ABOUT US

Our philosophy at The Travel Corporation (TTC) is simple, we create enriching experiences for travelers by combining an unbeatable mix of exceptional service and quality at great value. As a global business with over 100 years of experience in the travel industry, our ethos of being ‘Driven by Service’, ensures we keep our values of passion, people and purpose at the heart of everything we do - designing and running immersive, innovative and responsible travel experiences for our guests across 70 countries. Join us in creating life-changing moments for every guest across our award-winning brands and experience the TTC difference. 

OUR VALUES

• Driven by service
• An inherent passion for travel
• Commitment to our customers and to our people
• Commitment to social responsibility and our 5-year sustainability strategy

POSITION SUMMARY

The Lead Brand Manager (Trafalgar) is a senior, highly collaborative role and the second-in-command on the Trafalgar brand team, responsible for leading brand and marketing initiatives from strategy through execution while partnering closely with the VP, Head of Brand. This role drives agency management, sustainability communications, and marketing partnerships, requiring a hands-on leader with exceptional communication skills, high EQ, and the ability to navigate a global, matrixed organization. This is a hybrid role, based out of our office in Costa Mesa, CA.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Lead Brand Marketing Initiatives

• Own end-to-end delivery of major brand marketing projects, from strategy through execution.
• Translate brand strategy into clear briefs and actionable plans across teams and agencies.
• Ensure all work is delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with Trafalgar’s brand standards.

Agency & Partner Management

• Brief, manage, and motivate external agency partners to deliver high-impact, on-brand work.
• Develop and oversee marketing partnerships that drive brand equity and business value.
• Evaluate partner performance and continuously optimize ways of working.

Sustainability Communication

• Create internal and external communications for Trafalgar’s sustainability initiatives.
• Ensure consistency, credibility, and transparency across all sustainability messaging.

Brand Transformation & Process Excellence

• Support and help lead brand transformation initiatives, including rebrands and portfolio evolution.
• Drive process improvements and transitions to enhance efficiency and cross-team collaboration.
• Establish best practices, workflows, and tools to scale brand operations.

Stakeholder Leadership & Cross-functional Collaboration

• Act as a senior connector across marketing, sustainability, leadership, and regional teams.
• Navigate a matrixed organization to align priorities and manage competing stakeholder needs.
• Communicate with influence and high EQ to build trust and drive outcomes.

ROLE SUCCESS CRITERIA

• On-Time, On-Budget Delivery of Brand Initiatives
• Agency & Partnership Effectiveness
• Brand Transformation & Process Improvement Outcomes

KEY INDIVIDUAL TRAITS

• Attention to detail: Carefully reviews work to ensure accuracy, quality, and completeness. Adheres to rules and procedures.
• Collaborative: Builds strong relationships and works cross-functionally with a consultative, co-creative approach to influence and align others in a fast-paced environment.  
• Adaptability: Demonstrates the ability to adjust effectively to changing environments, priorities, and challenges. Embraces new ideas and approaches with flexibility and openness. 

YOUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE

• Approximately 10 years of experience in brand or marketing roles, either client-side within marketing organizations or in account management at leading advertising agencies.
• Proven experience leading complex global marketing projects and managing agency partners.
• Background in brand transformation and/or process transition initiatives strongly preferred.
• Experience in sustainability communications highly desirable.
• Experience in partnership marketing strongly preferred.
• Experience with travel, hospitality, or lifestyle brands is highly desirable.
• Exceptional communication skills—written, verbal, and interpersonal—with high emotional intelligence.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced, matrixed environment.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, and execution-focused; a true “doer.”

TRAVEL & OTHER REQUIREMENTS

• Work Location: Hybrid (office and remote) in our Costa Mesa, CA office.
• Travel: International and Domestic travel required.