Area Director Of Marketing - Australia, Nz & The Pacific

JOB SUMMARY

The Area Director of Marketing is responsible for shaping the vision and strategic direction of Marketing initiatives across Managed and Franchised hotels within a designated area, Australia New Zealand, and Pacific Islands (ANZP). Leading a team of Marketing leaders, they guide the development and execution of Brand, PR, Partnerships, and Digital Marketing plans for participating hotels. The focus is on ensuring the effectiveness of Marketing efforts, aligning with corporate strategies, and meeting business targets. The Area Director implements system-wide plans, tracks results, and serves as the point person for Owner and Market escalations related to marketing challenges.

Additionally, the Area Director of Marketing serves as the marketing leader for a specific source market, specifically Australia. Their primary role involves promoting Marriott International, its brands, and loyalty programs within the source market, while also representing the "voice of Marriott" to priority destination markets. The ADOM actively contributes to positioning the area, supporting hotels in revenue generation, and enhancing RevPAR, market share, and brand awareness through the optimal utilisation of Marketing programs at both regional and property levels. Collaborating with the Brand, Loyalty, and Consumer Operations Team, the ADOM develops tailored campaigns, partnerships, and marketing strategies for participating hotels.

Only candidates with full working rights for Australia will be considered.

BUSINESS CONTEXT

• 40%-50% of time is spent travelling.

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

Education and Experience 

• 4-year degree from an accredited university in Business Administration, Marketing or related field required. MBA or similar advanced degree a plus
• 15+ years progressive work experience in the hotel industry is preferred with focus on Partnerships, PR and Digital Marketing is required.
• Knowledge and experience in developing strategic marketing plans, brand communications, public relations, partnership marketing, online platform, brand marketing, financial planning and budgeting is required.
• Broad PR, marketing & digital leadership experience in multiple environments preferred
• Hotel property experience, hotel field marketing experience, cluster or related preferred
• Demonstrated ability to balance the interests and demands of multiple stakeholders
• International working experience strongly preferred.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent marketing skills, processes, and strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to develop, plan and implement successful marketing strategies.
• Demonstrated clear ability to understand and apply Marketing and PR concepts.
• Possesses an understanding of brand strategies and cultures.
• Demonstrated leadership ability with the ability to lead and develop a team.
• Excellent verbal, writing, listening, and presentation skills.
• Able to influence results in a matrix environment.
• Knowledge and management of Marketing budgets.
• Possesses an understanding of revenue management functions and account profitability.
• Ability to diagnose reports and analyse data.
• Possess good time management and ability to multi-task.
• Familiar with content management systems is an added advantage.

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

Destination 65% 

• Leads three cohorts of teams including Marriott Digital Services (MDS), Field Marketing and on property Hotel/in market Cluster teams that focuses driving awareness, consideration and conversion strategies for hotels within the area/markets.
• Provides strategic guidance to hotels on all facets of Marketing.
• Works with the brand marketing team to ensure that all marketing activities are adhering to brand communication guidelines and standards through regular updates.
• Guides the Hotels through the marketing plan and budget process.
• Is involved in building cluster marketing and combining resources to leverage marketing.
• Acts as marketing consultant for properties' General Manager, property leaders and Market leaders. As Area Director of Marketing leader, he/she understands and accurately represents participating properties marketing needs.
• Assists with recruitment of key marketing talents and develops a diverse, high-caliber talent pool that makes a strong positive impact on the organization.
• Manages succession planning and career-pathing programs for marketing associates on-property and multi-property.
• Coaches and motivates marketing associates, provide constructive feedback to enhance their performance.

Source 35%

• Understands source market dynamics in depth and able to effectively communicate those dynamics to relevant partners.
• Leverages on market and economic trends to develop marketing strategies and tactics for the source market.
• Partners with portfolio and brand marketing to build awareness of Marriott International and relevant brands in the specified source market.
• Works with the Marriott brand teams to build awareness of specific brands within the market.
• Launches new brands in the market. Either for new hotels (brand launches) within market, or new brands in other markets with reliance on/potential from the source market.
• Leads partnerships and loyalty initiatives within market.
• Evaluates and monitors the effectiveness of all launched marketing campaigns and makes recommendations for improvement.
• Communicates closely with the brand/loyalty leadership to ensure a coordinated market approach and to maximize synergies and drive engagement in Marriott brands and programs.

