Head of Public Relations, APAC (Maternity Cover)

Corporate overview:

Royal Caribbean Group is a New York Stock Exchange-quoted global cruise vacation company that controls and operates four global brands: Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Azamara and Silversea Cruises. Together these brands operate a combined total of 61 ships with an additional 17 on order as of December 31, 2019. They operate diverse itineraries around the world that call on all seven continents.

The Royal Caribbean International brand, with its HQ out of Miami, is the second largest individual cruise brand in the world, operating 26 ships and carrying over 1 million guests per year. Known for its innovation and industry-leading operational and environmental standards, the brand holds The Best Cruise Line Overall award for 16 years running. In Australia alone, Royal Caribbean International has won several significant titles including Best Cruise Operator (8 consecutive years running) at the National Travel Industry Awards and recently voted Australia’s leading cruise line at the CLIA industry awards.

The APAC Public Relations (PR) Manager is responsible for the promotion and protection of the reputation of the Royal Caribbean International brand in Australia, New Zealand and the APAC Region (excluding China), primarily in consumer, business and trade media. The is a key role in region as it leads the PR strategy for APAC and works closely with the global PR team to influence the global strategy.

This role is accountable for the directing, leading and execution of the PR strategy to ensure it meets the commercial and reputation objectives by ensuring maximum positive exposure, creating and implementing strategies for brand management through media relations, and provide public relations counselling and publicity support to the Sales & Marketing departments. The primary goal of this role is to leverage brand news and drive activities that will generate both awareness and consideration in affluent holidaymakers who are new to the brand, as well as raising brand awareness among new to cruise audience.

This is a high-profile role working closely with Senior Leadership, with a focus on the Directors of Sales and Marketing, to drive successful development and implementation of campaigns within AUNZ and APAC markets. Having significant discretion in personnel matters, budgeting and agency direction for the brand in APAC means this role is accountable for delivery of global campaigns and projects in AUNZ and APAC.

Key Objectives:

• Grow brand awareness for Royal Caribbean along with Brand Equity throughout the AUNZ and APAC regions
• Ensure the brand achieves category leading share of voice, message pull through and targeted stories that ensure high editorial quality scores. Contribute to overall commercial targets by appealing to and growing the new-to-cruise segment
• Develop strategies to help drive brand preference and steal share from competitors in the AUNZ and APAC regions

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• STRATEGY
  • Consumer Public Relations Strategy – Develop and implement the Consumer strategy to ensure proactive positive coverage in line with business objectives, key local and global milestones and the overarching sales and marketing plans.
  • ESG Strategy – Work hand-in-hand with ESG communications team, local marketing team and stakeholders to develop and implement a local strategy to position the brand as a responsible corporate citizen throughout APAC with specific focus in AUNZ and the South Pacific.
  • Quarterly Tactical Planning – Drive the development and implementation of quarterly (or more frequent) tactical plans and activity to deliver results based on business focus areas and business needs.
• STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT
  •  SLT – Contribute to the company’s strategy for future growth by providing strategic communications counsel to the senior leadership team and appropriate internal teams
  • PR Agency Management – Manage and give direction to the AUNZ and APAC PR Agencies to ensure that they deliver campaigns that demonstrate ROI (in terms of bookings/leads/share of voice and target market alignment)
  • Village Network – Contribute actively within the local agency village network when creating media and creative briefings for local campaigns
• CRISIS
  • Crisis Management – Support and lead as required the senior management team in crisis preparedness, and in the event of a crisis.
• DAY TO DAY DUTIES
  • Create & Approve Public Relations Materials – Including writing interview briefs, press releases and feature articles.

• • Media & Stakeholder Relations – Maintain strong and effective high-level media and stakeholder contacts. Drive effective and respected press office, media press trips and ship inspection opportunities. Drive strategic, high-level media activity such as senior leadership interviews, press conferences, media launches and new ship launch events.
  • Executive Visits – Manage Miami leadership executive visit itineraries and media interview schedules.
  • Marketing alignment – Assist the Marketing Department in promoting our brands through social media and websites, including content production, aligning messaging and calendars.
  • Internal Liaison – work with the Sales, Marketing, Port Operations, Guest Relations and Call Centre teams at all times to ensure campaign/message alignment.
• PEOPLE
  • This role is responsible for the management, motivation and personal development of the team including an ongoing programme of mentoring and skills development, the setting of objectives and regular appraisals.
  • To be responsible for the management of all relevant agencies to lead and execute the PR strategy.