Advertising & PR Manager - IKEA

Job description / Role

Advertising & PR Manager - IKEA - Dubai Festival City - Regional Office

Commercial Planning:
- Work alongside the Brand Communication Manager to create and implement the short (1 year) and long term (3 year) marketing strategies linked to the business vitality calendar
- Follow the IKEA proven solutions and best practice when planning and implementing the marketing strategy
- Work with the commercial action team (Sales, Range & Com-In) functions to support the vitality calendar activities at least ten months in advance
- Responsibility for driving visitor numbers upwards and increasing IKEA top of mind awareness
- Work closely with the store on their local store activity calendar to ensure engagement/affinity and traffic throughout the year
- Responsible for IKEA FAMILY programme, to develop and implement the IKEA FAMILY strategy

Market Research:
- Liaise with the principal to prepare, revise and implement the Brand Capital survey and ensure the follow-up.
- Use the Brand Capital, ICSS and mystery shopper feedback to drive the marketing strategies, including analysing the success of campaigns and return on investment
- Provide the relevant and up to date Business Information to related business functions to support the overall business strategy for UAE, Qatar & Oman.
- Understand how different consumer groups within our PMA use different Media so that we can target communication more effectively

Media (Multi Channel):
- Ensure the strength of each local media channel is maximised and that the total media mix is seamlessly integrated to create one consistent message in our local market.
- Support the day to day strategy by use of print, OOH, online, social media and new media formats along with the regional digital manager
- Support IKEA FAMILY for the recruitment of new members and retaining a rich data base to support repeat visits to the IKEA store.

Agency:
- Ensure that agency briefs are clearly written and delivered to the agencies 8 months ahead of each activity.
- Ensure a close and progressive relationship with agencies to support the development of the brand in the country
- Dedicate time and effort in integrating the agencies into our brand through refreshing trainings, research presentations and strategy discussions

Market Development:
- Work with your team to support the opening of IKEA stores across the markets we operate
- In particular taking responsibility for preparing agency briefs for opening campaigns

PR:
- Develop the annual PR strategy (ATL/BTL)
- Analyse the monthly coverage
- Quarterly – annual report
- Monthly PR product brief to ensure IKEA presence in the weekly and monthly print publication
- Work in an effective way with all the global PR tools like the PR press kits, releases, …
-Contribute in the write-up of PRL

Annual PR and events planning:
- To maximize consumer engagement opportunities make sure the annual plan is done during the commercial planning period in line with the overall brand communication strategy
- Create and implement in store events calendar for each store in line with the overall communication strategy in order to create a better shopping experience for customers and to generate word of mouth
- Recommend and finalize the annual PR calendar for the IKEA Brand in order to reflect and promote IKEA’s long term priorities, leadership businesses (eg. “Living with children, Organise your living and Small space living”),

PR and events execution:
- Liaise with the store management teams and agency to execute the planned events within the agreed time frame. Make sure the events are well communicated amongst the co-workers and ensure their full commitment. Be actively present during the event.

CSR projects:
- Take part in IKEA Global sustainability and charity projects such as Soft toys and Brighter Life for Refugees and make sure IKEA Global initiatives are represented in online, offline media and PR
- Engage with the community we are a part of and coordinate product sponsorships with the Store and Range & Logistics teams to ensure IKEA is a part of social community

Budgeting & Cost Consciousness:
- Prepare and control the annual advertising budget
- Ensure budgets are distributed to ensure to the enhancement and sustainability of the marketing calendar for the year
- Relations with the Principal
- Ensure that the brand image & identity is managed in a way that promotes the IKEA concept

Requirements

Job-Specific Skills:
- Strategic Planning, thinking and Analytical Skills, Effective Communication, copy-writer skills, MS Office.

Behavioural Competencies:
- Interpersonal Skills, Leadership Skills, Project management, Strong people and time management skills, Business Acumen, Problem Solving, Confident, Leading and implementing change

About the Company

Established in the 1930's, the Al-Futtaim Group initially operated as a trading enterprise. Rapid development throughout the 1940's and 50's saw it establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself one of the leading business houses in the lower Gulf region. Today, it operates collectively over 40 companies bearing the Al-Futtaim name, dominates many market segments in the UAE, and has expanded its sphere of operation to include Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Egypt.

The Group comprises a diverse range of strategically positioned operating subsidiaries and associate companies, structured to give the Al-Futtaim Group the flexibility and versatility to keep ahead of local competition while keeping pace with the ever-evolving global business scenario. The Groups continued investment in world-class systems technology is clear evidence of its commitment to maintain leading edge performance and service delivery.

The success of the Al-Futtaim Group can be attributed to a business approach that combines the ability to change with the traditional values of integrity, service and social responsibility that define its core business philosophy. This, linked with the Groups belief in decentralisation, gives the heads of the operating companies a high degree of functional autonomy and authority, providing the Group with essential flexibility, and individual employees a clearly defined work culture and sense of responsibility.