Director of Marketing, Digital & Communications - Sofitel Jabal Omar Makkah

Company Description

Job Description

Strategy, Positioning & Commercial Planning

• Develop and execute the annual marketing, communications and digital marketing strategy aligned with brand objectives and commercial priorities.
• Act as guardian of the hotel's Cultural Link and positioning framework, ensuring all campaigns, partnerships, storytelling and guest experiences remain aligned with the property's identity and brand narrative.
• Contribute actively to strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting processes.
• Define annual digital revenue targets for direct and indirect channels.
• Build annual digital marketing plans and budgets covering all digital channels and performance levers.
• Identify strategic partnerships, collaborations and cultural opportunities that strengthen visibility, guest engagement and brand desirability.
• Work closely with Revenue Management and Sales teams to ensure alignment between commercial objectives and marketing initiatives.

Marketing, Communications & Public Relations

• Lead the hotel's integrated marketing, communications and PR strategy across all guest-facing channels.
• Oversee media relations, brand campaigns, partnerships, storytelling and activations in line with the luxury positioning of the hotel.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with media, tourism stakeholders, luxury partners, cultural institutions and key industry contacts.
• Drive local, regional and international visibility through impactful storytelling and strategic communications.
• Manage content direction including photography, videography, editorial storytelling and campaign production, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
• Manage external agencies, creative partners, photographers, videographers and production suppliers.

Digital Marketing & E-Commerce

• Own the full e-commerce and digital strategy across direct and indirect channels, accountable for digital revenue across Rooms, F&B, Wellness and ancillary streams, and for the optimal mix between channels.
• Drive direct performance through the hotel websites, booking engine and wider direct channel, optimising the guest journey and direct-booking growth.
• Own the indirect channel strategy, managing visibility, content and commercial terms to grow market share and revenue contribution.
• Own the paid media budget and channel mix across SEM, metasearch, display, social, and OTA optimising spend for return across both direct and indirect.
• Oversee CRM initiatives, database growth, segmentation and guest lifecycle communications.
• Hold digital campaigns and agencies accountable for measurable ROI, lead generation and conversion, keeping the property ahead of emerging platforms and consumer trends
• Own digital measurement and attribution, analytics, tracking and dashboards, as the single source of truth for digital performance across all channels.
• Stay abreast of emerging digital platforms, technologies and consumer trends to identify new opportunities for growth.

Social Media & Content Strategy

• Define and oversee the hotel's social media strategy to strengthen awareness, engagement and community growth.
• Ensure all content reflects the luxury standards, visual identity and cultural relevance of the brand.
• Identify emerging social trends, creators, influencers and partnership opportunities.
• Lead content planning, creation and publishing across all social channels.
• Monitor and optimise social media performance and audience engagement.

Online Reputation & Guest Engagement

• Manage the hotel's online reputation and guest sentiment across all review platforms.
• Monitor guest feedback and identify opportunities to improve the guest experience.
• Work closely with Operations and Guest Relations teams to address guest concerns and enhance satisfaction.
• Leverage guest insights and reviews to support marketing and commercial strategies.

Performance Analytics & Market Intelligence;

• Analyse campaign performance, website analytics, digital marketing data and market intelligence.
• Monitor competitor activity, tourism trends and luxury consumer behaviour.
• Track key performance indicators including website traffic, engagement, conversion, revenue contribution and ROI.
• Prepare regular performance reports and strategic recommendations for the Executive Committee.
• Utilise third-party intelligence tools and market insights to identify revenue opportunities and support decision-making

Leadership & Talent Development

• Serve as a member of the hotel's leadership team, contributing to the overall strategic direction and success of the property.
• Lead, motivate and develop a high-performing Marketing, Digital & Communications team.
• Create an environment that encourages innovation, collaboration, ownership and continuous improvement.
• Identify and nurture talent through coaching, mentoring and succession planning.
• Champion brand culture and inspire the team to deliver exceptional marketing, storytelling and guest engagement initiatives.
• Ensure team objectives are aligned with the hotel's commercial priorities and long-term brand vision.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Hospitality Management, Business or a related field.
• Minimum 8–10 years' experience in luxury hospitality marketing, communications, digital marketing or e-commerce leadership roles.
• Proven experience leading integrated marketing, communications and digital strategies within a luxury hospitality or lifestyle environment.
• Strong understanding of luxury brand positioning, storytelling and guest engagement.
• Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate brand initiatives into measurable business results.
• Strong understanding of SEO, SEM, CRM, social media, website management and digital marketing platforms.
• Experience managing PR agencies, creative partners, digital agencies and production suppliers.
• Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluent in English and Arabic.

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