Director, Trade Marketing

Viking Cruises US; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 155,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary in range

Bonus program

401(k) plan

Employee ESPP

Full benefits including medical, etc.

Paid vacation and holidays

Cruise discounts

Gym membership

Theatre discounts

Job summary

Viking seeks a Director, Trade Marketing to lead trade marketing strategy, advisor engagement and integrated communications to support sales growth and a consistent Viking brand experience. You will partner with Sales, Yield, Marketing, Creative, Digital and CRM/Data teams to bring campaigns and educational programs to life, while providing team leadership and prioritizing projects.

This hybrid role is based in Woodland Hills, CA, with in-office Mondays and Thursdays plus one additional weekday

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications or Business or equivalent experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and ability to translate priorities into advisor communications.
• Solid project management with ability to prioritize deadlines and coach others.

Responsibilities

• Develop trade marketing and advisor engagement strategies aligned with brand standards and growth goals.
• Own the integrated trade marketing and advertising calendar across campaigns, launches and events.
• Lead advisor email and lifecycle marketing with CRM, data and digital teams on segmentation and re-engagement.
• Develop trade advertising plans and guide creative execution to meet ROI targets.
• Guide trade-facing messaging and sales resources including landing pages, presentations, and trade show materials.
• Oversee content across Viking Travel Advisor Marketing Center, Portal and Academy to support updates and adoption.
• Lead advisor-facing social strategy and coordinate trade award initiatives to boost engagement.
• Manage co-op guidelines and partner marketing standards including approvals and offers.
• Coordinate with Sales and Yield to align initiatives with product priorities and advisor needs; provide budget input.
• Analyze campaign and engagement results and recommend KPIs and improvements.

Skills

Trade marketing

Advisor engagement

CRM marketing

Campaign management

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

CRM software

Marketing automation

Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Summary

Help shape how Viking connects with the travel advisor community. As Director, Trade Marketing, you will lead trade marketing strategy, advisor engagement and integrated communications that support sales growth and a consistent Viking brand experience. Reporting to the Sr. Director, National Accounts, you will partner with Sales, Yield, Marketing, Creative, Digital and CRM/Data teams to bring campaigns, educational programs and sales resources to life. You will also provide team leadership, establish clear project priorities and ensure accurate, timely execution.

This is a hybrid position based in our Woodland Hills, CA office. You will be required to adhere to our hybrid work policy, working from our office Monday and Thursday plus one additional weekday on a weekly basis.

Job Responsibilities

• Develop trade marketing and advisor engagement strategies aligned with Viking's brand standards, sales goals and growth objectives.
• Own the integrated trade marketing and advertising calendar, coordinating campaigns, product launches, communications, educational programs, promotions and events across teams.
• Lead advisor email and lifecycle marketing, partnering with CRM, Data and Digital teams on database growth, segmentation, onboarding, triggered campaigns, personalization and re-engagement.
• Develop trade advertising plans, guide creative execution and optimize campaigns against business objectives and return on investment.
• Guide trade-facing messaging and sales resources, including campaign landing pages, presentations, videos, training guides and trade show materials, ensuring accuracy and brand consistency.
• Oversee content and engagement across the Viking Travel Advisor Marketing Center, Viking Travel Advisor Portal and Viking Travel Advisor Academy, supporting timely updates, advisor education and platform adoption.
• Lead advisor-facing social strategy, including ISellViking, and coordinate trade award initiatives that strengthen advisor engagement and Viking's visibility.
• Manage co-op guidelines and partner marketing standards, including offer usage, creative requirements and approval processes.
• Partner with Sales and Yield to align trade initiatives with available offers, product priorities and advisor needs; provide budget input and support accurate records.
• Analyze campaign, advertising and advisor engagement results; recommend quarterly key performance indicators, departmental priorities and improvements for approval by the Sr. Director, National Accounts.
• Coach and develop team members, manage workloads and deadlines, and proactively address resource needs, risks and process improvements.

Job Requirements

• At least 8 years of experience performing similar duties in trade strategy, channel or advisor engagement, sales enablement, marketing communications, CRM/lifecycle marketing, advertising or related business leadership roles, with a demonstrated record of successful results.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications or Business, or equivalent experience.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including editing and the ability to translate product and sales priorities into clear, accurate advisor communications.
• Sound business judgment and the ability to balance brand standards, sales priorities, advisor experience and execution needs.
• Strong project management skills, with the ability to independently prioritize competing deadlines, collaborate across teams, and coach and develop others.
• Product knowledge, or the ability and willingness to develop the knowledge needed to guide trade decisions and create relevant communications and sales resources.
• Experience with, or the ability to learn, CRM, email marketing, database segmentation, marketing automation, content management, reporting dashboards and digital learning platforms.
• Ability to analyze campaign and engagement data and present actionable insights, performance measures and recommendations to leadership.
• A proactive, resourceful approach, strong interpersonal skills and the ability to gather information and resolve issues with tact.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and the ability and willingness to learn additional software as needed.

Preferred Experience

• A marketing background is preferred.
• Travel industry or luxury experience is preferred; knowledge of Viking products is a plus.
• Experience in channel or advisor engagement, trade marketing, lifecycle marketing, CRM or trade programs is highly desirable.

What We Offer You

• Highly competitive compensation plan.
• Salary range$155,000 - $170,000 annually determined by a myriad of factors including, but not limited to, years of experience, depth of experience, and other relevant business considerations
• Quarterly bonus based on sales target and team performance against target
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Employee Share Purchase Plan (ESPP) Viking full-time regular employees working in the United States can purchase Viking shares through payroll deductions.
• Full benefits including medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance at a highly subsidized rate (some plans are fully paid by Viking).
• Accrue 15 paid vacation days, sick time accrual by state, and 6 paid holidays per year.
• Opportunity to take a free and/or discounted cruise.
• Highly subsidized gym membership.
• Discounts on theatres, theme parks, movie tickets, travel discounts through IATA membership and too many more discounts to name.

Viking is a certified Great Place to Work company. This certification is a result of our commitment to excellence, integrity and our teams' outstanding contributions.

About Viking

Viking was founded in 1997 and provides destination-focused voyages on oceans, rivers and lakes around the world. Designed for experienced travelers with interests in science, history, culture and cuisine, Chairman Torstein Hagen often says Viking offers experiences for The Thinking Person.

Viking has more than 250 awards to its name, including being rated #1 for Rivers, #1 for Oceans and #1 for Expeditions by Condé Nast Traveler and voted at the top of its categories by Travel + Leisure. No other cruise line has ever received these same honors by both publications at the same time.