China & APAC – Marketing & PR Manager

Reporting to the Brand Director, this will be a pivotal role for the successful development of our business. You will lead the creation, delivery, implementation and continuation of the PR & marketing offline strategy and planning for the Chinese market.   The main deliverable of this role is to build a clear marketing strategy that enhances the image, reputation and reach of the brand through:

• Engaging with Chinese consumers within the UK; 
• Identifying appropriate strategic opportunities to grow the brand across China. 

Please note that native or bi-lingual fluency in Chinese is a key requirement for this role.

You will be a brand ambassador for Strathberry within the Chinese marketplace and your ability to influence and manage multiple stakeholders, including external agencies, vendors and partners, will be key. Although you will be reporting to the Brand Director, you are also expected to pro-actively liaise with other parts of the business, including the Digital, Retail and Product Development teams.   In particular this role will work closely with the Digital Marketing and E-Commerce Manager, and together you will create appropriate strategies that will allow the brand to optimise opportunities across all platforms.

This presents an exciting opportunity to join a dynamic business with ambitions for further growth. 

Key Responsibilities

Communication Strategy and Planning

• Development of the China brand marketing strategy through to creative idea generation, including promotion of our UK stores
• Working with the Digital Team to support the digital program, brand messaging, content creation and marketing communication campaigns in line with budget planning
• Build strategy for growth in brand partnerships across UK and China by considering appropriate brand partnerships and building key relationships

Celebrity and influencers management

• Develop an influencer marketing strategy that aggressively builds a network of Chinese influencers globally
• Manage the influencer pool to widen the brand’s audience base and increase brand awareness and engagement, utilising the appropriate social media channels
• Design and deliver collaboration and campaign activations to deliver branding and commercial objectives within agreed timelines and budgets 
• Organise Press Days and events in order to promote the brand and increase market visibility 

Media relations & PR agency management

• Manage Chinese PR agency, drafting their brief and following through campaign execution to ensure successful delivery against KPIs 
• Work closely with London Store Chinese Marketing Team
• Assess brand opportunities in other Asia territories, such as Taiwan and Hong Kong, and build network of contacts within PR community
• Distribute press releases and manage strategic external relationships on behalf of the brand 
• Develop an effective PR program of events and gifting and unique campaigns that help to drive sales online 
• Build strategic PR ‘moments’ to grow brand affinity – such as breakfasts, store events, personalised products, afternoon teas

Social media and digital support

• Support the digital team with social media content delivery, including Youtube and Facebook, and developing creative assets such as case studies, videos and blog posts.

Candidate Requirements

• 5+ years’ proven experience in Marketing and PR for China/Asia Pacific
• Experience in international luxury brands is highly desirable 
• Fluent in Chinese and English, with strong communication skills in both languages, both written and oral
• Excellent interpersonal skills, able to connect & interact with various agencies & partners
• Sound market knowledge in Greater China and the Asia Pacific region
• Flexibility to work across both UK & China timezones
• Able to meet deadlines and work under pressure
• Strong strategic thinking and analytical skills, 
• Able to work independently and proactively in reaching the goals.
• Network of Chinese media contacts & influencers within the Chinese luxury market is desirable 

About Strathberry

Strathberry is an Edinburgh-based and internationally known brand founded in 2013. Specialising in luxury leather goods, Strathberry creations are handcrafted in Spain using only the finest quality Spanish leathers, and can take up to 20 hours to make. Known for its instantly recognisable bar closure and minimalist design aesthetic, Strathberry’s elegant lines, exceptional attention to detail and celebrity endorsement have lead to a global following.

Strathberry has quickly developed into one of the fastest growing and most exciting luxury fashions brands in the UK. Placed 16th on the most recent Sunday Times Fast Track 100, the brand now has a level of international awareness to enable the ambitious and talented team to achieve the next growth stage.