Classification: Exempt/Full Time
Department: Marketing
Reports To: Chief Marketing Officer
SUMMARY
The Vice President of Global Communications leads all global consumer earned media efforts for Brand USA. This position is responsible for driving positive and accurate storytelling around travel experiences and destinations within the USA, building Brand USA’s reputation with global media publications, and positioning Brand USA and its executive team as thought leaders within global business and travel media outlets. The Vice President will work closely with other leaders within Brand USA and Brand USA stakeholders to facilitate storytelling opportunities. This role will have deep relationships and contacts across reputable global mainstream consumer media outlets, travel publications, and financial and business outlets.
The Vice President is responsible for driving proactive and responsive earned media tactics, creating talking points and messaging for Brand USA, broadly, and its leaders; managing media around key events and campaigns; pitch story ideas and narratives that support our marketing strategy and organizational business objectives; and respond to incoming inquiries from media on behalf of Brand USA. Other responsibilities include cultivating and managing relationships with media contacts via frequent engagement, media roundtables, desk sides; media FAMs and missions, positioning organization leaders as subject matter experts; organizing media briefings and engagements; and facilitating media training and coaching. This position will also manage a global team of communication professionals both from external agencies and an internal consumer communications team.
MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES
PR / Communications Strategy
- Develop and execute a strategic PR and communications plan that align with Brand USA’s marketing and business objectives and increases awareness and positive perception of the USA as a travel destination.
- Track travel media stories and top publications in each of Brand USA’s target markets to inform the development and implementation of country-specific innovative communications and engagement strategies.
- Understand the global travel industry, possess a thorough knowledge of USA travel experiences, and develop well-informed market trends to create consumer storytelling pillars that will entice a broad set of international journalists.
- Collaborate cross functionally to develop integrated PR programs which strengthen Brand USA’s global messaging, sync consumer and partner activities and narratives, and capitalize on unique and newsworthy stories.
- Identify creative ways to expand and tell the USA travel story to various audiences and amplify key brand messages and culturally relevant moments across a variety of global media channels.
- Create annual planning calendars and annual budget plans. Monitor progress and performance of the plans against the planned expenditures.
- Manage budget and expenses associated with PR agency services and international communications plans.
- Take a data-driven approach to communications. Measure KPIs and report on effectiveness and impact.
- Keep up with emerging platforms, consumer trends, competitor news, and best practices across PR, travel marketing, and earned media. Regularly share POV to keep the team informed.
- As needed, provide strategic support for Brand USA corporate communications efforts. Help craft messaging, positioning, and communications approaches to ensure that the narrative is strategically aligned across the organization and global teams.
Media Relations
- Build and maintain relationships with global media contacts (key international markets and domestic) covering travel, destination marketing, and business. Develop, maintain, and update a global media contact list.
- Develop compelling written content by contributing to or creating press releases, company statements, Q&A/talking points, briefings, award nominations and media pitches.
- Work with Brand USA leadership on media opportunities, interview prep and thought leadership.
- Pitch reporters, producers and editors on stories and pieces that contribute to the Brand USA’s communications strategy.
- Facilitate press trips, media FAMs, in-country media missions, and host media to increase press coverage in respected news outlets.
- Manage all interviews with journalists, including preparing briefing materials for staff and leadership (i.e., reporter bios, talking points, interview responses, etc.)
Team Leadership
- Lead the global communications team in the development and execution of global and market-specific communication plans, including helping the team prioritize high value initiatives, and providing coaching and direction as needed.
- Manage external PR agencies day-to-day workload and performance. Keep them accountable to KPIs and help ideate and implement short- and long-term media plans.
- Provide counsel and perspective to internal team leads and executives on relevant trends, industry issues, and potential impact to Brand USA’s reputation.
Crisis Response
- Advise and manage responses to potential issues and crises related to Brand USA and international travel to the USA. This may include partnering with internal and external stakeholders at the executive level.
- Play a key role in organizational reputation management. Collaborate with Brand USA’s leadership team during crisis moments to ensure that reactions maintain Brand USA’s industry leadership position and align with the company’s objectives.
Other Duties
- Collaborate closely with members of the C-suite to provide strategic guidance and support in reputation management, leveraging communication initiatives to reinforce their leadership positioning and organizational messaging on a global scale.
- Manages communication budgets and resources effectively to optimize results.
- Manage the media relations pages to ensure they are current and up to date.
- Using established monitoring tools, track all earned media impressions and maintain and share records of press coverage.
QUALIFICATIONS
- 10-15 years of relevant experience, with a preference for a combination of agency and in-house experience within the travel industry
- Strategic and creative thinker, highly effective communicator, and exceptional writer with deep experience in public relations.
- Experience leading and/or building high performing communications teams and managing Experience developing strategic communications plans and executing against them across crisis management, change management and internal communications.
- Passionate about storytelling and can build and execute communications strategies across business, trade, and consumer media..
- Strong executive presence, with an ability to coach and counsel C-suite executives and defend ideas and position.
- Creative, with the ability to conceptualize newsworthy moments, develop story ideas and follow through with pitches that land great media.
- Able to measure success and report on what's working and what's not so we can iterate and improve on a regular basis.
- Ability to synthesize sophisticated ideas, campaigns and initiatives and have a track record of detailed execution in a fast-paced environment.
- Proven writing experience developing executive briefs and communications to articulate complex information in a clear and concise manner across the organization.
- Passion for the USA as a travel destination and for working for a purposeful company.
- A great teammate who is highly collaborative with strong organization skills and deep attention to detail.
- Experience managing a team with multiple strategic priorities.
SCHEDULE
Brand USA’s business hours are Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Our standard work hours may vary based upon position requirements. Additional hours may be required during peak times, which may require an adjusted work schedule, overtime, and evening/weekend hours in order to meet deadlines.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA)
Brand USA will make reasonable accommodations in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. [i]
Brand USA has an organizational commitment to the principles of diversity and inclusion. In that spirit, we welcome all qualified individuals without regard to race, religion, creed, color, gender, sexual orientation, age, disability, economic circumstances, national origin or veteran status.
