Communications Manager, GCC

At Careem we are led by a powerful purpose to simplify and improve lives in the Middle East, North Africa and Pakistan. We’re pioneering the development of innovative services to aid the mobility of people, the mobility of things and the mobility of money.

We’re in the driving seat as we help to define how technology will shape progress in some of the fastest-growing countries in the world. Our teams are building tech to meet the needs of the future in areas including data and AI, e-commerce, technology-enabled logistics, maps, identity, and fintech.

We’re well placed to solve complex and meaningful challenges at scale, with deep tech expertise, strong regulatory relationships, a local presence, and increasingly specialised global teams which are structured to operate as autonomous start-ups. Our team of over 400 engineers and developers are empowered to develop cutting-edge technology every day.

Careem was established in July 2012, became a wholly-owned subsidiary of Uber Technologies, Inc. in January 2020, and today operates in over 100 cities across 12 countries.

About The Team

The Communications Manager for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain is the face of Careem for media stakeholders across four of Careem’s GCC markets , as well as a key contributor to country leadership forums and an important member of the central Corporate Affairs team. This professional communicator will draw on his or her extensive communications experience to tell Careem’s stories through traditional and digital media in creative, thoughtful and compelling ways. This colleague will also work closely with Careem’s leadership to ensure all colleagues in these markets are informed about key developments in the business and aligned to the company’s strategic goals and objectives. Based in Dubai, this role is integral to extending the impact of Careem’s Super App services across the region.

What You’ll Do

The Communications Manager for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain reports to Careem’s Communications Director and will collaborate on developing ambitious market-specific media and communications strategies. Careem is at the cutting edge of developing new and innovative services for the mobility of people, the mobility of things and the mobility of money, and is an industry thought leader on topics including the future of work, data and Ai, mobility and fintech. The Corporate Affairs team is responsible for effectively communicating these exciting developments to relevant audiences. This role may require occasional travel.

Key Accountabilities

Strategy and functional leadership

• Protect and enhance Careem’s reputation in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, to support key business objectives and growth.
• Collaborate on the development of ambitious communications strategies for the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, with monthly targets to engage and inform customers and colleagues while positioning Careem as a thought leader.

External communications

• Drive a programme of continuous media engagement across the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, to generate high-quality, impactful coverage of announcements, executive profiles, partnerships and other company news.
• Develop and secure placement of editorial content to position Careem as an industry thought leader.
• Develop and maintain trusted relationships with business and lifestyle media covering Careem’s business sectors, as well as podcast hosts and industry commentators.
• Work with senior business leaders to assess external speaking opportunities across the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, and help spokespeople prepare for speaking engagements.

Internal communications

• Partner with the regional leadership to help develop content for cross-functional leadership forums and country All Hands events for colleagues in the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
• Collaborate with Careem’s central Internal Communications team to provide regional content to global internal communications channels including Global All Hands, the intranet, the CEO’s monthly communications to colleagues and the quarterly company internal newsletter.

Social media

• Collaborate with the Social Media team within Corporate Affairs to provide insights on the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, and Bahrain, that will help the team tailor Careem’s strategy to engage and grow the vibrant community of online followers across Careem’s core global corporate social media accounts: LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok. Work closely with local market teams to support content on market-specific social media channels.

Crisis and issues management

• Join the cross functional crisis-response team and serve as a senior counselor to business leadership when managing major reputational challenges.

Employer brand

• Support the colleagues in the People team and Corporate Affairs working on further development of Careem’s employer brand, with a particular emphasis on prospective engineering and tech colleagues.

What You’ll Need

• 6-8 years of relevant experience, ideally with a mix of agency and in-house roles
• Experience developing and overseeing the implementation of complex communications strategies
• Commercial acumen, sound judgment and an understanding of how robust communications supports reaching business objectives
• Poise and confidence coupled with strong presentation skills and the ability to engage at all levels of an organisation to clearly communicate complex information in accessible and memorable ways
• Strong organisational skills and attention to detail
• Strong understanding of communications measurement and evaluation
• Exceptional Arabic language skills including the ability to draft Arabic-first copy
• Strong English writing skills, a solid grasp of grammar
• Alignment with Careem’s purpose and a commitment to living our values
• Sense of humor: Careem aims to do everything with a wink
• Energetic and tenacious self-starter with an inner drive to proactively engage and follow up relentlessly to drive impact rather than output

Additional Attributes

• Tech-sector experience
• Network of relevant journalist contacts

What we’ll provide you

As a Careem Colleague You Will Be Able To

In addition to a competitive long-term total compensation with salary and equity, we have a reward philosophy that expands beyond this.

• Be part of a Remote-First organisation
• Work from any country in the world for 60 days a year
• Use Unlimited Vacation days throughout the year
• Access fitness reimbursements for health activities including: gym, health club and training classes.
• Work and learn from great minds
• Create impact in a region with untapped potential
• Explore new opportunities to learn and grow every day