Responsibilities

• Lead assigned media relations strategies and support broader media efforts that strengthen CLIA’s voice, credibility, and share of voice on issues affecting the global cruise industry.
• Develop and execute proactive and reactive media strategies, including media outreach, reporter engagement, pitch development, press materials, statements, Q&As, briefing documents, backgrounders, and media lists.
• Monitor media narratives, emerging issues, and reputational risks, and recommend communications approaches that support accurate, balanced, and timely coverage.
• Support the preparation of CLIA executives, Board members, member representatives, and other spokespeople for media interviews, press briefings, panels, and public-facing engagements.
• Work with the SVP, Vice President, and other communications colleagues to ensure media messaging is aligned with CLIA’s broader reputation, policy, advocacy, research, and stakeholder engagement priorities.
• Coordinate with Digital and Social Media colleagues to amplify earned media coverage, develop media-related content, and support integrated paid, earned, shared, and owned communications strategies.
• Lead assigned communications, event marketing content, and program content-alignment work for assigned CLIA conferences, events, executive engagements, member programs, stakeholder meetings, and special initiatives, in alignment with the approved event strategy.
• Work with Membership & Events, Government Affairs, Maritime Policy, Research, Digital and Social Media, Graphic Design, regional teams, and external partners to align event content with CLIA’s industry priorities, organizational objectives, audience needs, and approved event strategy.
• Help shape event themes, session topics, panel concepts, speaker objectives, audience takeaways, messaging, and content flow in coordination with Membership & Events, Government Affairs, Maritime Policy, regional teams, Strategic Communications leadership, and other relevant subject-matter experts.
• Help develop and coordinate event positioning, session descriptions, speaker briefing materials, promotional content, run-of-show materials, talking points, presentations, post-event content, and related communications materials.

Requirements

• Strong knowledge of strategic communications, media relations, content strategy, event communications, stakeholder communications, reputation management, policy-related communications, and integrated marketing communications.
• Excellent writing, editing, messaging, presentation, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong media judgment and understanding of proactive and reactive media relations.
• Ability to translate complex industry, policy, technical, research, and reputational issues into clear, compelling, and audience-appropriate communications.
• Strong project management skills, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, timelines, contributors, approvals, vendors, and deliverables.
• Ability to develop communications plans, messaging frameworks, executive materials, stakeholder resources, media materials, and content strategies that support clear objectives.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments, regions, member companies, external partners, and stakeholder groups.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build trust, manage by influence, and navigate complex organizational dynamics.
• Sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and ability to handle confidential, sensitive, or high-pressure situations.
• Strong understanding of paid, earned, shared, and owned communications channels and how content should be adapted across channels and audiences.

Preferred

• Experience in a trade association, global organization, regulated industry, travel, and tourism, maritime, transportation, hospitality, advocacy, agency, or member-service environment.
• Experience working with executives, boards, committees, member companies, policymakers, media, external partners, or senior stakeholders.
• Experience supporting communications related to legislation, regulation, sustainability, destination stewardship, issues management, crisis response, or license-to-operate challenges.
• Experience developing communications and content strategies for major events, conferences, partnerships, awards, educational programs, or member-facing initiatives.
• Supervisory, vendor-management, agency-management, or project leadership experience preferred.