Digital Engagement Manager

Job description / Role

The Digital Engagement Manager is responsible & accountable for implementing an Always-on customer focused Digital & Social strategy for all three brands. The key purpose of the role is to ensure that we are listening to what customers are looking for and ensure our brands are there immediately with appropriate content and processes to engage with them in the Digital journey on our Owned & Earned channels.
- Develop the Digital & Social Always-on Marketing strategy
- Develop a Digital Marketing strategy and roadmap for each Brand/carline on our Social and Online platforms OEM & Dealer
- Develop integrated measurement strategy that suits the overall strategy
- Provide Digital Marketing Information Research in the Social, Search and Classified space
- Share innovation and emerging trends, and propose opportunities to grow in the Digital space
- Make sure strategy is in line with the CRM and Customer Experience strategy
- Manage Regional Digital Marketing activities
- Manage Regional website activities that includes website design and usability, internet lead generation, and search engine optimization
- Provide technical support and enhancement inputs to the various digital platforms/channels
- Manage the Digital & Social Budget for Owned and Earned areas
- Manage and control monthly level of spending according to budget targets
- Coordinate the financial approval and payment process of projects with GPSC & Finance
- Gather and provide Regional input for metrics reporting
- Define measurement metrics for Social and Digital platforms
- Develop a framework/KPI & ongoing process to evaluate performance
- Determine optimization based on metrics
- Integrate Digital into Sales and Service metrics
- Web metrics
- Special Projects as required
- Toolkit, process, and best practice document
- Created around the Digital Performance areas & Social Initiatives, leveraging knowledge of the SME agencies
- Document and share best practices among GMIO countries
- Coach/train Marketing team on opportunities
- Launch and promote Digital across the organization, and different departments, as a business strategy
- Come up with processes and optimization methods
- On how to integrate digital into our owned presence
- To provide quality assurance
- Develop a Digital project workflow
- Look into new and emerging digital marketing trends, and analyze these trends potential for MEO
- Agency should have proven digital marketing expertise thinkers that can help us keep our digital strategy fresh
- Dealer Websites
- Manage the Digital Dealer Program and ensure continuous evolution
- Set & implement Digital Marketing & Social standards at Dealers
- Engage Dealers and ensure close coordination of Paid search and Performance Display units

Scope within Digital marketing elements and social media:
- GM MEO Platforms
- Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, ACDelco
- Design/ Cx strategy for better performance
- Navigation and information architecture strategy
- Content strategy
- Customer Data Capture Mechanism
- Current website capabilities assessment
- Recommend new website functionalities e.g.: Facilitate Information sharing and site retrieval: RSS, tagging
- Work with current internet agencies to activate the strategy
- Search Engine Optimization
- Develop Search Engine Optimization Plan
- Map the keywords with individual pages
- Provide keyword implementation instructions to Implementation Agencies
- Liaise with internet Agencies for keyword translation in local languages & copy writing for page titles & descriptions
- Liaise with Internet agencies to implement search optimization
- Internet agencies to do the programming
- Monitor progress in Organic Search Results & give inputs to Implementation Agencies
- Domain Strategy
- Linking Strategy
- Search Engine Marketing
- Develop Search Marketing Plan / Pay per click
- Search Engine Selection, Bidding Strategy, Keyword Strategy
- Result Forecasting
- Average Rank, Average Cost Per Click, Average Clicks
- Link Keyword Groups with Relevant Landing Pages & provide Landing Page Development instructions to Implementation Agencies
- Implement Search Marketing Plan on selected Search Engines
- Metrics, analytics and tracking
- Websites
- Keywords
- Trends
- Metrics
- Mobile Marketing
- SMS, MMS, WAP, etc
- Mobile sites, applications\
- Digital Advertising on Performance and Communication
- Interactive Banners
- Audio & Video Advertising
- Content Partnership Ideas / Third Party Marketing
- Mobile Marketing
- Behavioral & Contextual Targeting
- Integrated Buying of Digital and Traditional
- Facilitating word of Mouth
- Consumer Generated Content: blogs, social networks, e-pinions/ratings/review sites
- Influence Third Party content, editorial

