AVP, External Communications

Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd•Miami, FL

About The Position

As a strategic senior counselor to the business, the AVP, External Communications, will lead media relations, crisis communications, and financial communications for Royal Caribbean Group. This position plays a pivotal role in proactively driving strategic storytelling initiatives that elevate our brands and position us as a leader in the travel industry. The AVP, External Communications, is responsible for implementing effective external strategies across brands to enhance the company’s corporate reputation as well as identifying and mitigating corporate reputation risk, managing crisis strategy and response, and ongoing issues management. In addition to leading teams of communications professionals, he/she will be a premier senior consultant and decision maker on the most important challenges and opportunities involving the company and its brands. This individual will counsel and support the company’s senior most leaders and work across brands to ensure that corporate messages are carried through in both proactive and reactive communications. The AVP will lead efforts to ensure consistency of strategy, tone of voice and responsiveness across multiple stakeholders.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required, preferably in Journalism, English, or Communications.
Minimum 15 years of experience and background providing communications counsel to senior executives of a global publicly held company.
Outstanding track record of success in a large and complex global organization.
A proven communications strategist and tactician who has demonstrated the ability to build brand and manage the reputation of a major business organization.
A successful record of creating clear and compelling communications strategies that support business strategy and market changes.
Established track record in the development and execution of reputation management strategies. Able to anticipate and effectively address issues affecting the brand or enterprise.
Extensive knowledge and experience developing aggressive media relations and news development; experience with media interviews.
Proven ability in crisis management and proactively managing communications to minimize these events.
Can put him/herself in the mind of the consumer and all other key constituents from regulators to shareholders.
Excellent interpersonal and communication skills [written and verbal]; exceptional interpersonal skills to influence internal and external relationship building and must exude credibility as a corporate spokesperson.
Proven ability to lead diverse communication teams in accomplishing aggressive objectives in a fast paced, values and results-driven environment.
Outstanding English language proficiency. Desirable proficiency in Spanish.
Availability to travel up to 10% of the time and flexibility to support unexpected business events outside of the regular business hours including holidays and weekends.
Judgment, maturity, and leadership skills necessary to understand complex issues and to advise senior leadership on the impact these issues might have on the reputation and financial health of the company.
Strategic vision with practical skills to deliver results.
Articulate, with strong oral and written communication skills, and the ability to build internal relationships with, and influence the decision-making of, senior-level corporate executives.
Experienced in understanding business principles and the complexities of a large, Global corporation.
Able to operate successfully in a performance driven environment that treats people with respect but expects results.
A disciplined, not cavalier, approach to work. Must uphold high standards and expect and instill the same in others.
A pragmatic and professional nature, with strong project management skills to establish clear priorities quickly, meet deadlines and bring projects to completion within budget. Must be able to work effectively under pressure and handle heavy workloads.
High energy and high integrity.

Responsibilities

Establish goal and priorities for the media relations, financial communications and crisis communications team, and provides guidance and counsel across the organization, including but not limited to brand presidents, senior vice presidents and vice presidents, regarding corporate issues.
Create a proactive integrated communications strategy to share the RCG corporate narrative, supported by multiple stories and relevant events to various external stakeholders throughout the year.
Create and foster essential relationships necessary for the company’s long-term success, including relationships with news reporters and editors, community influencers and opinion leaders, major customer and industry voices, industry associations and others.
Act as company spokesperson with the media, community, and other external audiences in disseminating information about corporate policies, activities, and events, when appropriate.
Responsible for arranging media interviews, identifying the appropriate spokespeople, preparing messaging and spokespeople, and staffing interviews.
Monitor media and industry news to determine strategies to produce the appropriate Company response for incoming inquiries.
Develop talking points and presentation materials to support senior management communications.
Coordinate external events with media to achieve communication strategies and goals.
Manage multiple priorities and deadlines simultaneously while interacting with senior management, the public, guests, media and special interest groups.
Assist in the development of and maintenance of the Corporate Communications annual budget.
Manage the external public relations agency in the development and implementation of corporate communication plans and strategies.
Support the CFO and Investor Relations in reporting financial results to build shareholder value and investor confidence.
Establish processes to anticipate, pre-empt and prevent issues/crises to protect and defend the Group’s reputation.
Direct crisis communications activities, in both proactive and reactive ways, involving issues such as litigations, health & medical, weather, marine and hotel operations, onboard accidents and alleged crimes.
Ensure lockstep collaboration with the brands, Investor Relations and Government Relations functions, via both formal processes and ad hoc relationships.