Senior Strategic Communications Manager

Purpose of the role

Plays a key role within the Communications Team to manage external communications, build the reputation of the company, and proactively develop and promote the group’s public profile, in line with the group’s brand values. The senior manager will have single ownership of strategic communication matters that affect the overall perception of the company network wide. 

Responsibilities

Overall network level responsibilities: 

• Lead development of corporate communications strategy of emerging network level business and organisation matters (such as labour related topics, public affairs topics, network wide commercial news, etc). 
• Proactively develops compelling story angles. 
• Oversight of operating market communications in connection to network level topics and priorities to ensure key messages cascade down to the core markets. 
• Ensures raising the group’s overall profile with the public and investment communities.  
• Advocate corporate positions on issues important to the business. 
• Manage the team of 4 Corporate Communications Managers. 
• Member Crisis Management Centre (CMC) 

Market level responsibilities on respective markets: 

• Create by market communication strategy and action plan, building on network level directions. 
• Arrange press conferences and press releases to promote the group and its services on respective markets. 
• Oversee production of events’ pre & post production, coordinate activities of external agencies. 
• Draft clear and compelling communications materials such as presentations and releases, handle approved press releases. 
• Represent the company at trade fairs and media events, act as spokesperson on respective markets. 
• Cultivate relationships with key business journalists in national and trade publications on respective markets. 
• Ensures that the group maintains positive and beneficial relationships with media 
• Pitch stories to media.  
• Achieve highest visibility for print, broadcast, TV and online media outlets. 
• Coordinate and channel media requests and enquiries in a timely manner.  

CEO communications responsibilities:

• Develop and implement strategic communication plans to enhance CEO visibility, articulating the company's mission, values, and strategic objectives. 
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to integrate CEO communications into broader company initiatives. 

Agency management and reporting (respective markets): 

• Identify key media outlets 
• Track and measure core media KPIs (reach, sentiment, publications, etc) 
• Maintain department archives 
• Update contact database 
• Develop and maintain country fact sheets  
• Manages respective agencies and budget 

Knowhow and trends:

• Keep current with trends, innovations, communication techniques and any media regulations 
• Update key messages and media FAQs where required  
• Update boilerplate, data sheets 

Experience

• 5-7+ years overall working experience with 4+ years’ experience in communications, ideally in relation to a customer-focused, fast-paced, high profile industry; experience of the aviation industry beneficial but not essential 
• Minimum 3 years of fully fledged corporate communications experience in similar roles, with special attention to corporate communication strategy development, ownership and execution 

Hard skills

• Proficiency in MS Office applications. 
• Experience of managing complex projects and aligning large organizations successfully 

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Communications, Marketing, or Business-related subject. 

Language

• Excellent command of written and spoken English
• Command of Hungarian or other European language is a plus. 

Skills and competencies

• Excellent interpersonal, networking and communication skills 
• Ability to work well under pressure and under short deadlines 
• Result-oriented, persistent, has stamina, dependable and consistent 
• Proactive, willing to take initiative and shoulder responsibility 
• Shows innovation, creativity and good lateral thinking 
• Good presentation and communication skills 
• Ability to represent the company to a wide range of audiences 
• Good people management skills