Director Destination Strategy

Resonance (resonanceco.com) is a leading authority and advisor on economic development, destination development, and urban development for the world’s best destinations, cities, districts, and developers. We also publish the most widely read city rankings on the planet (worldsbestcities.com).

Role Overview

As a senior leader within the Resonance’s team, the Director, Destination Strategy (DDS) provides strategic direction, leadership, and oversight for destination planning, branding and development projects. Reporting to the Managing Director, the DDS is accountable for managing, directing, and evaluating destination development and branding programs, managing client relationships, and contributing to the continued growth and evolution of Resonance’s destination practice.

Key Responsibilities

Leadership & Management

• Leads and manages multi-disciplinary project teams, including consultants, researchers, creatives, subcontractors, and partners.
• Serve as the senior strategic point of contact for destination-strategy and destination-branding engagements, acting as a trusted advisor at the executive level.
• Oversees allocation of work, sets project priorities, monitors performance, and ensures quality control.
• Directly supervises contractors, including hiring, training, performance management, and resource planning.
• Exercises discretion and independent judgment in matters of strategy, policy, and project delivery.
• Approves and manages project budgets, timelines, and scopes of work.
• Builds long-term relationships with senior client stakeholders, identifying emerging needs and opportunities to provide additional value across Resonance’s capabilities.

Strategic Direction

• Provides high-level strategic direction and counsel to Destination Marketing Organizations, governments, economic development organizations, developers, and other place-based organizations.
• Oversees the design, management, and evolution of destination development and branding processes and frameworks.
• Leads the development of destination stewardship strategies and actionable plans that align economic, social, and environmental goals.
• Brings a place strategy lens to assignments, considering how physical experience, programming, amenities, identity, and activation contribute to the performance and competitiveness of a destination or community..

Business Development & Practice Growth

• Builds and maintains a pipeline of new business opportunities for the destination practice.
• Leads business development activities including client outreach, relationship development, proposal writing, presentations, and interviews.
• Identifies opportunities to grow existing accounts through follow-on engagements and cross-practice collaboration.
• Contributes to revenue, pipeline, and growth objectives for the destination practice.

Program & Policy Oversight

• Designs and leads research and data projects to support evidence-based strategy development.
• Oversees stakeholder and community engagement initiatives, ensuring balanced input and alignment with project objectives.
• Interprets complex data, stakeholder feedback, and policy insights to formulate strategic recommendations.
• Guides clients and their stakeholders through implementation, managing change and sustaining alignment.

Representation & Thought Leadership

• Represents Resonance at client meetings, industry events, and conferences as a senior company leader.
• Builds and maintains relationships with national and international organizations, associations, and partners that support destination and economic development.
• Contributes to Resonance’s thought leadership through writing, public speaking, and case studies.

Qualifications & Skills

• 7+ years of experience in destination marketing, place branding, urban/economic development consulting, or a related strategy consulting field, with progressively senior client and team leadership responsibility
• Proven track record leading complex, multi-stakeholder engagements for destination marketing organizations, governments, economic development organizations, or private developers
• Strong business development experience, including proposal strategy, client pitching, and pipeline management
• Executive presence, with demonstrated ability to advise senior client stakeholders (C-suite, elected officials, boards)
• Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams, including researchers, consultants, and subcontractors
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including public speaking and thought-leadership writing
• Advanced degree in urban planning, economics,tourism, public policy, business, or a related field preferred

Logistics

• Employment type: Full-time
• Location: Vancouver office (hybrid)
• Compensation: $130 - $160k

Resonance is committed to building a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace. We believe that great ideas emerge from a diversity of perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage applications from candidates of all races, ethnicities, genders, sexual orientations, ages, abilities, and identities. We are dedicated to creating an environment where everyone feels valued, supported, and empowered to do their best work.