E-Commerce Manager / Assistant

JOB SUMMARY

 

The Manager of eCommerce and Digital sits at the intersection between Marriott International’s eCommerce, marketing, and global distribution strategies. This role helps a group of properties in a region (or cluster) effectively pull through the sales, marketing, and customer engagement activities that help drive awareness and profitability at the property level. This role will also manage overall activation of their property strategies in owned and third party electronic channels (Marriott.com, multi-lingual global sites, OTAs, meta search sites, search engines, and other eMarketing vehicles). This role will work on behalf of properties to increase revenue, grow market share and create a compelling experience that steers customers towards booking on our direct online channels. The Manager of eCommerce and Digital serves as a thought leader to their group of hotels, providing local, area, and country-wide insight to enhance their digital experience. To this end, he/she will be in touch with their properties on a regular basis to make sure they are fully activated and optimized on Marriott.com and appropriate in-language global sites. The role partners hand in hand with their colleagues in the cluster marketing team to engage current and would-be customers with targeted messaging that’s relevant, on-brand, and genuinely engaging. From time to time this role also provides eCommerce communication, training, education, reporting and analysis to digital and marketing teams on property.

 

CANDIDATE PROFILE 

 

Education and Experience

 

Required:

• 2-year degree from an accredited university in eCommerce, Marketing, Business Administration or related major and 4 years experience in the sales, marketing, digital, eCommerce or related professional area; hospitality marketing or agency experience preferred

OR

• 4-year bachelor's degree in eCommerce, Marketing, Business Administration or related major; 2 years experience in the sales, marketing, digital, eCommerce or related professional area; hospitality marketing or agency experience preferred.

 

 

CORE WORK ACTIVITIES

 

Area Digital and eDistribution Strategy Execution

• Advises hotels on appropriate on-strategy eCommerce priorities and tactics

• Coordinates with the Area Director of Sales and Marketing and the AP Director of eCommerce and Digital Services to set ecommerce goals for their cluster/hotels

• Reviews hotel progress against established goals periodically, provides reporting and analysis, and troubleshoots performance issues

• Manages budgets for the cluster/hotels for eCommerce activities

• Develops quarterly game plans for Area or Cluster hotels identifying key focus for the coming months

• Collaborates closely with Vice President of Brand Marketing, Directors of Field Marketing (DFMs), and cluster Marketing and Communication teams to execute online Brand Marketing strategies and plans for the cluster

 

Digital Acquisition Marketing

• Coordinates execution of online marketing efforts through approved agencies/vendors and Marriott Digital Services team

• Manages Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts for hotels by leveraging the Marriott Digital Services team (MDS) or external Agencies

• Assists hotels in optimizing Paid Search performance; engages external Agencies for supplemental Paid Search efforts if needed

• Manages the PLUS Platform for participating hotels in the area/cluster

• Executes online marketing activities in partnership with hotel and cluster Marketing leaders (e.g., loading Marriott.com Hotel Website deals, Group Deals, Group Value Dates, email marketing and affiliate marketing)

• Assures that hotel websites on Marriott.com and global sites are fully optimized to maximize traffic from search engines

• Identifies hotel-specific online digital activation needs (e.g., local channels to focus marketing efforts through)

 

Hotel Web Site Content Optimization

• Conducts regular audits of Marriott.com and individual Hotel Websites to ensure each hotel is optimized for high quality custom images, content, links, and accurate translations; works with hotels on corrective action where necessary

• Serves as the EPIC/Vignette administrator for the hotel(s)

• Provides consultation to hotel digital marketing teams in developing hotel website modules for Spa, Golf, Food & Beverage and weddings

• Manages the pull-through and activation of key corporate eCommerce projects (e.g., new Marriott.com Hotel Websites, new field SEO service, and similar corporate e-services)

• Uses B2B e-tools to grow online bookings for Group and Corporate business in cluster hotels

• Identifies and implements efforts to drive online awareness and bookings for hotel F&B outlets

 

OTAs and Meta Search Channel Optimization

• Ensures that all hotels within their region/cluster are participating in relevant, approved echannels

• Regularly audits content, images, and star ratings on OTAs and Meta Search sites, and works with hotels to make appropriate corrections

• Partners with cluster and area marketing teams to define and execute the hotel OTA merchandising plan(s)

• Identifies and executes hotel/cluster/area OTA marketing and merchandising tactics as needed (e.g. Agoda newsletter, Expedia TravelAds, etc.)

• May also co-manage soft-dollar marketing budget for domestic OTAs with the AP eDistribution Team

• Builds strong domestic relationships with the top 2-3 OTA partners

• Collaborates with hotel and regional Revenue Leaders to review hotel performance on eChannels

 

Marketing and Communication Partnership

• Assists in the development and execution of the cluster marketing plan (e.g. retargeting campaign, OTA marketing, etc.)

• Develops the offer landing page on Marriott.com for cluster offers

• Identifies and obtains Marriott.com and OTA marketing and merchandising placements as appropriate

• Creates mini-sites for domestic segment marketing efforts where needed (e.g. MICE or Weddings)

 

Opening Hotel Support

• Collaborates with Field Marketing to develop, recommend and execute the opening S&M plan for the hotel

• Sets up the Marriott.com Hotel Web Site

• Activates the hotel for sale on approved OTAs

• Shop hotel to ensure M.com and OTA rates are set up correctly

• Work with brand marketing team to position the hotel on digital channels

• Works with marketing and sales teams to plan the pre-opening budget and execute the budget according to what is best for the brand, region

• Acts as a point of contact for agencies reaching out for information about the hotel and redirect them to the right person to speak with

• Creates online press releases and helps with property SEO to drive awareness to hotel

• Helps set digital sales goals for new opens in partnership with sales and revenue management

 

eCommerce Communication and Training

• Uses the eCommerce Resource guide

• Trains and educates cluster and/or hotel-level managers on how to activate their hotel eCommerce and digital marketing strategy

• Delivers eCommerce training, presentations, and workshops to region, cluster and hotel-level associates and management in partnership with cluster/regional marketing teams

• Serves as cluster-level point-person for Marriott’s eCommerce strategy.

• Builds solid relationships with ADSMs, GMs, cluster Marketing and Revenue Management teams (where relevant) to raise their awareness, understanding, and motivation to e-activate their hotels.

• Participates in regularly-scheduled global and regional eCommerce and Marketing web conferences and calls to review performance, share best practices, and troubleshoot issues.

• Delivers a monthly report and newsletter, and hosts a monthly webinar, for hotels

• Develops other cluster-level eCommerce communications, as appropriate

• Stay up-to-date on and communicate industry and competitive trends, with a focus on the domestic online travel landscape