, press release write ups.
- Innovative, creative and flexible.
- High sense of responsibility and can-do attitude.
- Collaborative and have team spirit.
- Business acumen and be agile to situational changes.
- Be flexible in domestic and overseas business travel, as well as international time zone to conduct meetings.
- Proven ability to:
- Leverage PR to achieve business goals.
- Build up thought leadership and corporate influence.
- Design best in-class PR and Communications strategy.
- Create trendy and innovative campaign ideas.
- Initiative, lead and implement effective media events and trips.
- Prepare and deliver information effectively in a variety of media for a diversity of audiences.
- Produce clear and persuasive content that is audience appropriate.
- Manage different types of issues communications.
- Build and maintain strategic internal and external partnerships.
- Adapt to changing market conditions while maintaining focus on delivering high impact outcomes.
- Manage budgets at high efficiency.
- Manage suppliers at good relationships and high efficiency.
- Manage a professional team and ensure performance in accordance with clear expectations.
- Maintain systematic and logical approach to achieving outcomes.
- Think out of box and examine existing models of communication with a view to developing new innovative ways to improve.
- Set and measure PR activities against objectives.
- Maintain up-to-date brand and product knowledge.
- Interact across cultures in markets that vary in maturity and culture.
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QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree or above from journalism, communications, language at reputable university.
- 10 years above of experience in top tier MNC organization’s Public Relations and/or Communications function.
- Experience in tourism or hospitality industry is a plus.
- Experience covers corporate PR, brand PR, product PR, trade PR is desired.
- 5 years above in managerial role heading PR or communications function and people leadership.
- Financial management including budget planning and control.
- Management of suppliers not limited to pitch, bidding, negotiation, contracting, quality control.
- Developing and maintaining media relationships.
- Native in Chinese and Fluent in English.
- Strong working knowledge of MS office.
