Senior Manager, Guest Communication & Engagement

Armstrong Collective is the parent company of Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit, creating unforgettable rail journeys through some of the most breathtaking landscapes in Western Canada and the American Southwest. Guided by our values, Create Meaningful Moments, Be One Team, and Achieve Extraordinary Outcomes, we show up every day with pride, ownership, and a shared commitment to excellence. We work hard, support one another, embrace new possibilities, and celebrate growth, all in a respectful and inclusive environment where integrity, collaboration, and passion for the guest experience lead the way.

Role Overview

Reporting to the Director, Guest Engagement & Experience Design, the Senior Manager, Guest Communication & Engagement is responsible for the strategy, governance, delivery, and continuous improvement of all guest-facing communications across Rocky Mountaineer and Canyon Spirit. This role leads the end-to-end guest communication experience, ensuring guests receive timely, accurate, engaging, and brand-aligned information throughout their journey.

As a key people leader, the Senior Manager translates business strategy into actionable plans, fosters a high-performing and collaborative team culture, and builds strong partnerships across Operations, Marketing, Guest Experience Centre (GEC), Product, Technology, and Corporate Communications. Through a guest-first mindset, sound decision-making, innovation, and accountability, this role enhances guest preparedness, supports operational excellence, and delivers exceptional guest experiences.

Key Responsibilities

Guest Communication Strategy & Governance

• Develop and execute the enterprise guest communication strategy across all guest touchpoints and stages of travel.

• Establish communication principles, standards, governance processes, and performance measures that align with organizational priorities and brand expectations.

• Own the end-to-end guest communication experience from post-booking through post-journey engagement.

• Create and maintain communication frameworks, templates, content libraries, and governance processes that ensure consistency, accuracy, accessibility, and version control.

• Translate strategic priorities into clear team objectives and communication plans that support guest satisfaction, operational readiness, and business goals.

• Continuously evaluate communication effectiveness and identify opportunities to improve the guest, team member, and partner experience.

Guest Journey, Content & Experience Management

• Lead the design, development, and delivery of guest communication journeys that provide the right information at the right time through the most effective channels.

• Oversee all pre-arrival communications, travel documentation, onboard materials, station collateral, welcome packages, travel guides, signage content, and service recovery communications.

• Partner with cross-functional stakeholders to ensure guest communications accurately reflect operational processes, service standards, and guest expectations.

• Develop and implement communication processes that support seamless updates and changes for both guests and operational teams.

• Encourage innovative thinking and leverage technology to improve communication effectiveness, scalability, and guest engagement.

• Monitor guest feedback and operational insights to identify opportunities for continuous improvement.

Operational Communications & Service Recovery

• Lead communication planning and execution for operational changes, disruptions, seasonal updates, and service recovery events.

• Develop communication protocols that support timely, effective, and guest-centric responses during irregular operations.

• Partner with Corporate Communications and operational leaders to ensure aligned messaging and coordinated communication strategies.

• Equip frontline teams with clear communication tools, resources, and messaging to deliver a consistent guest experience.

• Anticipate risks, identify root causes of communication challenges, and implement practical solutions that balance guest needs with operational realities.

• Make sound, fact-based decisions while maintaining composure and fostering accountability during periods of ambiguity and change.

Performance, Insights & Strategic Initiatives

• Establish KPIs, reporting frameworks, and performance measures to assess communication effectiveness and business impact.

• Analyze guest feedback, engagement metrics, GEC inquiries, operational escalations, and guest satisfaction data to identify trends and improvement opportunities.

• Use data and insights to develop recommendations that enhance communication strategies and improve guest outcomes.

• Present findings and recommendations to senior leadership to support informed decision-making.

• Lead communication-related projects and strategic initiatives, ensuring stakeholder alignment, effective resource allocation, and successful execution.

• Partner with Technology and Digital teams to advance communication platforms, capabilities, and guest experience initiatives.

People Leadership

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team responsible for guest communications, content development, and collateral management.

• Establish clear goals, priorities, and performance expectations aligned with department and organizational objectives.

• Provide timely feedback, coaching, mentoring, and development opportunities to support individual and team growth.

• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and accountable environment where team members feel valued, engaged, and empowered to contribute ideas and solutions.

• Encourage innovation, continuous learning, knowledge sharing, and cross-functional collaboration.

• Build trusted relationships across departments and proactively seek diverse perspectives to strengthen decision-making and business outcomes.

What You Bring

• Demonstrated ability to align team goals and priorities with organizational strategy while maintaining a guest-first focus.

• Strong leadership skills with a proven ability to coach, develop, inspire, and engage high-performing teams.

• Exceptional communication, writing, editing, and content development capabilities with a keen attention to detail.

• Ability to build strong relationships, influence stakeholders, and create alignment across multiple functions and priorities.

• Proven problem-solving and decision-making skills, including the ability to navigate ambiguity, manage risk, and drive accountability.

• Experience using data, guest insights, and business metrics to evaluate performance and drive continuous improvement.

• Strong project and change management capabilities, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver results through others.

• A continuous improvement mindset with a willingness to challenge traditional approaches, embrace innovation, and leverage technology to enhance guest experiences.

Experience & Qualifications

• 8+ years of experience in guest communications, customer experience, content strategy, or a related field, preferably within travel, tourism, hospitality, or another service-focused industry.

• 5+ years of experience leading and developing high-performing teams.

• Degree or diploma in Communications, Marketing, Hospitality, Business, or a related discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Demonstrated experience developing and executing multi-channel guest communication strategies in complex, operationally focused, seasonal, or multi-brand environments.

• Experience establishing governance frameworks, service standards, KPIs, and reporting processes.

• Strong project management experience and proficiency with CRM, communication, or marketing automation platforms such as Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

• Experience leading communication planning and execution during operational disruptions, change initiatives, or service recovery situations.

Work Environment

• Corporate Office – Vancouver based; This position requires availability on weekends and statutory holidays throughout the season.

• Ability for hybrid in office (3 days a week in office).

• Able to travel away from home base for up to 4 days at a time.

Compensation

• The base salary offered for this role is $120,000 to $130,000 per annum and can vary based on job-related expertise, qualifications, experience and internal equity.

• Eligible for Armstrong Collective’s discretionary bonus program.

Perks & Benefits

Armstrong Collective supports the health and well-being of its team members through a comprehensive benefits program. Eligible employees may also enjoy retirement savings matching, travel benefits, and additional company perks.

We are an equal opportunity employer, driven by our values of Creating Meaningful Moments, Being One Team, and Achieving Extraordinary Outcomes. Our strong company culture supports our vision of a diverse, open, safe, and respectful workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members. If you require any accommodation during the application process or throughout your employment, please let us know. We will work with you to ensure your needs are met and to create a supportive environment.

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This job description is not exhaustive of all duties and will encompass additional duties assigned. Responsibilities, title, reporting structure and duties may be changed in response to business requirements. 

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