📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Manager, Trade Marketing
🔹 Company: Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd
🔹 Location: Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom
🔹 Job Type: On-site
🔹 Category: Marketing
🔹 Date Posted: July 11, 2025
🔹 Experience Level: Mid-level (2-5 years)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
1. Trade Engagement & Commitment: Oversee trade marketing communications, manage creative agencies, and ensure maximum engagement and ROI.
2. Execution: Implement and deliver trade incentives, manage trade media strategy, and build relationships with external agencies.
3. Support: Attend and present in internal and trade partner meetings, assist with key events, and manage trade marketing budgets.
4. Team & Personal Development: Motivate, train, and develop the team, deliver employee engagement scores, and take accountability for self-development.
5. Financial Responsibilities: Accurate monthly forecasting and reviewing all trade marketing investments.
📋 Key Responsibilities
🔹 Trade Engagement & Commitment:
- Oversee trade marketing communications for UK, Ireland, Nordics, and Germany.
- Manage Celebrity Central trade web portal and ensure relevant content is maintained.
- Develop and execute POS materials and collateral in line with trade strategy.
- Implement and deliver trade incentives for Germany and Nordics markets.
- Manage Celebrity Rewards (trade loyalty programme) annual engagement strategy.
🔹 Execution:
- Effectively execute multi-channel engagement plans across UK, Ireland, and EMEA.
- Implement bespoke campaigns and marketing support for key accounts and International Representatives.
- Work with all areas of the Marketing team to ensure consistent trade communications.
- Manage trade media strategy, including digital, press ads, sponsored editorial features, competitions, and partnership activity.
- Build relationships with external agency partners and keep up-to-date with consumer marketing plans.
🔹 Support:
- Attend and present in internal sales and marketing meetings, as well as key trade partner marketing meetings.
- Assist with internal planning, trading, and commercial meetings when required.
- Manage trade media, sponsorships, and effective budget allocation.
🔹 Team & Personal Development:
- Motivate, train, and develop the team in line with company guidelines.
- Assist team with daily prioritization and provide clear timeline expectations.
- Deliver required employee engagement scores and take accountability for self-development.
🔹 Financial Responsibilities:
- Accurate monthly forecasting and reviewing all trade marketing investments to ensure proper spending and good ROI.
🎯 Required Qualifications
🔹 Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, or a related field.
🔹 Experience:
- Minimum 2 years of B2B marketing experience.
- Minimum 1 year of team management experience, with a proven track record of driving results through others.
- Large matrix organization experience is preferable.
- Previous experience in the travel industry would be beneficial but not essential.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
🔹 Salary Range: £45,000 - £55,000 per annum (Based on industry standards for a mid-level marketing manager in the UK travel industry)
🔹 Benefits:
- Competitive pension scheme.
- Private medical insurance.
- Life assurance.
- 25 days' annual leave, plus bank holidays.
- Generous employee discount on Royal Caribbean cruises.
- Flexible working hours and remote work options for some roles.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
🔹 Industry: Travel Arrangements
🔹 Company Size: 10,001+ employees
🔹 Founded: 1968 (as Royal Caribbean Cruise Line, Ltd.)
🔹 Company Description: Royal Caribbean Group delivers unforgettable vacations to guests and builds the best ships, all while doing the right thing. With a multicultural environment and a commitment to compliance, the company empowers employees to become part of the fabric of the Group.
🔹 Company Specialties: Cruise ship operations, vacation packages, and onboard experiences.
🔹 Company Website:
Royal Caribbean Group
📊 Role Analysis
🔹 Career Level: Mid-level marketing management role within the travel industry.
🔹 Reporting Structure: Reports directly to the Head of Trade Marketing for Celebrity Cruises.
🔹 Work Arrangement: On-site role based in Weybridge, UK, with potential for remote work and flexible hours.
🔹 Growth Opportunities: Potential to work on high-profile projects, collaborate with global teams, and progress within the marketing department or broader organization.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
🔹 Office Type: Modern, on-site office in Weybridge, Surrey, with state-of-the-art facilities and amenities.
🔹 Office Location(s): Weybridge, Surrey, United Kingdom.
