About Four Seasons:
Four Seasons is powered by our people. We are a collective of individuals who crave to become better, to push ourselves to new heights and to treat each other as we wish to be treated in return. Our team members around the world create amazing experiences for our guests, residents, and partners through a commitment to luxury with genuine heart. We know that the best way to enable our people to deliver these exceptional guest experiences is through a world-class employee experience and company culture.
At Four Seasons, we believe in recognizing a familiar face, welcoming a new one and treating everyone we meet the way we would want to be treated ourselves. Whether you work with us, stay with us, live with us or discover with us, we believe our purpose is to create impressions that will stay with you for a lifetime. It comes from our belief that life is richer when we truly connect to the people and the world around us.
About the location:
Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts is a global, luxury hotel management company. We manage over 120 hotels and resorts and 50 private residences in 47 countries around the world and growing. Central to Four Seasons employee experience and social impact programming is the company’s commitment to supporting cancer research, and the advancement of diversity, inclusion, equality and belonging at Four Seasons corporate offices and properties worldwide. At Four Seasons, we are powered by people and our culture enables everything we do.
Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications (Americas) – 8 Month Contract
As the PR, social media and corporate communications lead for the Americas, this critical role provides exceptional leadership, guidance, and support to our property PRDs throughout this diverse and dynamic region. The Director, Public Relations and Corporate Communications (Americas) will be an integral member of the global PR and social media, Centre of Excellence (COE) responsible for implementing high impact initiatives and programs that broaden the reach, heighten awareness and help differentiate Four Seasons across the region.
This role is pivotal in driving brand awareness and preference, while shaping and supporting the region's overall commercial success. Critical responsibilities include the integration of public relations, social media marketing (organic), and influencer / KOL relations into our global and regional commercial initiatives, ensuring regional relevance and alignment with shared global business priorities and metrics.
Key areas of responsibility include but are not limited to:
- Providing strategic and ongoing guidance and direction to property teams to maximize awareness, reach and effectiveness with a multichannel approach across multiple commercial functions including public relations, social media (organic), influencer / KOL relations, community management and crisis communications.
- Providing strategic and ongoing guidance to regional PR and Social Media agencies in North America, Brazil, Mexico and developing in-markets campaigns to benefit the brand.
- Ensure campaigns are adapted to cater to the unique preferences and cultural sensitivities of different markets where relevant, supported by market research and data insights. Managing ongoing initiatives and project work related to new openings / conversions.
- Developing or inputting into tools, policies, training, and best practices to empower property PRSM teams in executing effective strategies to drive results against key metrics.
- Developing or supporting PRSM co-ops in the Americas.
- Supporting regional integrated campaigns, partnerships, promotions, and media events, ensuring seamless execution and alignment with brand guidelines and objectives.
- Acting as the Regional Brand PR representative at select events and nurturing media relations and partnerships in the region.
- Providing issues and crisis support to properties in collaboration with the global corporate communications team and key internal stakeholders.
This highly collaborative position requires exceptional communication and relationship-building skills. The individual must be a self-starter who is motivated and proactive in identifying gaps and opportunities and must be able to lead and engage with other internal and external team members who do not have a direct reporting relationship.
The successful candidate will have a broad spectrum of public relations, social media and influencer marketing experience; have team and agency management experience, including managing multi-faceted projects; be a strategist who understands the luxury market and customer; be able to manage multiple initiatives; and exhibit exceptional leadership and presentation skills to support the needs of the properties in the region.
Spilt-line reporting to:
- Senior Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Relations
- Vice President, Commercial (Americas)
Key Activities:
Manage regional programs, executive profiling and events as part of global PRSM COE
- Represent the Americas as part of the global PRSM COE, working in collaboration with, Corporate PR, social media and corporate communications, working alongside regional marketing counterparts. Manage regional Americas agencies in their support of the corporate mandate.
- Infuse creativity and innovation leveraging the full spectrum of PRSM arsenal including but not limited to events, earned media, social media organic) and influencer relations.
- Monitor KPI achievement monthly.
Property support and PRSM leadership
- Guide and support property activation of regional and brand initiatives.
- Provide functional expertise relative to PR strategy, media relations and social media, including organic social media content development.
- Support the recruitment, training and orientation of new PRSM positions in the region.
- Provide a supportive role in managing and developing talents, including reskilling and upskilling, for future growth for the region.
- Help define and ensure compliance to policies and, best practices.
- Provide direction and guidance for property PRSM teams to ensure adoption of corporate tools, insights, guidelines and programs.
- Collaborate with global COEs to create training program materials leveraging brand training tools for new on-property PR and social media (organic) team members.
- Synthesize regional all-calls to gather content and information as needed.
