Essense of Australia is seeking an Associate Director of Strategic Communications.
Overview
Essense of Australia is an international bridal wholesaler with key offices based in Lenexa, Kansas and Perth, Australia. Our growing organization also operates in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and New Zealand. We have been a global leader in bridal fashion for over 20 years and our designs are currently sold in over 1,500 stores worldwide. With innovative designs and a strong customer service approach, Essense of Australia is a dynamic and rapidly-expanding company that rewards excellence, drive, and collaboration.
Responsibilities
Are you passionate about storytelling? Do you get an adrenaline rush weaving together and bringing to life a brand’s message? Do you want to be part of telling our great story to our employees, stores and brides around the world? Essense of Australia is seeking an energetic Associate Director of Strategic Communications to ideate and craft compelling stories and strategic communications to help inform and excite our global audiences.
The Associate Director will serve as a key team player within the Company’s Brand Experience and Marketing teams and will assist the Director of Marketing Communications in the development of strategies and processes that will shape the way we communicate internally and externally. This person will be mover and a shaker who likes to ask questions and isn’t afraid to do things differently. The Associate Director will have a passion and curiosity for bringing new ideas and solutions to the table, while continually working to improve communication and efficiencies across the organization.
With the ability to write creatively and think strategically, this person will be adept in toggling between right- and left-brain skills to collaborate with colleagues in various departments. This is a hands-on role, requiring the Associate Director to be a self-starter who can seamlessly operate and excel at both the strategic and tactical levels. Most importantly, we are seeking a true team player who thrives in an entrepreneurial culture and who brings their positivity to work each day to help us keep our work environment creative, inspiring, productive and fun!
What You’ll Do
Develop communication strategies for both internal and external audiences that drive our company’s brand message, image, culture, and desired business outcomes.
Work cross-departmentally to develop communications timelines and plans that address business objectives and messaging needs across the organization.
Implement communications programs and processes by partnering closely with key stakeholders including sales, design, customer service and HR teams to insure a consistent external brand message.
Create and implement strategic public relations plans to generate awareness and consideration for all brands.
Write and edit communications for internal and external audiences.
Directly manage the copywriter, providing mentorship and guidance while editing and proofing all internal and external communications.
Provide oversight of all communications plans, creating and monitoring project workflow and communicating any challenges to deadlines, readjusting work as needed to respond to the business needs.
Manage global translation process for all communications while partnering with international team members.
Develop and implement communications processes to gather and organize information while creating and managing distribution plans and platforms.
Partner with team members to manage email distributions, including testing and previewing of all store emails.
Work collaboratively with team members across various disciplines, providing support and continuously exploring efficiencies and evolving best-practices in marketing.
Manage the writing and approval of all official press releases, working closely with the Director of Marketing Communications as needed to cultivate the company’s message.
Qualifications
The right culture fit is critical. Must be relationship-focused, agile, and not afraid to have fun!
Must have the ability to work at a fast pace with a sense of hustle while remaining detail-oriented.
Must be curious and have a continuous improvement mindset.
A proven track record of developing and implementing communication processes and procedures.
Experience in managing media and conducting outreach.
Minimum 7 years’ experience with at least three years’ managing more than three direct reports.
Bachelor’s degree required; preference for Communications, Marketing, Business or similar field of study.
Experience in the following areas is a plus and will make your application more strongly considered but not required:
Public Relations
Corporate Communications
Marketing Agency
Bridal Industry
Retail
What We Offer
We look forward to welcoming the successful candidate to our fast-growing global team! In return for your skills, we offer you the opportunity to join an international industry leader and be part of a creative and collaborative culture that empowers its people, promotes teamwork and embraces sustainability. We recognize and reward excellence, innovation, and loyalty. Our goal is to offer an inspirational and modern workplace that allows for talented individuals to thrive. As such, we provide competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package, with significant opportunity for exceptional team members to grow with us as we continue to expand.
If you have the skills and drive to help us further our growth, please go to the job page and follow the prompts to submit a cover letter, resume, and online application. Please note: We believe cover letters are important to help us understand why you are interested in this position and your unique story and qualifications. If you sincerely desire to work with us, please take this into consideration when submitting your materials.
Contact: Thomas Frame thomasf@essensedesigns.com