Senior Manager Communications and Marketing

Vail Resorts is the world's leading mountain resort operator, with 37 resorts in 15 states and three countries. The Communications Team is responsible for promoting Vail Resorts and its values; each of our world-class resorts; and the product that provides guests with unrivaled access to all of them, the Epic Pass. In addition to strategic communications and PR, our resort-based communications teams, divided into three regions: West, Rocky Mountain and East, manage all field marketing efforts at our resorts, including brand activations that help us reach our mission of providing an Experience of a Lifetime to our guests.

The Senior Manager, Communications & Marketing is responsible for protecting and promoting assigned resorts of Vail Resorts. This communications professional will be equally skilled at both telling great stories and navigating crises effectively and professionally. The Senior Manager will be responsible for leading all external communications efforts for an assigned region's resorts, including media relations, issues management and strategic messaging. Additionally, they will oversee the region's social media channels and in-resort marketing efforts, including events and execution of resort brand strategy.

This role will report to a Director of Communications and will be part of a team that builds the reputation of Vail Resorts, the Epic Pass and the resorts across the region. The resorts within an assigned region are geographically disperse, so the Senior Manager will need to excel in managing a remote team of Field Marketing Managers.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Manage external communications, including crisis and issues management for the region, mitigating and minimizing risk for the Company in the region.

Develop a strategic and proactive communications and media relations plan to promote the region with guests and secure high-funnel and targeted media coverage.

Respond to all media inquiries for the region, host journalists at the resorts, and act as the primary spokesperson and media train other functional experts at the resorts.

Serve as the key communications resource for the region's leaders and develop strategic messaging that support the region's goals internally and externally.

Work closely with both Eastern Region and full Vail Resorts Communications teams to ensure brilliant execution of the corporate and regional strategies.

Oversee all resort social media channels for the region's resorts - leading a team of Field Marketing Managers and Content Specialists to capture and share authentic and engaging content with guests; while ensuring effective community management of those channels.

Oversee Field Marketing Managers in their execution of in-resort marketing activations - everything from events to brand strategy activations to upsell and signage.

Build relationships with internal and external stakeholders across the region.

REQUIREMENTS:

Bachelor's degree required, preferably in Journalism, Communications or Marketing

7+ years of experience in an external communications or PR role, and experience with marketing and events is preferred

Excellent writer able to draft nuanced communications on a variety of topics

Builds on strategic and innovative thoughts/ideas

Can seamlessly execute on multiple, overlapping projects at once

Self-starter who can adapt to change and effectively navigate through ambiguity; decides and acts without having the picture totally defined; appropriately changes strategy in response to new information

Drives for results - makes things happen and conveys a sense of urgency

Experience with all forms of external communications channels, especially news media and social media

Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills, including ability to work with people from various cultures and areas of the business; builds and maintains highly effective working relationships internally and externally.

Strong leader and manager with a drive to develop talent

Team player - strives for collective success.