Job Description

• Company Summary: Ottawa Tourism has been named one of the Best Places to Work in Ottawa 2022! Are you looking for a dynamic career promoting Canada\xe2\x80\x99s capital as a great travel destination? Do you thrive in a positive, team-oriented, hybrid work environment? Do you want competitive salaries, outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities? Then you want to Work Here at Ottawa Tourism! Ottawa Tourism provides industry leadership, strategic direction and destination marketing to attract visitors, tours and conventions to Ottawa and Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Capital Region. Our objectives are to promote the destination, increase visitation and enhance economic impact for the industry and its membership. Founded in 1970, Ottawa Tourism is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization, with hundreds of members representing accommodations, attractions, restaurants, outdoor experiences, festivals and entertainment that work together to profile Ottawa and Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Capital Region as a diverse and exciting place to visit. Work Here. Grow Here. We need dynamic and motivated professionals who love working on creative projects while also having fun and growing their skills along the way.
• Location: Ottawa, Ontario (Remote)
• Date Posted: 19 Apr 2023
• Closing Date: 01 May 2023
• How to apply:
• Job Type: Full-Time
• Job Category: Experienced Apply Now

Overview Ottawa Tourism\xe2\x80\x99s vision is to be one of Canada\xe2\x80\x99s most visited, sustainable, vibrant, and valued urban destinations and the tourism authority for key economic development and city-building decisions in Ottawa. Ottawa Tourism\'s mission is to market and sell Ottawa as a compelling leisure and business destination and lead or participate in initiatives that improve Ottawa\xe2\x80\x99s visitor experience. We contribute to the broader economic development objectives of the city and the success of our stakeholders and, by doing so, enrich the quality of life for all Ottawa residents. As a key position within the Marketing team, the Senior Manager, Travel Media Relations reports to the Senior Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer. The incumbent builds strong, mutually beneficial relations with domestic and international travel media and influencers or digital content creators, playing a critical role in raising Ottawa\xe2\x80\x99s profile. The incumbent is a multitalented team member possessing a high level of skill in travel media relations, public relations coordination, and VIP liaison. The incumbent utilizes their excellent writing and communications skills to help align organizational objectives with those of the Marketing team. This position is based out of the Ottawa Tourism offices in beautiful downtown Ottawa. Ottawa Tourism employs a hybrid work model, with some ability for all employees to work remotely. In some cases, certain positions will have an ongoing requirement to maintain a physical presence in the office. Such details will be discussed during the application process. Key Competencies

• The ability to develop and implement communication strategies that align with the organization\'s overall goals and objectives.
• Strong leadership skills and the ability to lead and inspire a team of communication professionals
• The candidate must have the ability to communicate effectively across cultures and have a good understanding of cultural nuances
• The ability to develop and maintain the organization\'s brand identity, including messaging, visual identity, and reputation management
• The ability to collaborate with internal teams, external partners, and stakeholders to achieve communication goals and build relationships that support the organization\'s mission and objectives
• Excellent understanding of the role of communications and public relations in a public-facing organization
• Understanding of and appreciation for the local and national tourism landscapes
• Ability to serve as an organizational subject matter expert in all areas related to the area of travel media relations
• Experience hosting media and/or VIPs and negotiating contracts with social media influencers
• Superior communication and presentation skills in both English and French. This position requires liaising with media in both official languages, and the ability to speak and write in both languages is required. Proficiency in additional languages is an asset.
• Strong ability to prioritize, manage projects, and think strategically
• Broad flexibility in outlook, task orientation, working style and approach
• The willingness to stay current on emerging communication trends, technologies, and best practices, and continuously learn and improve as a communications professional.
• Excels in strategic thinking and innovative practices

Primary Areas of Responsibility

• Develop and implement communication strategies and planning, including travel media relations, digital media, announcements, key messages.
• Monitor and track media coverage across multiple channels and platforms, including, online, broadcast, and social media
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive media tracking system to monitor media mentions, coverage, and sentiment.
• Analyze and evaluate media coverage to identify trends and insights that can inform communication strategies and messaging.
• Develop and pitch creative and compelling story ideas to media outlets, journalists, and influencers to generate coverage and build brand awareness.
• Respond promptly and effectively to media requests for information, interviews, and quotes, serving as a key point of contact between the company and the media.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to integrate communications strategies and messaging
• Organize itineraries for media visits and regularly host clients, including weekends and/or evenings
• Negotiate contracts with meaningful deliverables with influencers and other digital media opportunities
• Outreach to members or other partners to be aware of what\xe2\x80\x99s happening in the community (and share with Ottawa Tourism staff)
• Work in partnership with members of the Destination Development team on consistent key messaging
• Gather information on local attractions and events and items of interest to the media
• Assist in writing, translating, and/or proofreading Ottawa Tourism publications and documents
• Attend media marketplaces on behalf of the organization
• Compose travel media outreach (pitches and other communications) and speeches to travel media
• Act as company spokesperson for media interviews as required
• Attend conferences and maintain professional industry memberships as necessary
• Liaise with Destination Canada (DC) and Destination Ontario (DO) travel media relations contacts
• Liaise with internal team to support sponsored content and business-to-business (B2B) opportunities as they arise
  

Essential Qualifications The following qualifications are considered by the organization to be essential for the successful ongoing execution of this position:

• 7 years experience in a communications capacity
• Post-secondary education in a relevant discipline, such as journalism, communications or public relations
• Proven track record in developing and implementing successful communication strategies that build brand awareness and drive business objectives.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages for a variety of audiences and platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate a team, providing coaching, mentoring, and professional development opportunities.
• Knowledge of the travel media landscape and experience working with digital influencers
• Experience as an organizational spokesperson is considered an asset
• Superior language skills (ability to speak and write at a professional level, including in the context of media interviews) in French and English. Other languages are an asset
• Understanding of social media such as Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn
• Experience working with external stakeholders, particularly association members, media representatives and other relevant actors
• Innovative thinking and ability to take the initiative, creating opportunities for meaningful messaging
• Detail-oriented with strong organizational skills, initiative, tact and interpersonal capabilities
• Proficiency in all aspects of MS Office 365 and a proven ability to learn new programs and technologies
• Ability to travel internationally for work purposes
• Drivers\xe2\x80\x99 License is an asset

We place great value on the importance of diversity in our workforce, and we value inclusivity, trust, and innovation and encourage applications from individuals who are members of under-represented or marginalized communities. We foster a diverse, equitable and inclusive organization. We connect with Indigenous communities; we care about the planet, our people, and our industry, and we want our city to be accessible to all. To that end, we are committed to an objective hiring process which is free from discrimination based on any of the protected grounds as stated in Ontario\'s Human Rights Code. In an effort to ensure that the selection process is as objective as possible, applicants are invited to consider removing any indications on their application that might suggest age, place of origin, ethnic origin, disability, race, or any other protected ground. For example, applicants might choose to include the names and classification of degrees granted (i.e. Diploma in Project Management, with Honours), while excluding the name or location of the school. All applications will be considered as long as the applicant can demonstrate that they meet the essential qualifications as described in the job posting. Further to this, if you would like to request any additional accommodations based on one of the Code\'s protected grounds, we will be happy to help accommodate you.