Senior Manager, Outreach and Engagement, The Straits Times

About the Role

The Senior Manager, Outreach & Engagement unit is a strategic and operational leader responsible for shaping brand perception, driving audience growth, and deepening reader connection for The Straits Times.

Operating at the intersection of strategic brand building and execution, this role requires a professional who can navigate the big picture - aligning messaging with overarching organisational goals - while remaining rigorously detail-oriented across high-profile event operations and campaign execution.

As a voice for the brand, the ideal candidate possesses advanced project management capabilities, exceptional copywriting flair, and the ability to inspire trust among senior leaders and external sponsors and agencies (creative, production).

Key Responsibilities

Project management: Event Planning, Execution & Operational Excellence

• End-to-End Event Management: Lead the end-to-end strategy, logistics, and execution for major flagship events, community engagement activations, newsroom visits and partner deliverables.
• Live Operations: Direct live event operations, including detailed show-calling, run-of-show scheduling, speaker/panelist management, venue procurement, and protocol for high-profile guests.
• Post-Event Analytics: Conduct rigorous post-event evaluations to gather attendee feedback, measure performance, and refine future engagement blueprints.

Marketing Communications Strategy & Copywriting Leadership

• Media Planning & Strategic Brand Messaging: Formulate integrated marketing and outreach campaigns to boost brand awareness and community trust across all public-facing touchpoints.
• Mastery of Language: Act as the primary copy editor and strategist for outreach assets. Craft compelling copy for speeches, direct-to-audience digital campaigns, event messaging, subscriber communications, and corporate collaterals.
• Content & Brand Governance: Maintain strict quality control over brand voice, tone, and editorial standards, ensuring all external messaging reflects the authority and trust of The Straits Times.

Publicity & Media Relations

• Omnichannel Publicity: Direct multi-channel publicity campaigns spanning paid, owned, and earned media to maximise reach and event turnouts.
• PR & Agency Management: Serve as a key media liaison, managing public relations strategies, drafting press releases, handling incoming media queries, and directing external PR agencies.

Stakeholder Management & Collaboration

• Cross-Functional Synergy: Collaborate seamlessly with internal newsroom teams, commercial teams, product teams, and corporate communications departments.
• External Partner Relations: Negotiate with and manage external vendors, sponsors, agency partners and venue suppliers to ensure high-quality, cost-effective deliverables.

Budget, Administration & Performance Tracking

• Fiscal Management: Oversee event and outreach budgets, ensuring precise resource allocation, contract administration, and compliance with corporate procurement standards.
• Data-Driven Analysis: Track engagement metrics, ROI and campaign performance to prepare actionable insights and reports for executive leadership.

Job Requirements

• Experience: 10 - 15 years of progressive experience in event management, marketing communications, corporate affairs and/ or PR with at least 3 years in a direct supervisory or team lead capacity. Experience in media, publishing, or news organisations is a strong advantage.
• Education: Bachelor's degree in Mass Communications, Marketing, Business Administration, or a related discipline.
• Planning, Execution & Detail-Orientation: Proven track record of managing multi-layered projects and large-scale public events with flawless attention to detail under tight newsroom deadlines.
• Editorial & Copywriting Mastery: Exceptional written and verbal English skills with a demonstrated flair for narrative storytelling, persuasive copywriting, and speechwriting.
• Problem Solving & Agility: Strong crisis management capabilities with the poise to navigate high-stakes environments and dynamic live-event issues.
• Financial Acumen: Practical experience in budget control, vendor contract negotiations, and quantitative ROI reporting.