Our client, a Cruise Operator, in Limassol, is looking to recruit a Director of International Marketing & Communications Communications to lead the company’s international marketing function from its Cyprus office. The Director will be responsible for developing and implementing the company’s international marketing strategy, increasing brand visibility and recognition in priority markets, generating qualified leads, and ensuring that marketing activity makes a measurable contribution to bookings and revenue growth. The role combines strategic leadership with strong commercial accountability.
The Director will manage marketing investment, lead and develop the company’s internal marketing resources, and coordinate specialist external agencies across PR, branding, digital and other areas. The Director will also play a key role in the marketing strategy and international launch of the company’s new expedition vessel and in supporting the company’s next stage of growth.
Responsibilities:
- International Marketing Strategy & Commercial Performance:
- Develop and implement the company’s international marketing strategy in line with the company’s business and commercial objectives.
- Increase the company’s brand visibility, awareness and recognition across priority international markets.
- Drive qualified lead generation through an effective combination of digital, content, PR, partnerships, trade and other marketing channels.
- Establish and manage clear marketing KPIs covering brand visibility, lead generation, campaign performance, conversion and contribution to bookings and revenue.
- Analyse marketing performance by market, channel and campaign and take corrective action where results do not meet objectives.
- Work closely with Sales to ensure that marketing activity supports commercial priorities and that lead quality, conversion and revenue contribution are properly measured.
- Identify new markets, audiences, channels and opportunities for sustainable growth
- Marketing Budget & Investment:
- Develop, manage and control the international marketing budget.
- Allocate marketing investment across markets, channels and agencies according to strategic priorities and expected commercial return.
- Monitor marketing effectiveness and ROI and recommend reallocation of resources where appropriate.
- Ensure that significant marketing expenditure is supported by clear objectives, appropriate measurement and post-campaign evaluation
- Brand & Product Marketing:
- Ensure consistent positioning and presentation of the company’s Expeditions brand across international markets and customer touchpoints.
- Manage and coordinate external branding and creative specialists, ensuring that agreed brand strategy, positioning, visual identity and guidelines are effectively translated into marketing, PR, digital, content and sales activities.
- Develop compelling product positioning and marketing propositions for the company’s voyages, destinations and expedition experiences.
- Lead the marketing strategy for the company’s new expedition vessel, including its introduction to international markets and integration into the wider the company’s brand.
- Ensure overall marketing consistency across international markets while allowing appropriate local-market adaptation based on customer behaviour and commercial requirements
- PR & Communications:
- Oversee the company’s international PR strategy and manage external PR resources, ensuring that PR activity supports the company’s brand and commercial objectives.
- Set clear PR priorities and critically review external recommendations, messaging, opportunities and performance.
- Ensure proactive international media activity around the company, its destinations, products, people and future developments.
- Maintain appropriate oversight of key media relationships, interviews, announcements and major communications opportunities.
- Coordinate reputation and issues management with senior management, external PR resources and professional advisers where appropriate.
- Ensure that external communications are accurate, consistent with the company’s positioning and appropriately approved
- Digital, Performance Marketing & Lead Generation:
- Provide strategic direction for SEO, paid search, paid social, digital advertising, email and other performance marketing activities.
- Manage and evaluate external digital, SEO and performance marketing specialists and agencies.
- Ensure that digital campaigns are designed around measurable objectives, including qualified lead generation and commercial conversion.
- Oversee the effectiveness of landing pages, campaign journeys and other digital conversion points.
- Use analytics and customer data to improve targeting, marketing effectiveness and allocation of investment
- Content & Communications:
- Set overall content priorities and ensure that content supports brand, product, PR, digital and commercial objectives.
- Ensure effective coordination of copy, imagery, video and channel-specific execution across the website, social media, newsletters, campaigns and other communications.
- Review and provide authoritative editorial feedback on important English-language marketing, PR, brand and agency communications.
- Ensure consistent tone of voice, messaging and quality across international communications
- Trade & Partnership Marketing:
- Work closely with Sales to develop marketing support for travel trade partners and key distribution relationships.
- Develop appropriate trade marketing campaigns, materials and initiatives for priority markets.
- Support partner communications, cooperative marketing opportunities, trade events and product launches.
- Ensure that trade marketing investment is aligned with commercial priorities and evaluated against agreed objectives
- Leadership, Team Development & Agency Management:
- Lead and coordinate the company’s internal marketing resources and external specialist agencies.
- Act as the principal marketing interface between the company and its branding, PR, digital, performance, SEO, creative and other specialist partners.
- Set clear briefs, objectives and priorities for agencies and critically evaluate their recommendations, deliverables, performance and results.
- Ensure effective coordination between agencies and internal resources so that different specialist activities support one coherent marketing strategy.
- Assess the existing marketing structure and capabilities and recommend the appropriate team structure and additional resources required to support the company’s international marketing objectives, including the development of stronger in-house content capabilities.
- Participate in the recruitment, selection and onboarding of additional marketing team members and help define their roles and responsibilities as the marketing function develops.
- Develop the internal marketing function as the company grows.
Requirements:
- Minimum 7 years of relevant marketing experience, including experience in a senior marketing role with meaningful strategic and commercial responsibility.
- Strong experience in international marketing and managing activity across multiple markets.
- Experience in travel, cruise, expedition travel, luxury hospitality, aviation or another premium/high-value consumer sector is highly desirable; expedition cruise or luxury travel experience would be a strong advantage.
- Demonstrated experience in brand building and lead generation, with the ability to connect marketing activity to commercial outcomes.
- Strong understanding of digital and performance marketing, analytics, content, PR and brand management.
- Good working knowledge of GDPR and data protection requirements as they apply to marketing, CRM and customer communications.
- Proven experience managing marketing budgets and evaluating marketing effectiveness and ROI.
- Experience managing internal resources and external specialist agencies; experience building or developing a marketing team would be a strong advantage.
- Strong commercial judgement and the ability to work effectively with Sales and senior management.
- Native or near-native command of English, with exceptional written and verbal communication skills. The role requires the ability to review, edit and provide authoritative feedback on English-language marketing, PR, brand and agency communications.
- Additional languages are a strong advantage.
- Legal right to live and work in Cyprus.
Working Hours:
- The working hours are 8 hours per day (40 hours per week), with a 1-hour lunch break.
- The start time is flexible, ranging from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM.
To apply:
Please send your CV to StaffMatters at admin@smstaffmatters.com and mention that you are applying for the vacancy of Director of International Marketing & Communications with reference number 4468.
Or you can apply directly through your candidate login by hitting the APPLY button.
