PR & Social Media Manager

Public Relations and Social Media Manager Company: Al Fardan Exchange Department: Marketing Location: United Arab Emirates Reports to: Assistant Director – Marketing Role Purpose Al Fardan Exchange is seeking an experienced Public Relations and Social Media Manager to strengthen the company’s reputation, visibility and engagement across traditional and digital channels. The role will lead the planning and execution of public relations, corporate communications and social media activities. The successful candidate will combine strategic thinking with strong execution skills and will have experience working within the financial services industry, ideally across both client and agency environments. This position requires an individual who understands the UAE media landscape, communicates confidently with diverse audiences and can translate business priorities into relevant and engaging stories. Key Responsibilities Public Relations and Corporate Communications Develop and implement an integrated public relations and communications strategy aligned with the company’s business and brand objectives. Prepare annual and quarterly PR plans, editorial calendars and communication roadmaps. Identify relevant corporate, product, partnership, community and leadership stories that strengthen the company’s reputation. Draft, edit and manage press releases, media statements, opinion articles, executive interviews, speeches, talking points, briefing documents and corporate announcements. Build and maintain strong relationships with journalists, editors, publishers, industry commentators and other relevant media stakeholders. Proactively secure meaningful media coverage across business, financial, technology, lifestyle and community publications Manage media enquiries and coordinate accurate and timely responses with internal stakeholders. Develop thought leadership opportunities for senior executives through interviews, contributed articles, speaking opportunities, podcasts and industry platforms. Prepare senior leaders and company spokespeople for interviews, panel discussions and public appearances. Support the communication of partnerships, product launches, branch openings, campaigns, awards, events and corporate milestones. Maintain an updated media database and oversee the distribution of media materials. Monitor media coverage, industry discussions and public sentiment relating to the company, its leadership and the wider financial services sector. Prepare media coverage reports, competitor reviews and communication performance updates. Develop crisis communication protocols, holding statements and response plans in coordination with senior management, Legal, Compliance and relevant business teams. Support internal communications and employee advocacy initiatives when required. Identify and manage relevant corporate award submissions and speaking opportunities. Manage PR agencies, media monitoring partners, production suppliers and other external service providers. Social Media Strategy and Management Develop and implement the company’s social media strategy across LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, X and other relevant platforms. Create annual and monthly social media plans aligned with corporate priorities, campaigns, customer needs and key cultural moments. Manage the complete content process, from ideation and briefing to approval, publishing, monitoring and performance reporting. Develop platform specific content that is informative, relevant and consistent with the company’s brand voice. Write and edit social media captions, campaign messages, executive posts, video scripts and other digital content. Work closely with creative teams, agencies and production partners to develop high quality static, video, animation and interactive content. Manage corporate and leadership social media profiles where required. Maintain a consistent publishing schedule and ensure that content is delivered accurately and on time. Manage social media communities by monitoring comments, messages, mentions and customer conversations. Coordinate with Customer Service, Operations and Compliance teams to address enquiries, complaints and sensitive issues appropriately. Conduct social listening to identify emerging conversations, customer insights, reputational risks and relevant engagement opportunities. Plan and oversee paid social media campaigns in coordination with performance marketing teams and agency partners. Collaborate with influencers, content creators and community partners when relevant to campaign objectives. Monitor competitor activity, platform developments and emerging content trends. Track performance using agreed metrics and provide actionable recommendations to improve reach, engagement, sentiment and content effectiveness. Ensure all social media content complies with brand, legal, regulatory and data privacy requirements. Campaigns and Cross Functional Collaboration Work closely with Marketing, Retail, Digital, Corporate, Customer Experience, Human Resources, Legal, Compliance and senior leadership teams. Develop integrated communication plans for campaigns, product launches, corporate announcements and strategic partnerships. Translate technical, financial or operational information into clear and accessible communication for customers and external audiences. Manage multiple projects, stakeholders and deadlines while maintaining quality and consistency. Support event communication before, during and after corporate, industry and community events. Maintain effective approval processes and ensure all communication materials are properly reviewed and documented. Manage assigned budgets, agency scopes and supplier deliverables. Key Deliverables Annual PR and social media strategy Quarterly communication and campaign plans Monthly social media content calendars Press releases and media announcements Media interviews and executive briefing documents Thought leadership articles and leadership content Media engagement and relationship plans Crisis communication materials and response protocols Social media community management reports Monthly PR and social media performance reports Competitor, media and sentiment analysis Agency and supplier performance reviews Performance Indicators Success in this role may be measured through: Quality and relevance of earned media coverage Growth in positive brand visibility and sentiment Share of voice within the financial services sector Strength and quality of media relationships Social media reach, engagement and community growth Content quality and consistency across platforms Response time for media and social media enquiries Effectiveness of campaign communication Growth in executive thought leadership visibility Timely delivery of approved communication plans Compliance with brand and regulatory requirements Quality of reporting, insights and recommendations Qualifications and Experience Bachelor’s degree in public relations, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, Media or a related discipline. A minimum of 6 years of relevant experience in public relations, corporate communications and social media management. Demonstrated experience within banking, financial services, fintech, payments, remittance, foreign exchange or another regulated financial sector. Experience working in both an agency and a client-side environment is required. Strong knowledge of the UAE media landscape and the wider regional communications environment. Proven experience managing corporate social media platforms and integrated communication campaigns. Strong portfolio of press releases, corporate content, social media campaigns or published thought leadership materials. Excellent written and spoken English. Arabic language capability is preferred. Experience working with senior executives and managing sensitive or confidential communication. Familiarity with social media management, analytics, media monitoring and reporting platforms. Skills and Competencies Strong writing, editing and storytelling ability Strategic communication and campaign planning Media relations and stakeholder management Social media content and community management Reputation and crisis communication Sound understanding of financial services communication Strong judgement and attention to detail Ability to simplify complex information Analytical thinking and performance reporting Agency and supplier management Project, budget and deadline management Confidence in working with senior leadership Ability to collaborate across diverse teams and cultures High level of professionalism, discretion and accountability Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a confident and commercially aware communications professional who understands both the demands of a client organization and the pace of an agency environment. They should be comfortable moving between strategy and execution, from developing an annual communication plan to drafting an urgent media statement or managing a live social media conversation. They will bring a strong understanding of financial services, sound judgement and a genuine ability to build trust with media, customers, colleagues and senior stakeholders.