Director, Destination Marketing Middle East & Africa

Hilton Worldwide, Inc.; Dubai; On-site; AED 440,000 - 551,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading global hospitality company in Dubai is seeking a Director, Destination Marketing for the Middle East & Africa. This role involves shaping travel strategies, leading a regional team, and driving marketing initiatives to enhance brand presence and commercial growth. The ideal candidate possesses strong leadership, commercial acumen, and excellent communication skills. Join us in delivering exceptional guest experiences while fostering a culture of hospitality.

Qualifications

• Ability to influence and collaborate with multiple stakeholders at SVP level.
• Experience managing a team of Senior Manager(s).
• Extensive experience in integrated marketing strategy, digital marketing and eCommerce.

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy and approach for defined destination(s).
• Lead and develop a high-functioning, multi-location team.
• Ensure each destination has a tailored annual Marketing plan.

Skills

Strong leadership and coaching skills

Strong commercial and analytical skills

Excellent communication and presentation skills

Relationship management skills

Experience managing agency relationships

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Overview

Job Description for the Director, Destination Marketing Middle East & Africa. This role leads the regional marketing team, shaping travel strategies across the Middle East & Africa and driving campaigns, commercial growth and brand experiences. The Director will build market strategies, develop future leaders, and deliver measurable results while championing destination experiences.

The Director will be responsible for building, leading, coaching and supporting the Middle East & Africa Regional Destination Marketing team. This role requires developing, driving, and executing the regional Marketing and eCommerce strategy in support of key destinations and ownership groups.

Location

Hilton - Regional Office - Dubai Building 1 Level 4, Innovation Hub P.O. Box 500200 Dubai 500200

Responsibilities

• Develop strategy and approach for defined destination(s), customer segments and customer origin.
• Develop processes, communication standards and tools to ensure Marketing activity meets revenue and share targets for defined destination(s).
• Cultivate, build and leverage in-market relationships to improve effectiveness of Marketing activities.
• Measure and report on destination performance, and communicate with in-market stakeholders.
• Support storytelling of cooperative Marketing initiatives and digital performance to hotels, commercial teams and management companies.
• Hold budget responsibility for team-level expenditures and approved Destination Marketing initiatives.
• Lead and develop a high-functioning, multi-location team with a mix of office-based and remote Members; drive staffing and hiring decisions.
• Recruit, retain, manage and develop the whole team, direct and indirect reports.
• Ensure each destination has a tailored annual Marketing plan (offline and digital campaigns), leveraging national campaigns where possible and adapting to business needs.
• Build, promote and execute destination marketing activity and campaign execution for assigned destinations.
• Support performance of non-contracted leisure business by being accountable for commercial channel performance to the destination (including brand.com, CRM, Drive Radio, OTA, GDS).
• Cultivate and leverage key in-market relationships, partnerships and resources with destination marketing organisations and travel authorities.
• Conduct joint planning with hotels to ensure integration, including destination-level Marketing meetings covering trends, insights and performance.
• Provide support to hotels to optimise online and offline presence, with focus on growing direct book revenue and channel mix.
• Ensure hotels benefit from corporate Marketing and digital services (SEO, PPC, web retailing, social media).
• Partner with colleagues in other destinations to build outbound source-market activity.
• Foster an entrepreneurial and agile team culture.
• Direct reports: oversee leadership and delivery of the team’s outputs.

Required Skills and Experience

• Ability to influence and collaborate with multiple stakeholders at SVP level.
• Strong leadership and coaching skills.
• Strong commercial and analytical skills with the ability to drive business performance.
• Experience in forming creative concepts and articulation through concise briefs.
• Experience directing media and creative agencies both in-house and external.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills with proficiency in presenting to Executive level leaders.
• Experience managing a team of Senior Manager(s).
• Experience presenting findings (story-telling) to internal and/or external customers and providing strategic recommendations.
• Experience managing agency relationships and agency performance.
• Experience delivering partnership campaigns and managing budgets and P&L.
• Experience working across multiple regions.
• Experience delivering creative and innovative digital campaigns, products and plans for multiple destinations.
• Strategic leadership and timely delivery of revenue-related projects (>$1 million per region) including Digital Marketing Campaigns.
• In-depth knowledge of Omni-channels.
• Extensive experience in integrated marketing strategy, digital marketing and eCommerce.
• Proficient in reviewing and manipulating data to develop insights; strong strategic thinking and decision-making.
• Relationship management skills and proficiency in MS Office Suite.

What it’s like to work for Hilton

What will it be like to work for Hilton? Hilton is the leading global hospitality company with a presence across the lodging sector, ranging from luxury to mid-priced hotels. Hilton is dedicated to delivering exceptional guest experiences and fostering a culture of hospitality. Our Team Members are at the heart of it all.