Tourism continues to be one of Northern Irelands most recognisable good news stories.

Tourism Northern Ireland is responsible for the development of tourism in Northern Ireland, supporting the tourism industry and for marketing the region as a tourist destination.

As a non-departmental public body of the Department for the Economy, the organisation works closely with other tourism bodies to help develop the visitor economy.

In 2023, almost two million overseas visitors chose to visit Northern Ireland, generating £1.2 billion in tourism expenditure.

Around 70,000 people work in the industry, which accounts for nine-per-cent of all jobs in Northern Ireland.

In addition, more than 70% of the jobs are located outside of the Belfast area, playing a critical role in breathing life into cities, towns and villages.

Going forward, the tourism sector is well placed to deliver a more sustainable, more productive, regionally balanced economy which can deliver good jobs.

Tourists increasingly want to engage with real life experiences which give them a sense of the culture and heritage of the places they are visiting, and Northern Ireland has that in abundance.

Across the North, there has been an unprecedented growth in authentic, local tourism experiences which give visitors the opportunity to explore the local way of life and engage with local people.

Tourism NIs consumer brand Embrace a Giant Spirit continues to go from strength to strength, encapsulating the spirit of the people, the warmth of the welcome and the authenticity of the visitor experience.

Tourism NI is also closely involved in the tourism elements of the City and Growth Deal Programmes which will be crucial in helping to secure more spend from international visitors to the island

Looking ahead, this is a particularly exciting year for tourism in Northern Ireland with the return of The Open to Royal Portrush this summer.

Following The 148th Open in 2019, there has been ongoing investment in Northern Ireland particularly in the accommodation sector with a number of new properties and acquisitions including the recently opened Dunluce Lodge in Portrush.

Northern Ireland has now become an increasingly popular destination for the lucrative golf and luxury segments of the tourism market.

With 2025 now in full swing, there is certainly a lot to look forward to as Northern Ireland continues to showcase its world-class tourism offering.

EVENTS DEVELOPMENT MARKETING OFFICER

GENERAL RESPONSIBILITY

Events are a key driver to the Northern Ireland economy and in this regard Tourism Northern Ireland (Tourism NI) recognises the critical role events have played in the exceptional growth of Tourism.

Events provide visitors with important and compelling reasons to visit Northern Ireland at specific points in time.

This role sits within Tourism NIs Events Development team whose goal is to provide support to the Director of Events and Head of Events in developing and delivering a Tourism Events Strategic Vision, and a funding programme and events industry capability programme to support delivery of the vision.

The overall purpose of this role is to provide strategic marketing expertise to maximise the tourism impact of events across Northern Ireland, working as the key liaison between event organisers and the delivery of the Tourism Events Strategic Vision. The position ensures that both funded and other non-funded commercial and home-grown events are effectively promoted and packaged as key components of Northern Irelands tourism offering, driving visitor growth and economic impact through coordinated marketing strategies and events industry development.

MAIN DUTIES

The job holder will be responsible for the following areas of activity:

• Strategic Marketing Development advise event organisers on the development of targeted marketing plans in partnership with wider Tourism NI teams.
• Cross-Organisational Collaboration Act as the key liaison between events and Tourism NI/Tourism Ireland marketing teams to ensure coordinated promotional activities.
• NI-Wide Event Support Monitor and support both funded and non-funded events across Northern Ireland, including industry skills development and stakeholder engagement.
• Content and Digital Marketing Support event organisers with content creation, online optimisation and consistent brand integration across all marketing materials.
• Knowledge Sharing and Development Share best practices, maintaining comprehensive records, and supporting marketing skills development across the organisation.
• Administrative and Political Engagement Contribute to emergency planning, political correspondence and Ministerial engagement opportunities.

Strategic Marketing Development

• Partner with event organisers and Tourism NI Events Case Officers to review and craft targeted marketing plans aligned with our tourism segments and brand positioning.
• Identify opportunities to package events with complementary tourism offerings to create richer visitor experiences.
• Provide expert guidance on audience targeting and messaging strategy to maximise event visibility and attendance.
• Input to the review, assessment and scoring of Tourism Events funding applications submitted marketing plans.
• Help establish measurable marketing KPIs and conduct regular performance reviews.
• Work directly with Event Organisers to realise full marketing and promotion potential of the event including all marketing channels within and outside of Northern Ireland.

Cross-Organisational Collaboration

• Serve as the key conduit between funded events and Tourism NI/Tourism Ireland marketing teams.
• Engage with the Major Events team on learnings and opportunities for horizon scanning of events to attract to the North.
• Identify promotional opportunities that align with market needs, experience pillars and Ministerial priorities.
• Attend and contribute to monthly cross-organisational content meetings and liaise with Case Officers to collate key points and provide feedback to the Events Development team.
• Work with the corporate communications team on PR initiatives, press releases, quotes, and coordinate photo calls with appropriate Tourism NI representatives.
• Facilitate streamlined engagement between events and marketing colleagues to ensure coordinated messaging; work with colleagues to identify where events can be included in media and tour operator familiarisation trip programmes.

