Responsibilities

• Act as the Company’s press office and first point of contact for all media enquiries, assessing each approach, determining the appropriate response and escalating reputationally sensitive matters to the General Manager and directors.
• Research, draft and issue press releases, statements, comment and feature pitches on hotel developments, refurbishments, appointments, awards, events and seasonal activity.
• Build and maintain relationships with journalists, editors, broadcasters, travel writers, bloggers and influencers across local, regional, national, tourism and hospitality trade media.
• Prepare press packs, media briefing notes, key messages, question-and-answer documents and spokesperson briefings for the General Manager and directors ahead of interviews and public appearances.
• Plan and host press visits, familiarisation trips, media stays and influencer partnerships, managing invitations, itineraries, hosting arrangements and post-visit follow-up.
• Monitor and evaluate media coverage, maintain a coverage log, and report on reach, sentiment, share of voice and campaign outcomes to management.
• Own the Company’s online reputation across Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, TripAdvisor, Google and social platforms, drafting and publishing considered public responses to guest reviews and commentary.
• Analyse review and sentiment data to identify recurring operational themes, and report findings with recommendations to heads of department and management.
• Maintain and periodically test the hotel’s crisis and issues communications plan, including holding statements, notification routes and escalation protocols for incidents affecting guests, staff or the property.
• Advise management on the reputational implications of operational, commercial and personnel decisions, and on the public communication of those decisions.

Requirements

• A Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, public relations, media, English or a closely related discipline, or an equivalent level of demonstrable professional experience in a communications role.
• Practical experience of producing editorial or communications content for publication to an external audience.
• Experience of managing organisational social media channels and of responding publicly to customer or guest feedback.
• Evidence of written work produced to professional publication standard.

Preferred

• A Master’s degree in journalism, broadcast journalism, communications or public relations, reflecting the level of independent professional judgement required in the role.
• Experience in hospitality, tourism, property or another guest-facing or consumer-facing sector.
• Experience of reputation management across online travel agency and review platforms.
• Broadcast, audio or video production experience, and on-camera or on-microphone presenting experience.

Benefits

• Casual dress
• Free parking
• On-site parking
• UK visa sponsorship