SVP, Head - Brand & Corporate Communications (UAE National Only)

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Mashreq is seeking a UAE national to lead SVP, Head of Brand & Corporate Communications, directing a global brand agenda across brand management, PR and social, ESG, content, internal communications and expansion into Egypt, Pakistan and other growth markets while aligning with the bank’s values and objectives. The role also drives partnerships, sponsorships, employer branding, agency governance and research insights with budget oversight, leading a multi region team. To stand out, highlight 18 to 20 years in banking marketing or brand and advertising, global leadership with ROI driven campaigns, crisis and ESG programs, cross market localization, stakeholder management, and fluency in English and Arabic plus budget discipline and agency collaboration.

Responsible for leading global brand and corporate communications strategy, overseeing brand partnerships, employer branding, content management, new market brand expansion, ESG brand integration, social media management, corporate and internal communications, and leveraging research and insights to drive brand relevance and resonance. Ensure alignment with the bank's values and business objectives, while enhancing brand image, market reach, and stakeholder engagement at a strategic level.

Brand Management:

-    Work closely with the Group Head of Marketing & Communication as knowledge management and lead brand & communications strategies and special projects globally, including existing and new growth markets identified by the bank, such as Egypt, Pakistan and International Banking Group countries
-    Work in close and constant alignment with Business Group Heads to ensure their narratives, initiatives and achievements are communicated effectively, contributing to the holistic brand story of Mashreq 
-    Lead and provide strategic direction for Mashreq brand, PR and social media to meet Brand  KPIs for the year to increase awareness and consideration and ultimately the Brand Finance rankings and position linked to targets set for 2025 and beyond
-    Build Customer Trust through awareness campaigns such as Fraud, information security etc.
-    Build Brand Saliency through thematic campaigns and events annually. 
-    Develop a 360-degree brand plan that leverage PR, paid digital, social media and alternate channels. 
-    Support Business Marketing teams for strategic brand and product campaigns, research and consumer PR.
-    Help and the  agencies in attaining a better understanding of the value propositions across all business groups to deliver superior brand plans.
-    Monitor Development of quarterly brand Calendar based on the inputs provided by the segment owners; monitor the monthly activities. 
-    Monitor campaign performance and track campaign impact across Brand KPIs 
-    Act as the gateway for generating all communication from content development across channels, ensure consistency of messages, timely roll out of new campaigns collateral, and removal of obsolete collateral. Ensure that there is a sequence being followed to ensure maximum reach for all brand related communication. 
-     Define and uphold the brand's identity, values, and visual language, ensuring consistency   
      across all touchpoints and channels.
-    Develop and maintain brand guidelines to be adhered to by all internal and external   
     stakeholders, ensuring that the brand remains true to its core principles.
-    Monitor and protect the brand's reputation, addressing any issues or challenges that may  
     arise and working to enhance brand perception.
 

Brand expansion in New Markets 
- Develop and execute a comprehensive brand strategy, , understanding local consumer behavior, and adapting the brand's positioning and marketing approach accordingly – eg Egypt, Pakistan, Oman and others such as Saudi based on the license. 
- Develop visibility for employer brand for MGN related markets to support hiring for India, Pakistan and Egypt.  
- Collaborate with various teams to ensure a seamless expansion process, which may involve product localization, market research, and cultural adaptation of marketing strategies.
- Establish partnerships or alliances with local entities or agencies to facilitate the brand's entry into new markets, while adhering to local regulations and business practices.

Partnerships & Sponsorships: 

-    Identify and drive opportunities for annual /long term sponsorships such as sports,  music, gaming and other relevant partnerships. 
-    Identify global PR opportunities and partnerships to create unique and impactful communication and deliver though leadership through relevant platforms. 
-     Develop and execute a strategy for identifying and securing strategic partnerships with   
      other brands or organizations that can help enhance the company's brand image, reach,   
      and  influence.
-     Build and maintain strong relationships with potential partners, negotiating deals and  
           contracts that    
     align with the company's brand identity and business objectives.
-     Contribute to the development of co-branded marketing initiatives or campaigns,  
      ensuring that   
      they    align with the overall brand positioning and messaging
-    Secure and manage long term opportunities for effective partnerships with high ROI and brand visibility. 
-    Cross partnership opportunities for marquee products such as ESG related, Neo, Cards, NeoBiz, Corporate etc through bankwide events, webinars and conferences.  

Social Strategy and Channel Management 
- Develop and implement a comprehensive social media strategy to elevate the organization's online presence and engagement, aligning with the overall brand and marketing goals.
- Oversee the management and optimization of all social media channels, identifying opportunities for growth, engagement, and strengthening brand loyalty.
- Analyze social media data and insights to continuously refine the social strategy, ensuring that it remains effective and aligns with the organization's strategic objectives.
-    Enhance brand reputation and stakeholder engagement through social media.
Identify the right social media agency partners, set-up the scope of work, negotiation of costs and deliverables, and provide high-level direction towards execution of brand communications across channels are compelling, creative and consistent and impactful. Ensure all social channels and content are in alignment with the overall brand strategy, with consistent messaging, tonality and brand voice  
 

ESG brand strategy and communication 
-    Provide strategic, high-level direction towards the development & delivery of brand and communication campaigns related to ESG in alignment with the business’ wider strategies and goals 
-    Drive bank-wide communications and stakeholder collaboration for critical ESG initiatives such as COP in the MENA region and other international partnerships 
-    Ensure all marketing aspects such as Events, Digital, PR & Research, are leveraged effectively to achieve significant results
-    Track and review campaign performance and provide strategic recommendations to implement learnings 
-    Report key campaign performance and overall ESG communications impact to the EXCO on a quarterly/half-yearly basis.

