Head / Director of Group Corporate Communications (Luxury Fashion)

Job description / Role

Position: Head /Director of Group Corporate Communications

Reports to: Vice President – Business Development & Corporate Communications

Job Purpose:
• To position the Group and its companies, both internally and externally, through a strategic, holistic and smart communications plan that innovates in each sector of communications for a diverse group of stakeholders.”

Key Accountabilities:
In addition to following corporate policies and procedures, key accountabilities include, but are not limited to:

Strategic Planning (30%)
• Working with the Vice President – Corporate Communications to develop a global corporate communications strategy for the Group and for its companies that builds reputation over the next five years.
• Devise and implement digital communications strategy for the Group and its companies, building a digital expertise within the Corporate Communications team
• Devise and implement crisis management communications strategy and plan for companies and Group and anticipate and flag issues, devise and implement action plan
• Develop and implement a measurement system to monitor the effectiveness of the plan every six months, annually and in line with the five-year plan and objectives.
• Build a strategic network of agencies and influencers to assist in strategy and delivery of plan

External Communications (30%)
• Deliver an annual execution plan of projects and initiatives from the strategy for Group and companies that communicates to all identified stakeholders through media – traditional, new and social; speaking engagements and networking opportunities; unique branded events and initiatives; roadshows; relationship building; charitable initiatives; thought leadership initiatives etc
• Work with the Presidents and heads of Communications for each company to ensure the Corporate Communications team has the most up to date information on initiatives, and ensure a consistency of template for boilerplates and releases.
• Work with Presidents and SMT on speeches and presentations
• Build and proactively maintain relationships across all defined stakeholder segments
• Forecast and manage annual and project budgets ensuring spend is within allocated amount.
• Manage agencies for best delivery of clearly defined SOW, milestones and deliverables.

Internal Communications (20%)
• Deliver an annual execution plan of projects and initiatives from the strategy for Group and companies that communicates to all internal stakeholders through i-jam; speakers circuit and networking opportunities; unique events and initiatives; roadshows; relationship building; charitable initiatives; thought leadership initiatives etc
• Maximize the i-jam platform:

• Create informative and engaging multi-media content to tell key messages to internal stakeholders
• Generate content and populate the daily Intelligence Report by aggregating tope industry and market news, and help populate the Intelligence Hub with reports, white papers and summaries.
• Work with the Presidents and Communications teams of each company to orchestrate effective multimedia content to meet business objectives including Vlogs, Blogs and films for i-jam
• Seed content to encourage forums, discussions and collaboration for i-jam
• Build working processes within the I-Jam team and across companies for efficient and on-brand delivery
• Build relationships and act as the main contact point between all business units to ensure all knowledge and content are collated and shared in a timely manner.
• To effectively delegate to and direct the I-Jam team to ensure all deliveries and requests are achieved on time, and trouble shoot to solve issues as quickly as possible.
• To be the gatekeeper of this platform, policing the site to ensure proper and ethical usage and encouraging utilization on every level.
• To maintain and control budget allocated, ensuring spend is within allocated amount.
• To continuously search for new exciting ways to enhance, develop and maximize the platform.

Team Building & Leadership (20%)
• Build a future-thinking in-house agency team of specialists to service all companies and The Group, establishing best practice working process and flow.
• To provide on the job coaching to ensure that the team are able to meet and exceed the requirements of their role
• Build a cross-Group network of communications specialists, working collaboratively and acting as coach/advisor.
• Be a role model for communications within the Group, demonstrating the benefits of transparency, collaboration and a neutral and intelligent approach to work.

Requirements

Expertise
• Minimum 3 years international agency experience with fashion/luxury clients
• In-house specialisation in addition to agency experience is an advantage
• Can prove success in innovative campaigns and projects across media, events, special initiatives
• Proven track record in leading a team on strategy and execution - minimum 3 years managing a team
• Established media network in UK, US and Europe across fashion and lifestyle consumer and trade, and business media is an asset
• Exposure to China market is an asset
• Fluency in English is essential; Chinese is an asset

Profile
• A highly creative and strategic individual who can think out of the box to come up with a unique plan - not a typical corporate person. A person with proactive and creative reputation management skills and all that goes with that.
• Highly presentable at a Presidents level, and international level to communicated with stakeholders in the industry and media
• Must have a passion and genuine interest in the business side of fashion and retail
• An excellent communicator who is highly collaborative

About the Company

Established in 1997 in Hong Kong, ConnectedGroup is a regional executive recruitment and search consultancy with broad coverage across a full range of functional and industry specialisms, each serviced by dedicated teams. Our strategy is to continue to develop our offering as a ‘big boutique’ where we combine high levels of engagement and accountability with a comprehensive scope of delivery capability.

Our core services include; Retained Executive Search, Exclusive Contingent Search and Contingent Recruitment services for mid to senior permanent positions as well as Contract Staff and Interim Management services. We also engage with clients to deliver specialised and tailored projects such as volume recruitment and market mapping exercises.

Our mission is "to be remembered for exceeding expectations"​ which drives us to deliver outstanding levels of service and exceptional outcomes for clients and candidates, as well as meaningful careers for our team. We recruit and measure our employees against the values of being Candid, Creative and Connected which drives our open and transparent culture whilst encouraging new ideas and focuses us on internal communications that leverage greater benefits for our clients. At ConnectedGroup words such as 'respect'​, 'integrity'​ and 'professionalism'​ are not aspirational, they are prerequisite behaviours and are expected in all aspects of our work.