Group Director of Marketing & Communications

Job Description FRS Makkah is seeking an accomplished and commercially driven Group Director of Marketing & Communications to lead the strategic direction and execution of marketing, public relations and communications across a distinguished portfolio of four luxury and upper-upscale hotels: * Makkah Clock Royal Tower, A Fairmont Hotel * Raffles Makkah Palace * Swissôtel Makkah * Swissôtel Al Maqam Makkah Reporting to the relevant senior commercial leadership, the Group Director will be responsible for developing and implementing an integrated marketing and communications strategy that strengthens brand positioning, enhances market visibility, supports revenue growth and reinforces the reputation of each hotel and the wider portfolio. This leadership role requires a strategic thinker with strong commercial acumen, a deep understanding of luxury hospitality, and the ability to balance the distinctive identities of internationally recognized hotel brands with the shared objectives of the group. The successful candidate will lead brand marketing, public relations, corporate communications, digital marketing, content, social media, CRM and loyalty marketing, while fostering strong collaboration with hotel General Managers, commercial teams, brand representatives and external stakeholders. A strong understanding of the Saudi hospitality landscape, particularly the unique dynamics of Makkah’s religious tourism market, is essential to delivering relevant, culturally sensitive and commercially effective marketing initiatives. Key Responsibilities 1. Group Marketing Strategy & Commercial Leadership * Develop and lead the group-wide marketing strategy, annual marketing plans and long-term brand development roadmap, translating business objectives into measurable marketing priorities for each hotel. * Establish clear positioning and differentiation strategies for each property, ensuring alignment with individual brand standards, target audiences, competitive positioning and commercial objectives. * Translate market intelligence, customer insights, competitive analysis and demand forecasts into actionable marketing strategies that support business growth. * Lead integrated, multi-channel marketing campaigns across key domestic and international source markets, with particular focus on Umrah, Hajj, Ramadan and other high-demand travel periods. * Identify opportunities to increase demand and revenue across rooms, suites, food and beverage, meetings and events, and other hotel offerings through targeted campaigns, strategic partnerships and brand activations. * Work closely with Group Commercial leadership, Sales and Revenue Management to align marketing investment with business priorities, demand generation and revenue objectives. * Develop strategic partnerships with tourism authorities, travel trade partners, relevant organizations, media outlets and commercial stakeholders to expand market reach and strengthen brand equity. * Champion innovative marketing approaches, emerging consumer trends and new opportunities to enhance competitiveness and market relevance. 2. Brand Strategy & Governance * Safeguard the integrity and consistency of each hotel’s brand identity, positioning and communication across all marketing channels and guest-facing touchpoints. * Ensure compliance with global brand standards, corporate guidelines and approved visual and verbal identities, while adapting communications to local market needs. * Develop distinctive brand narratives and positioning strategies that highlight each property’s unique value proposition, guest experience and competitive advantages. * Oversee the development and approval of marketing collateral, campaigns, creative concepts, photography, video content and other brand assets. * Establish effective marketing governance processes, including content approval, brand compliance reviews, campaign standards and quality assurance across the portfolio. * Collaborate with international brand teams and corporate stakeholders to leverage global campaigns, brand resources and marketing opportunities while ensuring local relevance. 3. Public Relations, Media Relations & Corporate Communications * Lead the group’s public relations and communications strategy, strengthening brand reputation, media visibility and stakeholder engagement across local, regional and international markets. * Build and maintain strong relationships with key media organizations, journalists, editors, industry publications, influencers and relevant communications partners. * Oversee the development of press releases, media statements, executive messages, interviews, feature stories, corporate announcements and other external communications. * Identify and secure strategic media opportunities, including editorial features, leadership interviews, hospitality awards, industry recognition and relevant media partnerships. * Lead the planning and execution of media visits, press events, familiarization trips, launches, hotel milestones and strategic communications initiatives. * Develop executive communications and key messaging for General Managers and senior leadership, ensuring consistency, clarity and alignment with the group’s strategic priorities. * Oversee internal communications initiatives, where applicable, to support organizational alignment, employee engagement and awareness of group priorities and achievements. * Establish crisis and issues management protocols in collaboration with hotel leadership and relevant corporate stakeholders, ensuring timely, accurate and coordinated communications. * Monitor media coverage, sentiment, share of voice and reputation indicators, translating insights into recommendations that strengthen the group’s public profile. * Ensure all communications reflect the cultural sensitivities, values and expectations of operating in Makkah and the wider Saudi market. 4. Digital Marketing, Content & Social Media * Lead the group’s digital marketing strategy, encompassing search engine optimization, paid search, paid social, display advertising, online content and other relevant digital channels. * Develop integrated digital campaigns that increase brand awareness, generate qualified demand and support measurable commercial outcomes. * Oversee the strategic direction of social media channels, ensuring compelling storytelling, consistent brand representation, audience engagement and alignment with individual hotel positioning. * Direct content strategy and creative production across photography, video, editorial content, campaign assets and digital storytelling. * Ensure hotel websites, digital content and campaign landing pages present accurate, engaging and brand-compliant information, working with the relevant teams responsible for website management. * Use customer insights, campaign analytics, audience segmentation and performance data to optimize targeting, channel effectiveness and marketing investment. * Explore relevant emerging technologies, marketing platforms and digital trends to improve campaign effectiveness, audience engagement and the overall guest journey. * Establish clear performance standards for digital campaigns, content quality, social media engagement and marketing-generated demand. 5. CRM, Customer Engagement & Loyalty Marketing * Lead CRM and customer engagement strategies that support audience acquisition, personalized communications, repeat visitation and long-term guest relationships. * Develop targeted campaigns aligned with customer profiles, travel behavior, market segments and key booking periods. * Drive marketing initiatives that support ALL – Accor Live Limitless membership awareness, enrolment, engagement and participation, in coordination with relevant Accor teams. * Collaborate with hotel operations, Sales, Reservations and other relevant departments to align marketing communications with the guest journey and improve customer engag