Director of Marketing, Digital & Communications

Job Description The Director of Marketing, Digital & Communications is responsible for shaping and elevating the hotel's brand positioning, reputation, visibility, guest desirability and digital performance across all touchpoints. As a key member of the leadership team, this role leads the development and execution of integrated marketing, communications, public relations, social media, content, partnerships, e-commerce and digital strategies, ensuring the hotel is positioned as one of the leading luxury hospitality destinations in Makkah. The role is responsible for driving both brand equity and measurable commercial performance across Rooms, Restaurants, Wellness and ancillary revenue streams. Acting as both a brand guardian and cultural ambassador, the Director ensures that all communications, storytelling, partnerships and guest engagement initiatives reflect the elegance of the Sofitel brand while respecting the cultural and social significance of the destination. Working closely with Revenue Management, Sales, Operations and Regional Commercial teams, the Director ensures all marketing and digital initiatives contribute to revenue growth, guest engagement and the long-term success of the hotel. Key responsibilities, among others: Strategy, Positioning & Commercial Planning: • Develop and execute the annual marketing, communications and digital marketing strategy aligned with brand objectives and commercial priorities. • Act as guardian of the hotel's Cultural Link and positioning framework, ensuring all campaigns, partnerships, storytelling and guest experiences remain aligned with the property's identity and brand narrative. • Contribute actively to strategic planning, budgeting and forecasting processes. • Define annual digital revenue targets for direct and indirect channels. • Build annual digital marketing plans and budgets covering all digital channels and performance levers. • Identify strategic partnerships, collaborations and cultural opportunities that strengthen visibility, guest engagement and brand desirability. • Work closely with Revenue Management and Sales teams to ensure alignment between commercial objectives and marketing initiatives. Marketing, Communications & Public Relations: • Lead the hotel's integrated marketing, communications and PR strategy across all guest-facing channels. • Oversee media relations, brand campaigns, partnerships, storytelling and activations in line with the luxury positioning of the hotel. • Build and maintain strong relationships with media, tourism stakeholders, luxury partners, cultural institutions and key industry contacts. • Drive local, regional and international visibility through impactful storytelling and strategic communications. • Manage content direction including photography, videography, editorial storytelling and campaign production, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints. • Manage external agencies, creative partners, photographers, videographers and production suppliers. Digital Marketing & E-Commerce: • Own the full e-commerce and digital strategy across direct and indirect channels, accountable for digital revenue across Rooms, F&B, Wellness and ancillary streams, and for the optimal mix between channels. • Drive direct performance through the hotel websites, booking engine and wider direct channel, optimising the guest journey and direct-booking growth. • Own the indirect channel strategy, managing visibility, content and commercial terms to grow market share and revenue contribution. • Own the paid media budget and channel mix across SEM, metasearch, display, social, and OTA optimising spend for return across both direct and indirect. • Oversee CRM initiatives, database growth, segmentation and guest lifecycle communications. • Hold digital campaigns and agencies accountable for measurable ROI, lead generation and conversion, keeping the property ahead of emerging platforms and consumer trends • Own digital measurement and attribution, analytics, tracking and dashboards, as the single source of truth for digital performance across all channels. • Stay abreast of emerging digital platforms, technologies and consumer trends to identify new opportunities for growth. Social Media & Content Strategy: • Define and oversee the hotel's social media strategy to strengthen awareness, engagement and community growth. • Ensure all content reflects the luxury standards, visual identity and cultural relevance of the brand. • Identify emerging social trends, creators, influencers and partnership opportunities. • Lead content planning, creation and publishing across all social channels. • Monitor and optimise social media performance and audience engagement. Online Reputation & Guest Engagement: • Manage the hotel's online reputation and guest sentiment across all review platforms. • Monitor guest feedback and identify opportunities to improve the guest experience. • Work closely with Operations and Guest Relations teams to address guest concerns and enhance satisfaction. • Leverage guest insights and reviews to support marketing and commercial strategies. Performance Analytics & Market Intelligence; • Analyse campaign performance, website analytics, digital marketing data and market intelligence. • Monitor competitor activity, tourism trends and luxury consumer behaviour. • Track key performance indicators including website traffic, engagement, conversion, revenue contribution and ROI. • Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Hospitality Management, Business or a related field. • Minimum 8 10 years' experience in luxury hospitality marketing, communications, digital marketing or e-commerce leadership roles. • Proven experience leading integrated marketing, communications and digital strategies within a luxury hospitality or lifestyle environment. • Strong understanding of luxury brand positioning, storytelling and guest engagement. • Strong commercial acumen with the ability to translate brand initiatives into measurable business results. • Strong understanding of SEO, SEM, CRM, social media, website management and digital marketing platforms. • Experience managing PR agencies, creative partners, digital agencies and production suppliers. • Excellent communication, presentation and stakeholder management skills. • Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. • Fluent in English and Arabic.