Head of Marketing & Communications (Financial Services)

About the Opportunity

• A well-established and growing organisation in Abu Dhabi is looking to appoint a Head of Marketing & Communications to establish and lead its marketing and communications function.
• This is a newly created leadership position offering the opportunity to shape the organisation's brand, communications strategy and market presence from the ground up. The successful candidate will initially be highly hands-on, taking ownership of a broad marketing and communications remit while working with specialist external partners. As the organisation continues to grow, they will have the opportunity to build and lead an in-house team.
• Working closely with the senior leadership team, the Head of Marketing & Communications will play a key role in strengthening corporate positioning, enhancing stakeholder engagement, supporting business development and establishing a consistent and compelling presence across all channels.

Key Responsibilities

• Marketing Strategy & Function Development
• Develop and implement an integrated marketing and communications strategy aligned with organisational objectives
• Establish the structure, processes, governance and operating model for the function
• Develop annual marketing plans, budgets and performance frameworks
• Establish brand guidelines, communications standards and marketing processes
• Identify emerging market trends and opportunities to strengthen the organisation's positioning
• Brand, Corporate Communications & Digital
• Own and develop the corporate brand across the organisation and its various business activities
• Ensure consistency of messaging, tone of voice and visual identity across all channels
• Lead the development and ongoing management of the corporate website
• Develop digital marketing and search strategies to improve visibility and engagement
• Manage the organisation's social media presence, particularly LinkedIn
• Develop executive communications, speeches, articles, statements and thought leadership content
• Support senior executives with personal branding and external communications
• Identify opportunities for speaking engagements, partnerships, sponsorships and thought leadership
• Manage external PR, communications, creative and digital agencies as required.
• Content & Business Development
• Develop high-quality corporate and commercial marketing materials, including presentations, brochures, proposals and credentials
• Create compelling thought leadership and insight-led content
• Develop campaigns that support business development, client engagement and brand awareness
• Partner with commercial and business teams to develop tailored marketing and client-facing materials
• Ensure all communications are aligned with corporate positioning and relevant governance requirements
• Events & Stakeholder Engagement
• Develop and manage an annual corporate events and engagement programme
• Lead the planning and delivery of senior-level events, conferences, roundtables, client engagements and corporate initiatives
• Manage event budgets, timelines, suppliers and external partners
• Work closely with senior stakeholders to maximise the impact of key events and engagement opportunities
• Evaluate event performance and identify opportunities to improve future activity.
• Agency, Supplier & Budget Management
• Manage relationships with external marketing, PR, creative, digital and events agencies
• Establish clear briefs, scopes of work and performance expectations
• Oversee external suppliers including designers, developers, photographers and videographers
• Manage marketing expenditure and ensure activity delivers strong value and measurable outcomes
• Support procurement processes relating to marketing and communications.
• Performance & Analytics
• Establish meaningful KPIs across marketing and communications activity
• Monitor digital performance, social media engagement, campaign effectiveness and event outcomes
• Produce regular performance reports for senior leadership
• Use data and insight to continually improve marketing effectiveness
• Leadership
• Build and develop a high-performing Marketing & Communications function
• Recruit, manage and develop the team as the organisation's requirements evolve
• Establish a culture of accountability, creativity, collaboration and continuous improvement
• Position Marketing & Communications as a strategic partner to the wider organisation

About You

The ideal candidate will be an experienced marketing and communications leader who combines strategic thinking with strong hands-on execution.

You will have

• 15+ years experience across Marketing & Communications, with significant leadership experience
• A proven track record of building, developing or transforming a marketing and communications function
• Strong experience across corporate communications, brand, digital marketing, content, events and stakeholder engagement
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce high-quality executive-level content
• Experience managing agencies, suppliers, budgets and multiple concurrent projects
• Strong stakeholder management skills and the confidence to work closely with senior executives
• A commercially minded approach, with an understanding of how marketing and communications can support organisational growth and business development
• The ability to operate comfortably in a stand-alone, hands-on role while simultaneously developing the longer-term strategy and team structure

Desirable Background

• Experience within one or more of the following sectors would be advantageous:
• Financial Services
• Banking
• Investment Management
• Wealth Management
• Professional Services
• Consulting
• Government or Government-related organisations