Content Management 
-     Lead the development of a holistic content strategy across various marketing channels, ensuring alignment with brand messaging, target audience, and overarching business objectives.
-     Oversee the creation, curation, and distribution of content across multiple channels, including     
      digital, print, video, and more, ensuring consistency and relevance to the brand's identity.
-      Continuously evaluate and optimize content performance, leveraging data and insights to drive    
       engagement, conversions, and brand affinity.
•    Define and implement an integrated content marketing strategy, across key channels including company earned media (PR), paid media (cross-channel advertising, advertorials), website, social media channels, intranet, among others - in English and Arabic - to boost audience understanding of the brand and key initiatives
•    Ensure content created and published is compelling and consistent in style, quality, and tone of voice
•    Channel optimisation, brand consistency and meaningful measurement of content impact.

Corporate Communications:
Thought Leadership, Public Relations, Awards and Conferences. 
-    Build and lead the PR strategy bank-wide in line with the strategic priorities for the bank. 
-    Work closely with COE leadership and local agencies to increase the SOV with relevant messaging in local media for all 3 markets. 
-    Work with local marketing teams and PR agencies in Egypt to ensure consistent messaging. 
-    Work closely with EXCO team to build and execute thought leadership and communication strategy for effective corporate storytelling.
-    Crisis management and communications. 
-    Amplify corporate messaging through paid engagement and amplified PR. 
-    Identify external opportunities & engage with external industry stakeholders to secure relevant earned/sponsored opportunities for EXCO team members. 
-    Identify opportunities for leadership participation in industry conferences, and support with relevant corporate and brand messaging. 
-    Lead the PR in providing strategic direction, product related Information/campaign info on all submissions for the participation of the bank in various local and International Awards. 
-    Leading major bankwide events including PR media launches

Internal Communications:
-    Work with EXCO team to ensure all consistent messaging across all forums including Townhalls, corporate comms broadcast, intranet etc.
-    Work on Corporate Communication messaging for various initiatives – drafting, reviewing and ensuring the messaging is on brand and in line with the thought leadership and other stakeholders/groups. 
-    Lead culture communication across teams and agencies to ensure consistent message internally as well as externally. 
-    Support other business and support functions for effective positioning and employee messaging.  
-    Launch, manage and maintain internal communication on the Intranet 

Employer Brand and engagement initiatives:
-    Position the Bank as a preferred Employer of choice
-    D&I – Position the Bank as an inclusive employer and responsible corporate through focused efforts for women (Ashriqi) and People with determination. 
-    COE – Explore, strategize and own opportunities in PR, comms and brand to rollout campaigns, brand opportunities. 
-    Work closely with PICG team to plan and execute the annual initiatives. 
-    Partner with PICG team for  building and executing for employee communications and engagement on various HR initiatives.

Research and Insights:
-    Drive Research and Insights-based brand and communications activities along with the research specialist. 
-    Collaborate with various partners for brand insights such as Brand Finance, YouGov, other requirements for marketing research. 
-    Effectively leverage, understand, and utilize the existing data and analytics available through various sources including Sprinkler, SEO and MicroStrategy.

Team Management:
-    Recruit, induct, train, engage and mentor the brand and communications team across all regions. 
-    Communicate and manage priorities with ongoing interactions, feedback and recognition. 
-    Ensure the team has a customized learning and development relevant to their career and personal growth.

Agency management:
-    End-to-end agency management at a strategic-level – including identifying the right partners, creating business goals-aligned SOWs, negotiations and execution, review and feedback – including creative, brand, activation, media, PR, social, SEO and content development and marketing – globally, including but not restricted to UAE, Egypt, MGN locations (Egypt, Pakistan, Oman, India) and the International Banking Group countries.. 
-    Ensure growing ROI through effective partnering with agency partners and ensure that the Bank gets the desired output and impact for brand spends.
-    Quarterly performance reviews to ensure operational efficiency across agency partners.
-      Oversee relationships with external agencies, ensuring that they align with the      
       organization's strategic vision and deliver high-quality services and results.
-     Manage the selection, onboarding, and performance evaluation of agencies, setting clear  
     KPIs and expectations to drive accountability and excellence.
-    Collaborate with agencies to develop integrated marketing and PR campaigns, ensuring coherence and synergy across all brand communications.

Budget Management:
-    Plan and manage the brand and corporate communications budget, keep a tight control on vertical wise budget, and manage the monthly provisions that are submitted to the CAD and PMAD and reporting to Group Head. 
-    Negotiate with agencies alongside procurement team to ensure efficient budget spends. 
 

•    Minimum 18-20 years’ experience either within Marketing, Brand and / or Advertising on either banking. Led a global team for brand, communication and integrated agency management. 
•    Adept to the new age marketing and concepts to contribute to the creative ideas on board. 
•    Sound knowledge of budgeting, forecasting, and analyzing expense for various activities.
•    Proven success in building relationships both internally and with external parties 
•    Strong interpersonal skills
•    Excellent communication skills
•    Team player
•    Highly organized