Senior UK Consumer PR Manager

SEGA has always been synonymous with great games and our plan is to continue to build on this great brand heritage. Combining creative talent from our worldwide development studios, rich arcade heritage, huge brand recognition and the determination to set new standards in interactive entertainment, SEGA is in a unique position to be one of the world's leading software publishers and developers. As the European distribution arm of its Japanese parent company - a worldwide leader in interactive entertainment both inside and outside the home - the company is an exciting prospect.

Reflecting the fast-paced and ever-changing nature of the games industry, SEGA is growing rapidly - not just because of the success of its computer game titles, but due to its aggressive acquisition of prominent games developers (e.g., The Creative Assembly, Sports Interactive).
This is a key role within our UK department. Working within a small team, the Senior UK Consumer PR Manager will have responsibility managing all UK Consumer PR for SEGA Europe.

It's an exciting time for the company, with its London European head office and subsidiaries in France, Germany, Spain, The Netherlands and Australia - the foundations are now in place for SEGA Europe to become one of the world's leading software publishers and developers.

Combining the best of both worlds, SEGA Europe embodies the thrills, fun and vision of a fresh start-up, yet benefits from the security of ownership by SEGA Sammy Holdings.

Key Responsibilities

Overall

Manage day-to-day PR function for SEGA and our products, including the management of the press office to field press calls in conjunction with the team with regards to all non specialist gaming media

Management of external agencies in terms of selection, strategy, day to day business and post mortem analysis

Corporate PR programme with the European PR Manager to ensure that SEGA spokespeople become a voice within the gaming and entertainment industries
Maintain relationships with key journalists across all non gaming media.
Regular contact with media and features tracking
VIP media contact and hospitality programme
Develop an editorial calendar and monitor trends and stories, including proactive news and feature placement
Generate press releases on a reactive and proactive basis
Media events – planning and managing of media events in the UK and for the UK at European events
Develop close and collaborative communication relations with Product Managers and Brand PR teams.

Product

Input into SEGA’s internal product PR plans, in order to ensure asset delivery is on track and allows us to maximise coverage

Solicit, educate and manage PR agencies on specific products and initiatives

Oversee the publicity initiatives on all products

Ensure that the agencies deliver revenue focused, measurable PR plans by product, on and offline. All product plans should be supported by key objectives that need to be managed to ensure delivery throughout the campaign

Product campaigns should deliver strong reviews programmes for all games, reaching relevant target audience. Proactive liaison with the Product Managers to ensure that all product plans deliver against the specific objectives set

Maximise timely media coverage through each products lifecycle. Liaise with key journalists on a day to day basis to deliver news, previews, reviews and competition coverage

Provide strategic press feedback on products in regular intervals to UK and brand marketing

Creative idea generation to ensure that SEGA products go beyond what is normally expected in games PR

Liaise with the PR executive to support the engine room titles; including mail out code, prepare media lists and press releases and follow up calls to secure coverage

Work closely with in-house product team, PR agencies, media buying agency and promotional agencies to ensure the maximum exposure for SEGA’s products.


PR Management

Maintain and manage a database of media contacts with appropriate mailing lists
PR budget management and PO generation in conjunction with Product Managers
Management of information and assets to media through relevant channels
Knowledge of media schedules and deadlines.

Business Responsibilities

Revenue objectives by product as per all UK employees

Budgetary objectives – manage product PR budgets effectively in conjunction with the Product Managers and the Marketing Director ensuring all spend is signed off, agreed and within budget.

Administration

Weekly and monthly reporting and evaluation
Product updates pre and post launch
Maintain SEGA’s coverage library and manage the cuttings agency in conjunction with the team
Asset management and tracking
Budgetary management in conjunction with the product managers.


Knowledge, Skills and Experience

Overall Requirements

A minimum of 5 years consumer PR experience either in house or agency within an entertainment industry
Understanding of the games market and how it works
Realistic understanding of games and the local budget we attribute to them
Leader in creative ideas and execution
An understanding of both core and secondary target audiences and how we best reach them
Very strong relationships across a wide variety of media including men’s lifestyle and national press,
Create ideas to maximise product and corporate exposure.

Qualifications

Marketing or business degree and can demonstrate a level of experience that proves a strong understanding of the principals of PR

Excellent time management, organisational, interpersonal, presentation and communication skills.

This job description is an accurate reflection of the duties and responsibilities of the post as at the time of writing but will be changed from time to time as the job is a career development job which will be adjusted according to the progress of the job holder. It does not form part of the contract of employment.