Senior Manager, Communications

Role Description:

Division/Department: Shopping Mall / Marketing

Grade/ Level: Senior Manager

Reporting to: Senior Director Marketing

Location: UAE

Role Purpose:

At Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls BU, we are obsessed with building intuitive, engaging and truly transformative experiences that create great moments for everyone, every day. The Senior Manager of Communications for SMBU will play a pivotal role in bringing this vision to life.

The Senior Manager for Communications is responsible for developing and implementing the Communications Strategy for 29 operating malls in 5 countries in support of the Shopping Mall Strategy and in alignment with the group-wide Communications Strategy and provide strategic guidance and support of the Mall of Saudi development. This role will deliver counsel and support on internal and external communications, media relations, digital communications, stakeholder engagement, strategic partnerships, issue management and thought leadership. The role will work in partnership with the group-wide Communications function to deliver engaging and successful communications and reputation initiatives. 

SMBU has 29 shopping malls across the region of which there are two brands – ‘City Centre’ and ‘Mall of’ which require unique and differentiating communications strategies that ensure their brand purpose and vision are infused in all communications initiatives and events.  Additionally, shopping malls also has clear digital, experiential, innovation, new products, loyalty and analytics strategies which will further amplify the perception of creating 360-degree lifestyle destinations and this role is critical to the story telling of this vision.

Role Details – Key Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

Communications Strategy:

• Develop and execute the Communications strategy, plan and content development for operating shopping malls, new developments and the launch of a first of its kind Mall of the Future programme
• Develop meaningful engagement for a wide and diversified audience by creating and delivering on-site, online and hybrid communication platforms
• Collaborate with targeted communities and beneficiaries for a diversified outreach
• Content curation & transforming a business/corporate narrative to a general public/consumer/visitor friendly story to foster engagement for further social impact.
• Follow and analyse industry best practices, consumer and technology trends to update and integrate where possible in our marketing and communications strategy and experience delivery

Communications Planning:

• Improve stakeholder/media relations, respond to queries and leading engagements
• Build and maintain influential partnerships whilst identifying new networking opportunities.
• Plan and organize industry events with the purpose of active engagement
• Responsible for positioning, promoting, and protecting the brand and reputation of Majid Al Futtaim Shopping Malls within the scope of the role.
• Partner and align with the Corporate Communications team to co-develop and deliver comprehensive engagement activities to achieve organizational, business, and brand goals.
• Ensures communications plans are mapped against business and brand objectives, align with organizational vision and values, reflect Majid Al Futtaim core narratives, and cater to all relevant stakeholders.
• Builds relationships across the business and functions to ensure an integrated strategy that drives the Company’s ambitions and furthers SMBU’s strategic goals.
• Provides strategic counsel and guidance to the Senior Director of Marketing, the CEO Chief Corporate Development Officer and management team to ensure all relevant communications engagements are in line with Majid Al Futtaim’s corporate communications strategy, objectives, policies, and guidelines.
• Develops an in-depth understanding as to the competitive landscape to ensure communications advisory and contribution are relevant, grounded and fitting of the Company’s position as a regional market leader and key contributor to global dialogues.
• Manage internal/external communications, led speaking engagements with government entities, and support spokespeople during rehearsals

Campaigns, Media & Content:

• Maximise exposure, grow brand awareness, ensure proper messaging, and oversee reputation
• Harmonise brand messaging by developing a communication toolkit, brand guidelines, identity and positioning
• Develops creative communications plans, assets, and materials that support the delivery of the SMBU strategy, using appropriate communications channels and message senders. 
• Based on situational assessment and alignment with Corporate Communications, designs and proposes fully-rounded communications campaigns, which may include social, external and internal audiences and channels
• Partners with Marketing and Brand teams to create and coordinate multimedia/omnichannel product campaigns

Works with Corporate Communications and agencies of record, measures and evaluates success of campaigns when completed

 Qualities

• Will have a firm understanding of a communications function that will need to develop a strategy that covers retail, innovation, omnichannel, lifestyle and destination focus areas, placemaking, loyalty and experiences
• Will possess a good understanding internal, digital and external communications trends and tools, emerging practices, and an ability to promote innovative communication ideas and solutions.
• Will have a proven track record in devising and delivering impactful strategic communications support in matrix organizations.
• Will have strong advisory and facilitation skills.
• Will have strong influencing and relationship skills. Must be able to influence without the need for direct authority.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills. (English)
• Successfully manage risks and issues, implementing mitigating activities as appropriate, and escalating where required in accordance to the established policies and procedures.
• Ability to develop communications for a range in channels including written, graphic, digital and face to face channels.
• Excellent communication skills: able to present formal / informal findings in a clearly defined and persuasive manner

Disclaimer: This role description reflects the general details considered necessary to describe the principal responsibilities of the role identified and shall not be construed as an exhaustive description of all the work requirements inherent to success in the role.

Definition of Success

KPIs:

Media coverage and sentiment (e.g., Positive, Negative, Neutral Carma analysis)

Issue radar

Thought leadership placements

Internal client feedback survey

Additional metrics, as required

Reputation enhancement

Authority and share of voice for the mall of the future trends

Earned Media

Another Context (if applicable):

TBA

Functional/Technical Competencies

Skillset (job specific technical skills and behavioral competencies needed)

Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills that may include public speaking and presentations.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent time management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines across multiple simultaneous projects.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• You are curious with a bias toward action and thrive in a fast-paced organization.
• English (Full professional proficiency - Required)
• Arabic is an advantage

Personal Characteristics and Required Background:

Minimum Qualifications/education

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Advertising, English, Business or related field is required.

Minimum experience

• Seven to ten years of related experience writing and editing projects; portfolio of relevant previous projects highly preferred.
• Previous experience in technology companies or similar dynamic digital environment is preferred.