Marketing Communications Specialist full-time

Job Summary

Marketing and Business Development is a highly progressive department responsible for achieving VCCI's long term sustainable growth by optimizing customer, dealer and brand relationship, as well as by providing strategic, analytical, and operational support to VCCI’s financial products related to the Volkswagen and Audi brands.

Reporting directly to the General Manager, Marketing and Business Development, the Marketing Communications Specialist will work closely with various internal and external stakeholders to develop, implement and manage VCCI's above-the-line, below-the-line and experiential marketing strategies that are customer focused, value driven and profit/growth oriented while retaining responsibility for maximizing customer loyalty/retention.

The incumbent will be responsible for brand management via creative development, production and performance measurement of all customer, dealer and internal communication channels. This includes optimizing brand integration to achieve one-voice strategy, maximizing process synergy and cost efficiency, identifying cross promotion opportunities to improve overall customer satisfaction and loyalty of VCCI's retail and lease portfolio, as well as successful planning, promotion and execution of various VCCI events marketing initiatives.

The incumbent will also be responsible for managing the annual Marketing Communications budget, as well as the procurement, contract and performance measurement of various agencies.

Job Responsiblities

Manage the creative design, production and evaluation of all VCCI consumer, dealer and internal marketing communications channels:
o Responsible for all above-the-line and below-the line promotional materials, including but not limited to:
-> Point-of-Sale materials and brochures
-> Dealer and field sales support materials
-> Direct marketing materials
-> Co-branded materials eg. ancillary
o Work closely with brand teams to achieve Volkswagen Finance and Audi Finance brand integration. Support sales efforts by providing financial services related value-add and expertise
o Responsible for all corporate internal communication channels both locally and internationally,

• Responsible for the development, management, communication and evaluation of VCCI, Volkswagen Finance and Audi Finance brand guidelines. Serve as the person of approval for all brand / logo usage within VCCI by supporting all internal stakeholders via on-going training, communication and creative/production review.
• Manage the planning, execution, reconciliation and performance measurement of all VCCI events marketing initiatives,
• Develop annual dealer marketing communications plans for VCCI products and services based upon strategic input from the General Manager, Marketing and Business Development as well as other stakeholders
• Procure, manage and support various agencies, including but not limited to:
  o Creative & brand agencies: Direct/management
  o Production agency: Direct/management
  o Fulfillment agencies: Direct/management
  o Events agency: Direct/management
  o Promotional merchandise agency: Direct/management
  o Other agencies working with brand teams: Indirect/support
• Responsible for tracking and reconciliation of annual Marketing Communications budget while consistently seeking revenue and cost optimization
• Responsible for the procurement process management of all Marketing related purchase requisitions and purchase orders
• Manage the creation, production and performance evaluation of branded merchandise items
• Responsible for establishing managing or supporting customer focus groups to discover improvement opportunities
• Responsible for the project management process of various short, medium and long term Marketing Communications related projects

QUALIFICATIONS

Education
Bachelor’s degree in Marketing/Journalism/Business or related major.

Desired:
Marketing related certificates or training such as Events Marketing, Professional Writing and Digital Marketing

Experience
4 – 7 years professional Marketing communications experience
Proven experience in developing effective marketing communications programs.
Ad agency experience or direct experience managing an agency relationship

Desired:
5 – 7 years professional Marketing communications experience related to financial products and services.
2 – 5 years professional Marketing communications experience specific to automotive financing.

Specialized Skills, Knowledge

Bilingualism (English/French - written, spoken and read)
Self-starter with strong ability to multi-task and keep appropriate stakeholders informed based on different levels of needs and involvements
Exceptional creativity and the ability to “think outside the box”
Excellent communications skills – both professional written and oral – and strong editorial capabilities
Demonstrated project leadership
Experience managing creative design, production, fulfillment phases Marketing initiatives
Strong understanding of graphic and design principles and an appreciation and motivation for effective design and layout for multiple unique brands with vastly different styles and tonalities
Experience developing and managing budgets.