Hiring for a Client - Senior Strategic Marketing & Communication Manager

"We are hiring for one of our client's roles."

Location: Al Qana, Abu Dhabi ( with flexibility for travel across all Emirates to deliver programs and activations )

Contract Type: Full-time ( 1-year renewable )

Language: Arabic and English fluency required

Nationality: Open

Why This Role is Important:

Effective marketing and communications are critical to driving the impact of our client – the Nation Food Loss and Waste Initiative. The Strategic Marketing & Communications Manager will lead the design and execution of campaigns, media strategies, and stakeholder engagement that amplify our client mission across the country. By shaping compelling narratives, building strategic partnerships, and positioning the initiative effectively, this role ensures that food loss and waste reduction becomes a nation priority and inspires measurable behavioral and societal change.

Where This Role Fits into the Bigger Picture:

Marketing and communications serve as a key lever in achieving nation transformation. This senior leadership role ensures that all messaging, campaigns, and public engagement initiatives align with the country ambition to halve food loss and waste by 2030. The role works closely with program, campaign, and stakeholder teams to translate research and data into engaging content, high-profile campaigns, and targeted media strategies that influence audiences across government, industry, and community sectors. By embedding communications throughout the initiative, this role ensures the maximum reach and impact of our client objectives.

Role Overview:

The Strategic Marketing & Communications Manager is responsible for shaping and executing our client comprehensive marketing and communications strategy. This includes leading integrated campaigns, digital engagement, public relations, and content initiatives that support all programs and activations across the year.

This role also oversees and develops the marketing team including the Social Media Specialist and PR & Communications Specialist ensuring alignment with nation objectives and delivering measurable results. The manager identifies and leverages strategic partnerships with key stakeholders and media, both locally and internationally, to amplify our client mission and maintain high visibility for this presidential initiative.

The position demands a senior, strategic thinker with strong leadership, creativity, and the ability to translate complex objectives into actionable plans that drive engagement, advocacy, and lasting behavioral change.

Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Leadership & Planning

• Develop, implement, and continuously optimize a nation marketing and communications strategy aligned with our client Food Loss & Waste (FLW) objectives.
• Provide strategic direction for all campaigns, content, and brand initiatives, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and nation targets.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration across our client programs, campaigns, and partner organizations to embed communications effectively at all levels.
• Monitor market trends, audience behavior, and media innovations to inform proactive, data-driven strategies.
• Serve as a thought leader within our client and the broader FLW ecosystem, shaping discourse and positioning the initiative as a nation priority.
• Act as a change advocate, ensuring communications support organizational transformation and nation behavior shifts around FLW.
• Engage in international collaboration and benchmarking, aligning our client strategy with global best practices.
• Contribute to policy and strategy discussions at the executive level, ensuring communications insights inform decision-making.

B. Marketing & Brand Management

• Oversee brand positioning, identity, and messaging for our client and the FLW Initiative, ensuring consistency across all touchpoints.
• Drive multi-channel marketing campaigns—including digital, social, print, broadcast, and out-of-home initiatives—to maximize visibility and engagement.
• Measure and refine marketing efforts through audience insights, analytics, and KPIs to optimize impact and ROI.
• Ensure marketing initiatives contribute to behavioral change and support nation FLW reduction targets.

C. Communications, PR & Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead high-profile PR initiatives, including media relations, crisis communications, and reputation management.
• Represent our client as a senior spokesperson at nation and international events and forums.
• Cultivate and maintain strategic partnerships with media outlets, government bodies, industry stakeholders, and international organizations to amplify program visibility.
• Oversee content development to ensure consistent, high-quality storytelling across campaigns, events, and digital platforms.
• Advocate for our client objectives, influencing policy, industry practices, and public behavior through targeted communications.

D. Digital & Traditional Media Strategy

• Direct social media strategy, content planning, and digital marketing to engage diverse audiences and encourage behavioral change.
• Leverage a mix of media—video, digital, print, and live experiences—to maximize reach and engagement.
• Track and analyze digital performance metrics to inform strategy refinement and optimization.

E. Campaign & Event Management

• Conceptualize and execute nation awareness campaigns and activation programs that support our client initiatives.
• Plan, coordinate, and execute large-scale events, including conferences, workshops, and public engagements.
• Evaluate campaign and event effectiveness using quantitative and qualitative metrics to drive continuous improvement.

F. Budget & Performance Management

• Develop and oversee marketing and communications budgets, ensuring cost-effectiveness and value for investment.
• Track KPIs, report on performance, and provide strategic insights to senior leadership.
• Ensure accountability for achieving defined objectives and outcomes across all marketing and communications activities.

G. Team Leadership & Development

• Provide strategic leadership to the Marketing & Branding Specialist and the Strategic Communications, Content Development & PR Specialist.
• Foster a high-performing, collaborative team culture, emphasizing innovation, excellence, and professional growth.
• Drive talent development, mentoring, and performance management, ensuring alignment with our client strategic goals.

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public Relations, Business Administration, or related field.
• Minimum 8+ years of senior-level experience in marketing, communications, PR, or brand management, preferably with nation or large-scale initiatives.
• Proven experience leading teams, managing high-impact campaigns, and delivering measurable results.
• Expertise in digital marketing, social media, stakeholder engagement, and media relations.
• Experience in crisis communication, reputation management, and public affairs is highly desirable.
• Understanding of sustainability, food loss and waste, environmental programs, or related fields is an advantage.
• Strong familiarity with international food loss and waste methodologies (e.g., FAO, UNEP, WRI protocols) is desirable.
• High-level verbal and written communication skills in Arabic and English.

Skills & Competencies

Core Skills

• Strategic Marketing & Communications
• Brand & Reputation Management
• Stakeholder Engagement & Partnership Development
• Data-Driven Insights & Performance Analysis
• Public Speaking & Media Representation
• Team Leadership & Talent Development

Competencies

• Collaborative Approach: Works effectively across internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Proactivity & Flexibility: Anticipates needs and adapts under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Creativity & Innovation: Brings new ideas and practical solutions to enhance project outcomes.
• Mature Judgment: Exercises discretion and handles sensitive information responsibly.
• Stakeholder Management: Navigates complex relationships with diplomacy and strategic influence.
• Results-Oriented: Focused on impact, metrics, and achieving organizational objectives.