- Guide performance metrics, tracking and reporting standards at property level.
- Work closely with Regional Directors of PR and Communications to develop regional synergies, toolkits and sharing best practices with Americas properties.
- Support crisis communications, in consultation with SVP, Corporate Communications and Public Relations and Senior Director, Corporate Communications.
- Support properties in hiring process and select onboarding of PRDs, as needed.
- Oversee the development and execution of a comprehensive PRSM strategy and associated budgets in property marketing plans to enhance brand awareness and preference.
Providing strategic and ongoing guidance to regional PR and Social Media agencies
- Manage the business relationship of Brand PRSM agencies in the region, including contract negotiations, budgeting, and invoice processing.
- Day to day management of the PR and social media agencies against Global Annual Plan as well as the regional programming.
- Plan and oversee execution of regional media events and executive profiling.
- Orchestrate annual agencies planning meeting, working with Global and regional stakeholders.
Managing ongoing initiatives and project work related to new openings/conversions
- Strategic consultancy; input into pre-opening budget.
- Project management of pre-opening PRSM, development progress leading up to hiring and training of on property resource.
- Develop the PR Brief for Global agencies.
- Review and provide input to relevant agencies’ PR Plans for launch.
- Work collaboratively with the property PRD to ensure a smooth transition between the pre-opening period and launch, and through post opening.
- Oversee the development of the Press Kit for the Press Room.
- Guide hotel resource to create innovative PRSM, programs that are consistent with brand guidelines and direction; ensure brand and international agencies are informed and aligned.
- Manage media inquiries and agency onboardings prior to PRD hire.
- Interview final PRD candidates, lead PR and Social Media.
- Work collaboratively with the hotel PRD to ensure a smooth transition between the pre-opening period and launch, and through post opening.
Coordination of multi-channel activities building brand awareness and business from various Asia Pacific markets
- Provide strategic guidance on property social media and track performance to ensure hotel results meet set regional KPIs; diagnose issues and work with global and regional teams to develop solutions.
- Support Restaurant + Bar Marketing strategy in region.
- Guide properties on planning and executing integrated content marketing campaigns through PR, social media and influencer marketing.
- Contribute to ICP and support timely and topical news stories to drive awareness and SOV across the region.
- Manage regional influencer list in partnership with property PR teams, agency partners and brand team.
- Leverage social media brand tools, resources and Global Analytics for regional programming and analysis as relevant.
Administrative and reporting activities, as required
- Analyze all available data to improve awareness, SOV, and engagements.
- Provide regional reporting and analytical insights to regional performances as it relates to PR, social media (organic), and influencer activities.
What You Bring:
- Bachelor's degree. Master’s degree, post graduate certificate or equivalent in PR, social media or digital marketing would be an asset.
- 7+ years progressive experience in PR, communications, and social media marketing; experience within an agency environment is an asset. Brand and luxury marketing preferred.
- Strong computer skills in a PC environment, including MS Office (Word, PowerPoint, and Excel). Exceptional presentation building skills and adept at learning new applications.
- Excellent knowledge of social media channels including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram. Awareness of emerging and regional social media channels and trends.
- Strong understanding of social media metrics and analytics; experienced with social media management tools and platforms.
- Relevant agency, consumer goods and / or PR and communications management experience.
- Broad range of expertise across strategic communications disciplines including public relations, communications, social media marketing, influencer and media relations
- Relevant luxury goods or services experience; understanding of international luxury markets and consumers.
Key Skills/Who You Are:
- Exceptional communication (written and verbal) and interpersonal (coaching, coordinating) skills, required to support a diverse team of employees, consultants and agencies on a daily basis.
- Able to bring together, coordinate and lead projects within a matrix structure, with multiple managers and indirect stakeholders.
- Able to achieve under pressure - multiple tasks and time constraints.
- Excellent project management skills - able to conceive and implement projects from start to finish, manage processes and expectations, and build commitment to deadlines.
- Ability to think critically and evaluate best possible solutions and procedures.
- Able to work independently, solve problems, take initiative, and use good judgement.
- Well-organized, able to set priorities and detail oriented.
- Demonstrated and exceptional leadership skills
- Demonstrated strategic management skills.
- Budget management skills.
- Superior written communications, organizational and presentation skills.
- Reputation for professionalism and integrity.
Travel:
- As needed, within and beyond the Region (est. Between 20%-30% of time).
This role will be a Hybrid working model, which will require 3 days per week in the Four Seasons Corporate Office located at 1165 Leslie Street, Toronto, Ontario #LI-Hybrid
Four Seasons is committed to providing employment accommodation in accordance with the Ontario Human Rights Code and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. If contacted for an employment opportunity, please advise Human Resources if you require accommodation.
