Essense of Australia is an international bridal wholesaler with key offices based in Lenexa, Kansas, Perth, Australia, and Zug, Switzerland. Our organization also operates in the United Kingdom, Europe, Canada, and New Zealand. We have been a global leader in bridal fashion for over 20 years and our designs are currently sold in nearly 1,000 stores worldwide. With innovative designs and a strong customer service approach, Essense of Australia is a dynamic company that rewards excellence, drive, and collaboration. 

The Role

Are you passionate about storytelling? Do you get an adrenaline rush weaving together and bringing to life a brand’s message? Do you want to be part of telling our great story to our employees, stores and brides around the world? 

Essense of Australia is seeking an energetic Associate Director of Strategic Communications to ideate and craft compelling stories and strategic communications to help inform and excite our global audiences.

The Associate Director will serve as a key team player within the Company’s Marketing Communications team and will assist the Senior Director of Marketing Communications in the development of strategies and processes that will shape the way we communicate internally and externally.

This person will be mover and a shaker who likes to ask questions and isn’t afraid to do things differently. The Associate Director will have a passion and curiosity for bringing new ideas and solutions to the table, while continually working to improve communication and efficiencies across the organization.

With the ability to write creatively and think strategically, this person will be adept in toggling between right- and left-brain skills to collaborate with colleagues in various departments. This is a hands-on role, requiring the Associate Director to be a self-starter who can seamlessly operate and excel at both the strategic and tactical levels.

Most importantly, we are seeking a true team player who thrives in an entrepreneurial culture and who brings their positivity to work each day to help us keep our work environment creative, inspiring, productive and fun!

What You’ll Do:

• Develop global communication strategies for both internal and external audiences that drive our company’s brand message, image, culture, and desired business outcomes.
• Work cross-departmentally to develop communications timelines and plans that address business objectives and messaging needs across the organization.
• Implement communications programs and processes by partnering closely with key stakeholders including sales, design, customer service and HR teams to insure a consistent external brand message.
• Create and implement strategic public relations plans to generate awareness and consideration for all brands.
• Help identify, pitch and respond to media and influencer opportunities that best align with our brands.
• Write and edit communications for global internal and external audiences.
• Directly manage communications team members, providing mentorship and guidance while editing and proofing all internal and external communications.
• Provide oversight of all communications plans, creating and monitoring project workflow and communicating any challenges to deadlines, readjusting work as needed to respond to the business needs.
• Develop and implement communications processes to gather and organize information while creating and managing distribution plans and platforms.
• Partner with team members to manage email distributions, including testing and previewing of all store emails.
• Work collaboratively with team members across various disciplines, providing support and continuously exploring efficiencies and evolving best practices in marketing.
• Manage the writing and approval of all official press releases, working closely with the Senior Director of Marketing Communications as needed to cultivate the company’s message.

What We Are Looking For: 

• The right culture fit is critical. Must be relationship-focused, agile, and not afraid to have fun!
• Must have the ability to work at a fast pace with a sense of hustle while remaining detail-oriented.
• Must be curious and have a continuous improvement mindset.
• A proven track record of developing and implementing communication processes and procedures.
• Experience in managing media and conducting outreach.
• Minimum 7 years’ experience with at least three years managing more than three direct reports.
• Bachelor’s degree required; preference for Communications, Marketing, Business or similar field of study. 
• Experience in the following areas is a plus and will make your application more strongly considered but not required:
  • Public Relations
  • Corporate Communications
  • Marketing Agency
  • Bridal Industry
  • Retail

What We Offer

Essense of Australia is a company with heart. We value creativity, innovation, and dedication, and we’re looking for someone who shares our passion for delivering exceptional bridal fashion to brides and partners alike. In return for your skills, we offer you the opportunity to join an international industry leader and be part of a creative and collaborative culture that empowers its people, promotes teamwork and embraces sustainability. We recognize and reward excellence, innovation, and loyalty. As such, we provide competitive salaries and a comprehensive benefits package.  If you have the skills, spark and drive to help us further our growth, please go to https://www.essensedesigns.com/careers/ and follow the prompts to submit your cover letter addressing the above criteria along with a resume and salary expectations.  

Join Essense of Australia and be part of a passionate team dedicated to helping brides around the world find their dream wedding gowns. If you're ready to make an impact and drive success in a global bridal fashion powerhouse, apply now and let's shape the future of bridal together!