Director of Media

Where passion meets opportunity

The best of your adventures is the one you have yet to sail!

Your Purpose

MSC Cruises is the world's third-largest cruise brand as well as the leader in Europe, South America, the Gulf region and Southern Africa, with more market share in addition to deployed capacity than any other player. Reporting to the VP, Integrated Marketing, the new "Director of Media" for MSC Cruises will lead the development and execution of all paid media plans, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of a significant annual media investment, which leads to increased bookings and revenue. This position will oversee media spending across various platforms such TV, Radio, Print, Streaming, Paid Search, Paid Social and Affiliate - all tailored specifically to MSC Cruises' unique brand and audience.

Key responsibilities include developing comprehensive media plans, managing budgets efficiently, analyzing campaign performance metrics, and fostering collaboration with internal teams and external agency partners to ensure alignment with MSC Cruises' business and brand objectives. The Director of Media will play a crucial role in driving brand awareness and consideration, traffic and customer conversion/acquisition, and overall revenue expansion through targeted and impactful paid media effort.

Your Impact

• Media Strategy Development: Collaborate with the VP, Integrated Marketing and the broader Marketing team to develop holistic media strategies that align with business objectives, MSC's brand positioning, and target audience preferences. Utilize market research, consumer insights, and competitive analysis to inform media planning decisions.
• Media Planning & Buying: Lead the development and execution of media plans across traditional and digital channels, including print, TV, radio, digital display, paid search, social media, and programmatic advertising. Help MSC's agency partner negotiate media buys and partnerships to optimize reach, frequency, and overall cost efficiency.
• Audience Targeting & Segmentation: Identify and prioritize target audience segments based on demographics, psychographics, and behavioral data. Develop tailored media campaigns and messaging strategies to resonate with each audience segment and drive desired actions for the MSC brand.
• Creative Integration: With the agencies, collaborate with Creative and Content teams to ensure seamless integration of media placements with brand messaging and creative assets. Align media strategies with overall MSC brand positioning and campaign themes to maintain consistency and authenticity.
• Co-Op Marketing: Consult with the MSC Sales team to provide recommendations (not decisions) on partners, placements, units for co-op marketing as well as interpreting results to inform future decisions.
• Performance Optimization: Monitor and analyze media performance metrics, including reach, impressions, click-through rates, and conversions. Implement data-driven optimizations to improve campaign effectiveness, ROI, and customer acquisition cost (CPA).
• Innovation: Help MSC Cruises stay abreast of industry trends and emerging technologies in media and digital marketing. This Director should continuously seek opportunities to innovate and experiment with new advertising/media channels, formats, and targeting strategies to stay ahead of the curve and maintain a competitive edge for MSC.
• Budget Management: Develop and manage media budgets in alignment with overall Marketing budgets and revenue targets. Track expenses, reconcile invoices, and provide regular budget updates to senior leadership, on a quarterly basis (or more frequently).
• Partnership Development: Cultivate relationships with media vendors, agencies, and industry partners to stay abreast of emerging trends, opportunities, and best practices in media planning and buying. Evaluate new media platforms and technologies for potential integration into MSC's marketing strategies.
• Campaign Reporting & Analysis: Generate regular reports and dashboards to communicate media performance insights and KPIs to internal stakeholders, and external agency partners. Provide actionable recommendations for optimization and future planning based on campaign results and market dynamics.
• Team Leadership: Provide guidance and training to a small team, internally, and provide the same support for external agency partners, ensuring everybody has the skills and inspiration needed to maximize day-to-day output, and longer-term career opportunities.

Your Journey so far

• Media Planning: Demonstrated success in developing and executing integrated media strategies, and proven experience in media planning, buying, and optimization across traditional (TV, Radio, Print, Outdoor, Direct Mail) and digital channels (Paid Search, Paid Social, Streaming, Affiliate), with a focus on driving brand awareness, customer engagement, bookings, and revenue growth.
• Relevant Industries: Ideally, we are seeking someone with experience in the Travel, Leisure and Hospitality sectors, which can include Cruise, Airline, Car Rental, Hotel, Motel, Resort, Live Entertainment, etc.
• Digital Marketing: A robust background in digital marketing, encompassing a range of experiences and skills, including a deep understanding of digital advertising platforms such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, and programmatic advertising platforms. Proficiency in leveraging these platforms to create and optimize campaigns, target specific audience segments, and maximize return on investment, is paramount.
• Tech Stack: Ad Platforms (Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, LinkedIn Ads, Twitter Ads), Analytics Tools (Google, Adobe), DMP's, Programmatic Platforms, CRM, Marketing Automation (HubSpot, Marketo, Salesforce), Data Visualization (Tableau, Google Data Studio), and others.
• Team Leadership: Previous leadership experience managing teams, budgets, and agency partnerships in a fast-paced, results-driven environment.

Your Essentials

• US Passport or US Permanent Resident
• MSC Cruises is an E-Verify employer

MSC Cruises USA is an equal opportunity employer that complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws, rules and regulations. It is our policy to employ and promote qualified candidates without discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, age, origin, sexual orientation, marital status, disability or any other characteristic protected by law. Our hiring decisions are based solely on merit, qualifications and business needs.

Our commitment

We are committed to building a future that values diverse perspectives, embraces the world beyond borders, and fosters an inclusive environment where every individual feels valued, respected and empowered to be their authentic selves. Our commitment extends to taking meaningful, measurable actions that have a long-term positive impact on our guests, our employees and our planet.

Ready to turn your passion into something extraordinary? Join us at MSC Cruises, where new opportunities await. Apply today to be part of a global team that is pushing boundaries and achieving something remarkable. Your journey starts here!