🔹 Geographic Context: Weybridge is a town in Surrey, England, with a population of approximately 20,000 people. It is located about 15 miles southwest of central London and is well-connected by road and rail networks.
🔹 Work Schedule: Standard full-time work schedule, with potential for flexible hours and remote work options.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
🔹 Typical Process:
1. Online application submission.
2. Phone or video screening.
3. In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager and/or team members.
4. Final interview with the Head of Trade Marketing or another senior leader.
🔹 Key Assessment Areas:
- Marketing strategy and planning.
- Team management and leadership skills.
- Knowledge of the travel industry and cruise market.
- Ability to work effectively in a matrix organization.
🔹 Application Tips:
1. Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant marketing experience, team management skills, and industry-specific knowledge.
2. Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, initiative, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
3. Research the company, its brands, and recent industry trends to demonstrate your enthusiasm and understanding of the role.
🛠 Tools & Technologies
🔹 Marketing Tools:
- Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign)
- Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
- Google Workspace (Gmail, Google Drive, Google Docs)
- Marketing automation and CRM platforms (e.g., Marketo, Salesforce)
🔹 Project Management Tools:
- Asana
- Trello
- Microsoft Project
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
🔹 Company Values:
- Passionate: Demonstrate enthusiasm and a genuine love for the travel industry and cruise vacations.
- Innovative: Show a willingness to think outside the box and drive creative marketing solutions.
- Unstoppable: Exhibit resilience, persistence, and a can-do attitude in the face of challenges.
🔹 Work Style:
- Collaborative: Thrive in a team environment and enjoy working closely with cross-functional teams.
- Dynamic: Adapt quickly to changing priorities and workloads in a fast-paced, growing organization.
- Empathetic: Show genuine care and concern for team members, colleagues, and customers.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
🔹 Role-specific Challenges:
- Managing multiple projects and deadlines simultaneously.
- Working with remote teams and international partners.
- Adapting to the unique culture and dynamics of the cruise industry.
🔹 Company-specific Challenges:
- Navigating a large, matrix organization with diverse teams and stakeholders.
- Balancing the needs of multiple brands and markets within the Royal Caribbean Group.
🔹 Industry-specific Challenges:
- Keeping up with evolving consumer trends and preferences in the travel industry.
- Addressing the impact of external factors, such as economic downturns and geopolitical events, on the cruise market.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
🔹 Differences from related roles:
- Focus on trade marketing and B2B relationships, rather than consumer marketing or customer-facing roles.
- Work with international representatives and trade partners, rather than directly with consumers.
- Requires a strong understanding of the cruise industry and its unique dynamics.
📝 Sample Projects
🔹 Trade Marketing Campaign:
- Develop and execute a targeted trade marketing campaign to drive bookings for a new ship launch, including POS materials, digital advertising, and targeted email marketing.
🔹 Trade Incentive Program:
- Design and implement a trade incentive program to motivate travel agents and tour operators to promote Celebrity Cruises' products and offers.
🔹 Trade Media Strategy:
- Create and execute a comprehensive trade media strategy, including digital advertising, print publications, and event sponsorships, to maximize brand exposure and drive trade engagement.
💡 Key Questions to Ask During Interview
🔹 Role-specific Questions:
- How does this role fit into the broader marketing strategy for Celebrity Cruises and the Royal Caribbean Group?
- What are the key priorities for the first 90 days in this role?
- How does the company support the professional development of its marketing managers?
🔹 Company-specific Questions:
- How does the company foster collaboration and communication between its various brands and departments?
- What are the most successful trade marketing campaigns the company has executed in the past, and what can I learn from them?
🔹 Industry-specific Questions:
- How does the company differentiate its trade marketing efforts from those of its competitors in the cruise industry?
- What are the most significant trends and challenges facing the cruise industry in the coming years, and how does the company plan to address them?
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
1. Submit your application through the provided link:
Apply here
2. Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant marketing experience, team management skills, and industry-specific knowledge.
3. Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your problem-solving skills, initiative, and adaptability in a fast-paced environment.
4. Research the company, its brands, and recent industry trends to demonstrate your enthusiasm and understanding of the role.
5. Follow up with the hiring manager or HR representative after your interview, expressing your interest in the role and any additional insights you gained during the interview process.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