General

• Manages significant marketing budgets and administrative budgets.  Assists in the development of the hotels’ yearly marketing plans.
• Displays creativity, initiative, and leadership skills and demonstrates working knowledge of all tasks within your area of responsibility.
• Proactively develops and manages key stakeholder relationships, both owners, external and internal.
• Takes a leadership role in crisis situations to manage communications and act as a voice of Marriott International within his/her source market.
• Visits properties annually to determine if they are on target in their marketing strategies and maintaining relevant brand standards.
• Performs other duties as assigned to meet business needs.
• Selects, develops (including career planning), and manages on-property and multi-property marketing associates.
• Trains, coaches, and mentors associates to ensure ongoing brand awareness/marketing skills development and performance improvement.
• Maintains accurate and updated knowledge of competition marketing strategies, strengths, and weaknesses in all market segments in the Area.
• Proactively develops and manages key stakeholder relationships, both owner and internal.
• Recruits, interviews, and develops diverse, high-caliber talent that makes a strong positive impact on the organization. 
• Develops and manages internal key stakeholder relationships.
• Establish excellent working relationships with all internal stakeholders responsible for driving hotel revenues
• Attract, retain and motivate Marketing associates
• Develop and supervise all marketing activities
• Lead the Marketing efforts for all Hotel Openings and conversions
• Manage the communication of all marketing related initiatives to the Field 

MANAGEMENT COMPETENCIES 

• Communication - Conveys information and ideas to others in a convincing and engaging manner through a variety of methods.

• Leading Through Vision and Values - Keeps the organization's vision and values at the forefront of decision making and action.

• Managing Change - Initiates and/or manages the change process and energizes it on an ongoing basis, taking steps to remove barriers or accelerate its pace; serves as role model for how to handle change by maintaining composure and performance level under pressure or when experiencing challenges.

• Problem Solving and Decision Making - Identifies and understands issues, problems, and opportunities; obtains and compares information from different sources to draw conclusions, develops and evaluates alternatives and solutions, solves problems, and chooses a course of action.

• Professional Demeanor - Exhibits behavioral styles that convey confidence and command respect from others; makes a good first impression and represents the company in alignment with its values. 

• Strategy Development - Develops business plans by exploring and systematically evaluating opportunities with the greatest potential for producing positive results; ensures successful preparation and execution of business plans through effective planning, organizing, and on-going evaluation processes.

• Building a Successful Team - Uses an effective interpersonal style to build a cohesive team; inspires and sustains team cohesion and engagement by focusing the team on its mission and importance to the organization.

• Strategy Execution– Ensures successful execution across of business plans designed to maximize customer satisfaction, profitability, and market share through effective planning, organizing, and on-going evaluation processes.

• Driving for Results - Sets high standards of performance for self and/or others; assumes responsibility for work objectives; initiates, focuses, and monitors the efforts of self and/or others toward the accomplishment goals; proactively takes action and goes beyond what is required.

• Global Mindset - Supports employees and business partners with diverse styles, abilities, motivations, and/or cultural perspectives; utilizes differences to drive innovation, engagement and enhance business results; and ensures employees are given the opportunity to contribute to their full potential.

• Strategic Partnerships - Develops collaborative relationships with fellow employees and business partners by making them feel valued, appreciated, and included; explores partnership opportunities with other people in and outside the organization; influences and leverages corporate and continental shared services and/or discipline leaders (e.g., HR, Sales & Marketing, Finance, Revenue Management) to achieve objectives; maintains effective external relations with government, business and industry in respective countries; performs effectively as a liaison between locations, disciplines, and corporate to ensure needed resources are received and corporate strategies are understood and executed.

• Organizational Capability - Evaluates and adapts the structure of assignments and work processes to best fit the needs and/or support the goals of an organizational unit.

• Talent Management - Provides guidance and feedback to help individuals develop and strengthen skills and abilities needed to accomplish work objectives.

Marriott International is an equal opportunity employer. We believe in hiring a diverse workforce and sustaining an inclusive, people-first culture. We are committed to non-discrimination on any protected basis, such as disability and veteran status, or any other basis covered under applicable law.