Senior Marketing Manager-Online and Offline

Audley is a passionate, vibrant company that specialises in creating truly exceptional tailor made travel for discerning clients.
We’re based in a 17th century converted wool mill in rural Oxfordshire and are opening offices in the United States in Boston, MA..
Audley was established in 1996 as Asian Journeys, offering tailor-made holidays to Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos (Indo-China), though we now travel much further afield to over 80 countries.
The heart of our business has always been our Country Specialists. These individuals have all travelled independently and extensively to one or more of our regions and can demonstrate a wide variety of country knowledge and an infectious passion for what they have experienced. They are a hugely varied, sociable crowd unified by their passion for travel. They are also extremely organised and have excellent communication skills - after all, the ability to sell is a key skill without which they can’t possibly succeed.
The ethos of Audley is to provide our clients with exceptional customer service and a trip which surpasses their expectations. As a result, they return to us year after year and recommend us to others.
That’s why our people are crucial. We rely on outstanding employees who are committed to providing excellent service. If our employees are happy, they’ll make our clients happy. Then we can all be happy!
In the last two years readers of Wanderlust magazine have ranked us in their Top 10 Tour Operators. In addition, AITO have awarded us the maximum three stars in recognition of our responsible tourism policies.
This year we are proud to be awarded with an Accreditation from the Best Companies organisation for our working environment.

As we move into the next challenging and exciting stage of launching Audley in the USA you will be responsible for all marketing activity from strategy through to planning, budgeting and execution.

Working across all marketing functions, with a strong focus on online/digital, this will encompass website development, web content, social media, PPC, SEO, WOM and SEM, blogs, brand management, research, new client acquisition, client retention and referrals, public relations, promotions, literature production, and analysis and reporting.

This is a broad role requiring an experienced online and offline marketer, who is flexible and relishes the challenge of establishing and rapidly growing the Audley business in the USA.

The role reports to the Head of USA, but you will also work closely with various teams within Audley UK, and US and external agencies.

OVERALL

The role encompasses strategy, planning and execution in the following areas, drawing on the resources available in the UK office and US-based agencies.

New client acquisition

• Defining and executing the SEO, SEM, WOM and blogging strategy to drive relevant website traffic and generate new leads.
• Online advertising including overseeing an extensive PPC campaign.
• Print advertising.
• Promotions.
• Pro-actively facilitate referrals.
• Lead capture and on-going communications.
• Directing a social media strategy across all relevant platforms. 

Client retention

• Establish a communications program to maximize retention, this is likely to encompass both print and digital communications.

Website

• In conjunction with UK-based Audley web developers and any appropriate resource in the US, continue development of the US version of the Audley website so it is market-relevant in terms of content, design and functionality across multiple devices.
• Spot emerging trends within the US market and incorporate when appropriate.
• Create and track strategic and tactical marketing planning across the customer journey, designed to drive customer acquisition and retention efforts 

Social media

• Work with outside agency to define and execute a social media strategy and plan across all relevant social media platforms to identify clear objectives and measurement of activity across all channels.
• Identify emerging trends and utilize where relevant to the target audience and overall strategy.

Brand Management

•  Rapidly increase brand awareness of Audley and the ‘tailor-made’ sector in the US.
•  Ensure that all communications are in line with brand values.

Client documentation

• Ensure all client/prospect documentation produced from the Audley’s JourneyDesk system   is market-appropriate. 

Print collateral

• Producing new and modifying existing core and support print collateral including extensive   destination brochures.

Events & exhibitions

• Evaluate the effectiveness of attending consumer travel shows and organize attendance if applicable.
• Operate client retention and/or acquisition events. 

Sales team

• Ensure the sales team are briefed on marketing activity and plan for peak activity periods.
• Implement and communicate a strong lead generation program to drive revenue and profit growth

Public relations

• PR has been identified as a significant route to growth and there is an extensive plan in place to   execute and develop.
• Candidate should have experience managing a PR plan and working to execute with an outside agency.
• Experience utilizing PR to increase digital awareness and build brand presence.
• Ability to measure effectiveness of PR campaigns
• Liaison with product and UK marketing teams for content and media travel activity.
• Develop and establish direct relationships with influencers in key media.
• Organize media travel to Audley destinations when appropriate.
• Establish a crisis and reputation management plan which should dovetail with the UK plan.

Reporting and analysis

• Provide monthly reports on all activity, utilizing relevant existing Audley reports and developing appropriate ones where applicable.

Strategy and planning

• Work closely with the Head of USA and UK senior management to review US market-entry strategy and produce an annual marketing plan and budget.
• Activate strategic and tactical marketing plan across the customer journey, designed to drive   acquisition and retention including development of key messaging strategy for all marketing programs.
• Establish planning and measurement strategies, including the definition of key performance metrics  to track and identify new customer acquisition, customer retention and maintain optimal CPA targets based on marketing efforts.

Management

• It is anticipated that this role will involve the management of staff within 12-18 months.
• Manage and motivate staff, external suppliers and freelancers.
• Actively participate in management training and development.
• Play an active role as a manager within the company, communicating marketing plans and engaging with wider goals of the business.

Other

• Establish a system for collateral distribution and reporting, including collateral inventory   management.
• Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of the competitive sector and key competitor marketing activity.
• Maintaining an up-to-date knowledge of relevant legislation in the marketing and travel sector.
• Proactively identifying areas for business process and systems developments. This will involve specifying requirements for US specific developments to Audley’s JourneyDesk system.
• It is anticipated that you will initially spend several months based or commuting   over extended periods of time to the UK, followed by regular and, sometimes   extended, visits to the Audley UK office.

Desired Skills & Experience

• Bachelors Degree, MBA preferred  with a marketing or business qualification.
• A minimum of three years marketing experience in the digital space, five years e-commerce experience
• Travel industry experience a plus or able to demonstrate directly transferable skills from another industry.
• Must be analytical and ROI focused
• Enthusiastic, self-motivated and self-reliant
• A passion for travel is a plus.
• Assertive and diplomatic.
• ‘Hands-on’ approach to all projects.
• A keen in interest in the travel industry and the issues relating to travel. 

Communication skills & confidence:

• Articulate verbal communicator.
• Ability to influence.
• Confident in meetings with senior managers and suppliers.
• Preparation and communication of presentations to Senior Management
• Coordinate projects involving different Managers.

Management skills:

• Ability to motivate, enthuse, engage and inspire.
• Communicate your plans to team.
• Solid business acumen, management and problem-solving skills
• Confident and able to conduct timely appraisals.

Organization & time management skills:

• Highly organized with excellent project management skills, capable of managing several major projects simultaneously.
• Ability to maintain a high level of attention to detail at all times including during busy periods.

Decision making and skills in a marketing capacity:

• Ability to critically assess strategy and plans as well as specific aspects such design, photography and copy.
• Thorough knowledge of print and digital media and associated production and development methods.
• Thorough understanding of appropriate KPIs and reporting techniques.
• Confident in own decision making and communicating the reasons behind them.

Commercial skills:

• Negotiation skills.
• Creation and management of over-all marketing plan and budget.

IT skills:

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Analytics, Adwords, and willingness to learn or demonstrated capabilities with designated platforms to measure online-offline marketing efforts
• Generally IT literate and able to assess and use, with appropriate training, a variety of marketing related software. 

US English

• A very high standard of written American English is essential as you will need to assess and sometimes write copy for the US market.