Career Center

Along with the job responsibilities and skills listed in the Job Requirements, what is most important in the person who will fill this position is their ability to lead and support the current marketing and communications team. The role will require continuous learning, adaptability, and managing an ever-changing environment. The current marketing team is filled with experienced specialists in each area. We are looking for someone who can lead them into the future by building consensus; challenging them; expanding horizons; setting goals and KPI’s; utilizing and exploring new data available to the team, and taking the department, the organization, and ultimately the destination to the next level and beyond.

PURPOSE:

To serve as the Vice President (VP) of Marketing of the official destination marketing organization for Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama. This position develops high-level plans to research, develop, create, and implement the planning, direction and review of all marketing, communications, and public relations activities of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (“the CVB”), including management of the Communications Teams and interfacing with multiple vendors and other external entities. VP is responsible for the supervision of all advertising, public relations, media relations, community relations, event marketing, promotions, research, brochures, publications, social media platforms and initiatives, website content and development.

This position will continually monitor for new media opportunities and technology trends as well as current advertising and marketing efforts and companies to ensure research and the internal use of research are current, relevant, and cutting edge. This position will also consistently examine our organizational position in the community and bring forward ideas to help better serve all stakeholders.

QUALIFICATIONS:

1. College degree in Marketing and/or Public Relations, or Business Administration.
2. Minimum of ten years of experience in destination marketing or other related marketing, sales, operations or high-level leadership in fields such as travel, short-term rental space, hotel, attraction, or special event marketing
3. A working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite and the Internet
4. Proven motivator of people and manager of projects, toward specific goals
5. Experience in public and media relations; electronic, print, and web advertising; social media, advertising research and public speaking

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Ability to manipulate data, perform operational tasks, and operate office equipment.
2. Ability to lift 35 pounds.
3. Have dependable transportation and a current driver’s license
4. Flexibility to fulfill responsibilities on evenings and weekends. Some travel required.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

1. Personnel management: Hiring, motivating, developing, and directing employees as they work so as to reach desired individual, department, and agency goals. Identifying the best employees for the job and delegating tasks appropriately.
2. Value Assessment: Appropriately discerning the value and return on investment (ROI) of
   constantly emerging new media and research opportunities so the GSOBT resources are best utilized.
3. Interactive Presentation: Effectively presenting marketing information to staff, the Board, Industry Partners, and others and responding to questions. Note: This role requires this skill at an exceptional level.
4. Cooperation: Establishing and maintaining positive working relationships with staff, Board members, Industry Partners, media, vendors, and local, state and regional governmental agencies.
5. Representation and Crisis Communications: Serve as a spokesperson for the agency. Effectively listening to and answering questions and inquiries from all levels of media at all times and in urgent situations.
6. Budgeting Management: Developing budgets for marketing plans and comparing actual activity against current budget(s). Revise budgets as needed.
7. Policy Development & Operational Assessment: Evaluating existing and potential
   department processes for effectiveness and efficiency, analyzing and improving programs, and contributing to policy development.
8. Complex Problem Solving: Identifying problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options (which entails projecting consequences) and implement solutions.
9. Research: Conducting research including design and measurement, sampling and surveying,
   and data collation.
10. Collaboration: Working in partnership with separate GSOBT/SC departments.
11. Training & Direction: Effectively guiding and critiquing directors, managers and all team members.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Define the marketing goals for the CVB, using input from the Board of Directors and the President/CEO, and then oversee the development of a comprehensive marketing plan to achieve the stated goals.
2. Supervise the Director of Hospitality and Information. Providing feedback for management of staff; mentoring and resources so this department can function at a high level of service to area guests and industry partners.
3. Supervise the Director of Marketing. Providing feedback for management of internal teams; mentoring and resources so this department can function at a high level of service to internal customers and industry partners.
4. Set goals and KPIs for department using research; Define, implement, and evaluate market research programs using the Communications Department and outside vendors to measure the efficacy of the CVB marketing plan and to maintain awareness of local, regional, and national marketing trends.
5. Develop and maintain good relationships with area and regional Industry Partners as well as local, state and regional Destination Marketing agencies to foster good communications and maximize the opportunities for cooperative marketing programs.
6. Participate in the development and implementation of the CVB emergency communication plan.
7. Develop and assist programming objectives and work strategies for the Communications department, advertising agencies, digital marketing agencies, PR firms, market research firms and research programming for the CVB. Research, evaluate, and interpret market data to determine trends and market changes, and adjust CVB programming accordingly.
8. Hire and oversee the management and research programs of the CVB's research firms.
9. Provide CVB President/CEO and Board of Directors monthly analytical data and ROI on digital marketing, traditional marketing, advertising, public relations and social media.
10. Develops, administers, monitors, and coordinates marketing budgets for leisure, meetings sports, and events markets.
11. In the event of an occurrence or an anticipated occurrence that produces a mandatory evacuation order for the CVB tax district, the employee is responsible for physically reporting to a location designated by the President/CEO within 24 hours of the time of the occurrence.
12. Other duties as assigned by the President/CEO or the Board of Directors.