Social Marketing
- Lead & drive the organization to develop social media efforts throughout GM Middle East Operations & its Dealers (future) and external influencers.
- The position will ensure that the core strategy is developed, implemented & continuously improved for Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac. It will also ensure all social media plans and MEO Brands activities and announcements are well integrated among marketing, communications, customer service functions and other functions as required.
- The position is vital to ensure our brands remain socially relevant and connect with customers.
- Ensure that MEO is geared for Social Business - Professional Level Social Media i.e. Runs a Cross Functional Social Program, Has a robust content & campaign plan, Has Professional level Listening & Reporting Tools, Uses Social Media Management Software (across teams), Engages with the audience and Has executive focus.
- Ensure the key KPIs are monitored and acted upon.
- Lead the integration of social media activities within the GM MEO marketing, communications and customer service functions (and other functions as added such as HR, Finance, etc) through the social media HUB.
- Educate the larger GM audience on Social and its impact on the overall experience.
- Ensure all current platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Youtube for all 3 brands are managed and improved. New platforms can be added based on the trends in the region. Ensure there is a solid plan for ongoing active listening & engagement across multiple influential blogs / platforms.
- Monitor on a daily basis social media activities across the social media platforms using tools/agencies and ensure responses are implemented according to the Response Engagement Processes and Rules defined by the social media HUB.
- Create and lead the implementation of innovative multimedia campaigns and content to support GM MEO corporate and brand/product communications & increase loyalty and engagement.
- Responsible for the development of social media materials in conjunction with the functions.
- Maintain a deep understanding of the social media landscape and emerging trends & technologies. Share that information with the social media HUB.
- Be the core point of contact along with the Social Champion for IO or Global initiatives in the Social space.
- Work closely with PR team and ensure seamless coordination of all key messages.

Other:
- Ensure effective and efficient customer experience within Chevrolet/GMC/Cadillac sites for campaigns
- Develop and execute the internet roadmap in line with the CRM strategy
- Maximize the lead generation (dealer locator queries, brochure & test drive requests)
- Coordinate Internet research in collaboration with GMIO research and agencies
- Identify and develop new features (i.e. route planners) in cooperation with the markets and based on customer needs (based on research & usability testing)
- Lead the ongoing improvement of existing web solutions
- Ensure consistency and integration with other communication channels and CRM infrastructure
- Ensure consistency with and integration into overall Brand communication plan and positioning
- Develop & implement change management (such as training) related to Internet activities
- Manage Digital agency and SEO agency
- Work in close collaboration with other CRM team members
- Liaise with other GM brands, customer Network team and other regions
- Share and leverage the best practices
- Generate cost saving opportunities

People
- ensure all agency teams are motivated and thoroughly understand & endorse vision, direction, objectives
- coach, develop, & evaluate direct reports through structured & informal means, including the CAP, regularly scheduled one-on-ones, & on-the-job training
- formal & informal mentoring of direct report
- Provide input in evaluations/appraisals of indirect reports

Product
- complete understanding of brand guidelines and ensure the parties working on advertising have read and understood the contents

Price
- ensures pricing is effectively incorporated into advertising in a manner that is compelling, accurate, and easily understood by consumers
- ensure pricing in all advertising is always up-to-date

Department Interactions:
- Finance & GPSC
- ensure CQs are submitted & processed accurately, and in a timely fashion
- adjust WOs as soon as changes are made (for example, in amount or timing)
- ensure all agencies/suppliers are aware of GMs payment policies
- provide Finance with sufficient notice for requests, keeping urgent requests to a minimum
- ensure AOR & long-term agency partners are reconciling work orders on a monthly basis
- ensure CQs have sufficient details
- ensure all agencies/suppliers are compliant with GPSC policies
- lead monthly budget reconciliation meetings with agency

Legal
- maintain business controls & high corporate governance
- ensure Legal is consulted on all relevant initiatives, with sufficient lead-time, to minimize risk to the corporation
- ensure that all retail advertising processes & procedures are SOX-compliant

PR/Product Communications
- work with PR team to improve integration & quality (through expanded use of non-traditional methods) of engagement plans
- work with PR to ensure key messages are aligned across all target customers
- work with MM & PR team to continuously update quotes, claims, third party endorsements and seek approvals for usage in advertising
- ensure all campaigns & initiatives have a corresponding PR plan

Requirements

- Bachelor degree required, Masters Degree preferred
- 5 years in marketing/digital/social experience (automotive preferred); marketing & sales knowledge; PR experience; overall understanding of the Middle Eastern region, overall understanding of consumer trends.
- Very strong multitask-er; strong negotiating skills; leadership qualities; strong presentation skills; analytical skills; strong proficiency with common computer applications, effective supervision, delegations.

About the Company

General Motors Company (NYSE:GM, TSX: GMM), one of the worlds largest automakers, traces its roots back to 1908. GM and its strategic partners produce cars and trucks in 31 countries, and sell and service these vehicles through the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, Holden, Isuzu, Jiefang, Opel, Vauxhall and Wuling. GMs largest national market is China, followed by the United States, Brazil, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada and Russia. GMs OnStar subsidiary is the industry leader in vehicle safety, security and information services.

With its global headquarters in Detroit, GM employs 209,000 people in every major region of the world and does business in more than 120 countries. GM is headquartered in four major locations: GM Europe; North America (GMNA); South America; and GM International Operations (GMIO) is located in Shanghai, China. GMIO covers Asia Pacific and Middle East.

GM Middle East started in 1920s and the brands that are sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC supported by a unique set of customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the companys operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen in 20 dealerships.

GM has 2 facilities here in Middle East one is in Dubai World Trade Centre and the other, Middle East Distribution Corporation, which is located in Jebel Ali.