NI-Wide Event Support (Including Non-Funded Events)

• Monitor events across Northern Ireland, including private commercial events, to identify marketing opportunities and good practice.
• Engage with Local Authorities to collate event listings and identify opportunities for Tourism NI marketing support.
• Support industry skills development for event promoters in collaboration with Tourism NIs Industry Development Team.
• Monitor and promote wider programmes such as masterclasses and webinars to event organisers.
• Draft and publish bi-monthly newsletters highlighting events, opportunities, and industry insights.
• Where feasible, develop marketing assets for use across event and Tourism NI platforms.
• Carry out and analyse evaluation of industry skills activities to inform future development.

Content & Digital Marketing

• Support event organisers in creating compelling content assets for both paid and organic campaigns.
• Monitor content on and follow up with event organisers where improvements are needed.
• Guide the development of event itineraries that highlight the complete visitor experience.
• Assist organisers in optimising their online presence, including SEO implementation and website improvements.
• Ensure consistent integration of the Embrace a Giant Spirit branding across all event marketing materials.
• Maintain comprehensive event and marketing activity records in Tourism NIs CRM system.

Knowledge Sharing & Development

• Share learning and insights across Tourism NI through case studies and best practice examples.
• Source good practice examples from other regions to inform local strategy.
• Support marketing skills development within the Events Development team.
• Manage, update and share event listings with Tourism NI and Tourism Ireland colleagues.
• Collate marketing statistics from funded events.

Administrative & Political Engagement

• Input to and update Emergency Planning listings.
• Provide reactive input to political correspondence where required.
• Make proactive recommendations for Ministerial engagement opportunities.

Additional Duties

• Ensure that all activities are managed in line with Tourism NI policies, procedures, values, and behaviours.
• Ensure that key activities are undertaken professionally in an efficient and effective manner.
• Assist in the delivery of project work within the Team and across Tourism NI including representation at working groups and meetings.
• Contribute to the development of the Annual Operating Plan, the achievement of tourism targets, and promote the corporate values and behaviours within the team and across the organisation.
• Provide cover for management within your Division to include decision making and attending meetings in the absence of others.
• Attend training as and when required and keep abreast of current developments in your area of work.
• Provide briefing material and draft responses as and when required by Tourism NIs Executive Leadership & Senior Management teams, Management/Employees, the Board, the Department for the Economy, the Northern Ireland Assembly, members of the tourism industry and the general public within the specified timelines and in an appropriate format.
• Maintain, store and dispose of unit records in accordance with Tourism NIs policy and using the appropriate record management systems.
• Any other duties commensurate with the grade as required by Tourism NI management.

This Job Description is new and has been written at a time of organisational change and it will be subject to review and amendment as the demands of the role and the organisation evolve.

The job holder is therefore required to be flexible, adaptable and aware that they may be asked to perform tasks, duties and responsibilities which are not specifically detailed in the job description, but which are commensurate with the role and/or grade appointed or present an opportunity for development.

PERSON SPECIFICATION

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA EDUCATION/QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Option 1

1. A relevant sixth-level qualification (under graduate degree) as detailed in the qualification framework (see overleaf).

AND

1. A minimum of 2 years experience in a B2B and/or B2C marketing role, with strong evidence of stakeholder management.

OR

Option 2

1. A minimum of 4 years experience in a B2B and/or B2C marketing role with strong evidence of stakeholder management.

ESSENTIAL CRITERIA – Personal Effectiveness

The Job Holder will also possess an excellent standard of:

1. Managing resources, projects and budgets.
2. Analytical and communications skills both oral and written, with demonstrable experience of building marketing plans, campaigns and presentations.
3. Internal and external stakeholder management and collaborative working.
4. Negotiation, interpersonal and problem-solving skills, and ability to build and maintain successful working relationships.
5. Sound organisational, event planning and project management skills including the ability to work to strict deadlines and prioritise tasks with attention to detail.
6. Experience in using CRM systems to track marketing activities and outcomes plus IT and computer literacy skills including the Microsoft Office suite.
7. Passion for Northern Ireland’s tourism offerings and ability to effectively promote the region.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This is not an exhaustive list of duties and requirements. The nature of the organisation is such that it must respond to the dynamic environment in which it operates and the nature of duties, tasks, knowledge and skills required for this post will evolve and change in time. The Job Holder is expected to adapt to these changes and develop the role as a result.

Applicants may also need to possess a current driving licence and use of a car for business purposes, including relevant insurance, or have access to a form of transport which will permit the applicant to meet the requirements of the post in full.

EQUALITY STATEMENT

Tourism NI is committed to equality and will comply with the Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act (1998) statutory duties which requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote equality of opportunity in relation to the nine equality categories and to have regard to the desirability of promoting good relations between persons of different religious belief; political opinion; and racial group.

The Disability Discrimination Act (1995) Section 49A requires designated public authorities to have due regard to the need to promote positive attitudes towards disabled persons, and to the need to encourage participation by disabled persons in public life.

FOR FULL APPLICATION PACK PLEASE CLICK APPLY BELOW.

COMPLETING APPLICATIONS

Those wishing to apply you should submit a completed application via no later than Monday 28th July at 12 noon.

CVs will not be accepted as a substitute/supplement to the application form.

TOURISM NI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES EMPLOYER