Section Head - Comms and Media Relations

Job Purpose:

The Section Head - Comms and Media Relations is responsible for the development and maintenance of relationships with B2B and media entities to support the GDMO strategic vision and alignment to communicating and promoting the Dubai Key Messages, a matrix of communication messages aligned with the Dubai Vision. He/she is responsible for ensuring growth in the relationships as well as positioning of communication messages for GDMO departments and B2B accounts through relationships with media entities as well as GDMO’s owned channels and platforms to position Dubai in alignment with the Dubai Key Messages.  He/she is additionally responsible for supporting the Strategic Relations Director with Crisis Communications procedures and protocols with internal and external parties in case of crisis situations. The Section Head - Comms and Media Relations is also responsible for the development of the Comms and Media Relations team, in both technical and soft skills, using on-the-job training as well as in-person or online classroom training. The role holder is expected to demonstrate leadership skills, financial and budget management acumen and carry out his/her duties in accordance with the relevant business policies and procedures.   

General Responsibilities : 

·     Manage the implementation of the strategic vision for Comms and Media Relations, to achieve the strategic objectives set out for the department in line with the overall GDMO strategic vision.

·     Develop and maintain excellent working relationships with Directors across GDMO, working together when needed to support and deliver the GDMO strategy.

·     Drive collaboration between Comms and Media Relations and Media Analytics Center, to leverage data, insights, sentiment analysis and reports to inform and influence communications and campaign planning.

·     Manage the Comms and Media Relations team in their day-to-day and project work, providing technical skills support and direction to ensure smooth and successful delivery of results and strategic projects/initiatives in line with the GDMO strategic vision.

·     Produce monthly KPI reports, providing supporting documents used to capture and calculate the KPI metrics.

·     Develop talent within the Comms and Media Relations team through on-the-job training and other training (online and classroom), covering both technical and soft skills.

B2B Relations :

·     Develop the strategy for growing and maintaining relationships with B2B entities across government, semi-government and private.

·     Ensure all B2B contacts are captured and updated as and when needed within the contacts database.

·     Ensure the development and maintenance of relationships with government, semi-government and private entities within Dubai through regular communications, roadshows and media support services.

·     Ensure the Comms Team produces and maintains Annual Business Activities Calendar for B2B accounts to identify and drive communications and campaign planning in line with the Dubai Key Messages.

·     Ensure the Comms Team produces Annual Communications Plans for B2B Accounts, identifying opportunities to use and leverage media engagements, announcements, partnership initiatives with GDMO, campaigns with GDMO-sourced talent and content creators, etc in the communications plan to share the Dubai Key Messages in alignment with the B2B account’s activities.

·     Identify communication opportunities for sharing the key messages of B2B activities with the GDMO Comms teams, for promoting and communicating them across GDMO platforms.

·     Drive strategic planning within the Comms Relations team for communications plans and campaigns through determining target audiences for communications content and platforms, developing platform/distribution channel strategies to maximize communications impact, evaluating current communications mix to assess channel performance and using insights for future planning of campaigns and communication channel mix.

·     Oversee the development of B2B account communications and campaigns to ensure alignment between customer requirements/needs and sharing content in line with the Dubai Key Messages.

·     Oversee and manage KPI data collection by the Comms Relations team for the monthly reporting of KPIs.

·     Attend pitch meetings with media platforms/entities for paid campaigns carried out for B2B accounts.

Media Relations  :

·     Develop the strategy for growing and maintaining relationships with local, regional and international media entities, including influencers, social media personalities and media personalities.

·     Drive strategic planning within the Media Relations team for the engagement and relationship-building activities with media entities.

·     Ensure the development and maintenance of relationships with media entities across local, regional and international media, identifying key and beneficial relationships in local, regional and international markets for the dissemination of the "Dubai Key Messages".

·     Ensure all media relations contacts are captured and updated as and when needed within the contacts database.

·     Review and sign off on media statements for international entities, whether based in Dubai or in international markets.

·     Develop media collaboration opportunities with local, regional and international media entities, including influencers, social media personalities and media personalities.

·     Ensure the Media Relations Team develop Communications Plans for international markets, growing the dissemination of the Dubai Key Messages in these markets through identified media entities, personalities and people of influence.

·    Oversee and manage KPI data collection by the Media Relations team for the monthly reporting of KPIs.

GDMO Communications : 

·     Oversee the development of the DPC annual Communications Plan to identify communications opportunities for sharing the key messages about DPC through the DPC channels in line with the Dubai Key Messages.

·     Oversee the development of the Brand Dubai annual Communications Plan to identify communications opportunities for sharing the key messages about Brand Dubai through the Brand Dubai channels in line with the Dubai Key Messages.

·     Ensure the development of a GDMO content plan, sourcing communications, content and campaigns from Comms Relations as well as the DPC and Brand Dubai Communications plans to position Dubai through the Dubai Key Messages using GDMO channels (social media and website) and DG’s LinkedIn account.

·     Drive strategic planning within the GDMO Comms team for communications plans and campaigns through determining target audiences for communications content and platforms, developing platform/distribution channel strategies to maximize communications impact, evaluating current communications mix to assess channel performance and using insights for future planning of campaigns and communication channel mix.

·     Identify KPIs for content quality and quantity, such as number of social media content pieces produced, reach and engagement, website clicks, bounce rate etc.

·     Track and report the content KPIs, using the data as feedback to make changes to or adjust the communications strategy.

Key Interactions & Nature of Interaction:

Internal:

·        Collaborate with other Directors to achieve the shared GDMO objectives of promoting and protecting Dubai and its Leadership.

·        Collaborate with Media Analytics Center to align communications activities (social media, editorial, website and activations) with the Dubai Key Messages.

·        Collaborate with Strategy & Excellence to work on strategic projects and initiatives, ensure process excellence and adhere to KPI achievement and reporting.

·        Collaborate with Corporate Support for procurement, finance and human resources needs across projects, partnerships and collaborations, and internal employee needs.

·        Collaborate with Brand Dubai to deliver activations for B2B customers and media partners

External:

·        Build and maintain excellent relations with B2B entities, including government, semi-government and private organizations.

·        Build and maintain excellent relations with media entities, across the local, regional and international media landscape.

Functional Experience :

A minimum of 7 years of relevant experience with at least 4 - 5 years in a similar role

Leadership/Supervisory:

·   A minimum of 5 years leading and managing teams

·  A minimum of 3 years managing a budget

Education and Qualification Required: 

·     Master’s degree in Journalism, Communication, or Marketing

• Education and Qualification Required: 

  
  

  ·     Master’s degree in Journalism, Communication, or Marketing