Director of Marketing

Compensation Type

Highgate Hotels

Highgate is a premier real estate investment and hospitality management company widely recognized as an innovator in the industry. Highgate is the dominant player in U.S. gateway markets including New York, Boston, Miami, San Francisco and Honolulu, with a rapidly expanding presence in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean. Highgate’s portfolio of global properties represents an aggregate asset value exceeding $20B and generates over $5B in cumulative revenues. The company provides expert guidance through all stages of the hospitality property cycle, from planning and development through recapitalization or disposition.  Highgate also has the creativity and bandwidth to develop bespoke hotel brands and utilizes industry-leading proprietary revenue management tools that identify and predict evolving market dynamics to drive out performance and maximize asset value. With an executive team consisting of some of the industry’s most experienced hotel management leaders, the company is a trusted partner for top ownership groups and major hotel brands. Highgate maintains corporate offices in London, New York, Dallas, and Seattle.

Location

Overview

A successful Director of Marketing is both guest and community focused, revenue-minded, proactive and self-driven. They successfully operate with a high degree of autonomy, collaborate well, and have proven experience creating, launching and driving brand awareness initiatives to conversion. They are skilled at working both strategically (setting big picture goals, building relationships, using guest insights, data and market trends to present strong ideas for growth) and tactically (optimizing campaigns, analyzing traffic, and problem solving). 

Responsibilities

• Proactive and creative in identifying and developing integrated communications, programming and social media programs which capitalize on unique and newsworthy market opportunities as well as leveraging unexpected opportunities as they arise.
• Proactively create and manage quarterly property marketing goals, integrated strategy, plans and calendars with a focus on expanding brand awareness and audience reach, driving community engagement and increasing room bookings.
• Curate an event marketing strategy mapped to quarterly goals, combining local programming and strategic brand partnerships focused on engagement to increase brand awareness and affinity within target audiences.
• Engages in media and community relations by actively managing professional relationships with local and regional media and community leaders that will benefit the hotel and company as a whole. Includes hosting media, assisting with photo shoots and supporting social public relations. Acts as hotel spokesperson where appropriate.
• Create and execute a strong content and organic/paid social media strategy, including an editorial calendar spanning property websites, social channels, advertising and email communications.
• Understands Hotels marketplace; well-informed of market trends; and implements change as dictated by market requirements.
• Leads marketing and communications conversations with department heads and liaises with the hotels business leaders on programming recommendations that ensure market relevancy.
• Work closely with F&B teams to drive traffic to the property’s outlets through organic and paid channels.
• Creates partnerships with local brands and businesses that align to the hotels positioning.
• Ensures the property’s brand identity is carried through all communications.
• Collaborates with key internal and external stakeholders, third-parties and agencies to accomplish objectives.
• Plays a key role in reputation management; acts as a strategic communications advisor to management by keeping track of public attitudes, flagging possible consequences of prospective decisions, developing key messages and managing issues and crisis communications.
• Uses a strategic approach in overseeing the Hotels community relations, CSR initiatives, internal communications and other activities specific to the Hotel and its VIP guests.
• Work with Highagte corporate eCommerce team to identify and execute paid social media campaigns to engage both global staying guests and local audiences for F&B and Spa.
• Plan, organize and oversee all photography and videography sessions in coordination with corporate EVP of Marketing for the hotel to ensure the right assets are in place for media, digital and collateral use. These include major collateral photography, food and beverage shots and press release photos.
• Plan regular contact with past guests through email marketing and CRM tools in coordination with corporate EVP of Marking and corporate eCommerce.
• Ensures the hotels web presence (websites, microsites, tactical landing pages, etc.) is up-to-date and aligned with the Hotels positioning and business objectives.
• Works with Sales leaders to develop awareness campaigns and sales materials.
• Manage allotted marketing budget, in collaboration with the property DOSM
• Create and maintain a roster of people of influence, brand ambassadors and content creators, identify hosting opportunities based on quarterly goals
• Own monthly reporting on marketing plans, key campaigns and KPIs to leadership and broader organization
• Perform other duties as requested by management.

Qualifications

• The ability to create newsworthy events, develop story ideas and follow through with pitch leads
• At least 3 to 5 years’ experience in Marketing and Communications (hospitality industry experience essential)
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement successful marketing strategies for individual hotels, including ROI / KPI metrics 
• Strong presentation and communications skills, proficiency with programs such as, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Premiere, After Affects, etc.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and maintain relationships with external and internal contacts (i.e. General Manager, Director of Sales and Director of Revenue Leaders, Regional Team, Media Representatives, Public Relations firms) 
• Strong Creative Mind
• Ability to organize exclusive events 
• Knowledge of social media marketing and content creation
• Ability to work proficiently quickly in a high-pressure & fast paced environment
• Exceptional details and follow-up
• Always maintain a warm and friendly demeanor.
• Must be able to effectively communicate both verbally and written, with all level of employees and guests in an attentive, friendly, courteous and service oriented manner.
• Must be able to multitask and prioritize departmental functions to meet deadlines.