Location: Berlin, Germany

Department: Communications

Job Description:

Airbnb was born in 2007 when two hosts welcomed three guests to their San Francisco home, and has since grown to over 5 million hosts who have welcomed over 2 billion guest arrivals in almost every country across the globe.

Every day, hosts offer unique stays and experiences that make it possible for guests to connect with communities in a more authentic way.

The Community You Will Join:

Are you passionate about driving the success of a global business in the dynamic, evolving, and fast-paced world of corporate and policy communications?

As the Senior Corporate and Policy Communications Manager for DACH & CEE, you will play a central role in shaping and executing the communications strategy for one of our most important European markets.

You will help tell Airbnb's story - how we build trust and belonging in communities,while navigating one of Europe's most complex regulatory landscapes.

Joining our DACH & CEE Communications team based in Berlin, you will work closely with local policy, marketing, legal, and partnerships teams, and forge strong relationships across EMEA and the US.

Your role is critical: Germany's regulatory environment around housing, short-term rentals, and overtourism is complex and politically sensitive and your ability to shape and amplify impactful narratives, anticipate issues, and maintain Airbnb's reputation will directly influence business outcomes and regulatory relationships.

The Difference You will Make:

Drive impactful campaigns addressing overtourism challenges through locally relevant nature tourism and travel dispersal narratives, positioning Airbnb as a responsible community actor that builds trust and belonging

Manage the press office across complex topics: regulatory affairs, housing policy, taxation, community impact, and trust & safety

Engage directly with journalists in Germany; build and leverage established media contacts to shape narrative and anticipate emerging threats

Work with cross functional partners to develop, plan and execute a regular drumbeat of robust stories and comms moments that demonstrate Airbnb's contribution to communities and economies while navigating sensitive regulatory terrain

Lead agency partnerships, setting strategic direction for external communications suppliers

Protect the business by proactively communicating our commitment to community trust, responsible hosting, and addressing legitimate policy concern.

If you thrive in fast-paced environments with a focus on execution, have a strong nose for a good story, and can balance strategic thinking with hands-on crisis management while championing our mission to build trust and belonging, this role is for you.

A Typical Day:

Develop proactive corporate and policy communications strategy with Germany Policy, Legal, Marketing, and Partnerships teams

Manage the press office, handling reactive media enquiries and responding to journalists on deadline with strategic messaging

Build relationships with key reporters and editors in the German media landscape; identify proactive story opportunities

Develop written communications materials (story pitches, press releases, messaging, Q&As, briefs, presentations)

Brief executives and colleagues for media interviews and public speaking engagements

Lead agency partnerships and manage external communications suppliers

Monitor the news cycle to identify emerging threats and opportunities for proactive communications

Collaborate with Policy, Legal, Consumer Communications, and global corporate communications teams

Your Expertise:

Experience & Track Record

8+ years of corporate and policy communications in an agency, in-house, or public administration setting

Proven expertise managing communications on trust, crisis, policy, regulatory, and financial matters in a matrixed organization.

Experience working in an international organization is a plus.

Track record of managing external agency partners and media relations firms

Experience navigating complex regulatory environments and translating policy into compelling narratives

Proven ability to develop and execute crisis communication plans in real-time

Media Relations & Storytelling

Expert knowledge of the German media landscape and established relationships with key journalists

Flair for storytelling with experience creating press office stories and multi-channel campaigns that build reputation and trust

Confident in advising internal teams on maximizing positive coverage and minimizing negative media cycles

Ability to distill and articulate complex, nuanced policy topics for different audiences

Communication & Professional Skills

Fluent English (spoken and written); German required at business level minimum

Excellent writing skills,able to craft compelling narratives, precise Q&As, and strategic messaging

Strong verbal communication and interpersonal skills; comfort engaging with journalists, executives, and cross-functional stakeholders

Can-do, proactive attitude with solutions-focused mindset; strong attention to detail and ability to deliver in fast-paced environments

Maintains composure in high-pressure situations; awareness of German geopolitics and regulatory dynamics

Understanding of reputation management and how to leverage data and insights to craft and proactively land data-driven stories in earned media and measure communications impact

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible.

We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

How We'll Take Care of You:

Our job titles may span more than one career level.

The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands.

The base pay range shown below is annualized, is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

This role may also be eligible for bonus, equity, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.

Germany Annual Pay Range€84.000-€105.000 EUR

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Reporting into the EMEA Communications Director, the role will strategically lead the DACH communications team, which is made up of a team of four people, including consumer, corporate comms, and an influencer manager focused on the region.

We also have agency partners in Germany, Switzerland and Central & Eastern Europe, and successful management of these agency partners will be key to the role.

This role will also be required to collaborate closely with the Country Manager for DACH and CEE.

The core focus of the role is to create industry-leading strategies and campaigns that can deliver against the local business goals and the global comms priorities.

This role is for a communicator who has solid experience in delivering campaigns and strategies that will inspire the team and the wider organization, and create a vision for the way that we seek to promote the Airbnb brand and products to a range of audiences.

The role spans our corporate and policy work, where we face some regulatory challenges, as well as our consumer campaigns where we need to deliver strategies that will drive both brand awareness and positive sentiment.

The role demands high level expertise in both consumer and corporate communications, with the adaptability to switch between each area regularly and apply best in class thinking to challenges and opportunities.

The right candidate will already be recognised as a leader in their field at this level, with a proven track record of using a range of comms strategies and disciplines to solve complex and ambiguous problems.

They will also have a history of delivering projects across cross-functional teams, taking a strategic leadership role and anticipating challenges.

The right candidate will also be expected to demonstrate a working knowledge of how to translate a global brand proposition to a local audience across the DACH markets.

You must be comfortable working in a global company, delivering counsel and guidance to senior leadership in both Europe and within our HQ teams in the US.

The successful candidate will have solid experience of creating internal advocacy among multiple senior audiences, as well as directing and inspiring a team of high performing communications professionals.

A Typical Day:

• Create, manage and drive the execution of the overarching communications strategy and plan, continuously aligning with the global and regional business and marketing strategies

• Direct and oversee the development and execution of market plans supporting Corporate Communications, Policy Communications, and Consumer Communications

• Develop inspiring and compelling comms strategies to challenge the team and the business to achieve beyond our existing success

• Provide strategic comms advice and counsel to our cross functional teams, collaborating with senior stakeholders from across the business (primarily Policy, Marketing, Business Operations) to work together to achieve goals.

Your Expertise:

• 12-15+ years of experience within high performing international organizations - either with agencies or in-house roles

• A team leader with both a record of leading high performing comms teams, and experience of working with cross-functional teams to drive success

• A proven history of encouraging and developing innovative industry-leading thinking and turning it into executable plans and campaigns

• Experience of operating in a high performing cross functional team, acting as counsel on all comms related matters and being proactive in elevating the work of comms across the region

• A strong track record of developing inspiring goals that motivate team members to achieve personal and professional success

• Forward thinking, innovative and creative - proactively shares perspective at all levels of the organization

• Excellent problem solver with ability to anticipate future issues, unblock the most complex situations and facilitate drama-free environments where the team will thrive

• German native speaker with fluent business English. Working knowledge of other languages within the region will be desirable.

Our Commitment To Inclusion & Belonging:

Airbnb is committed to working with the broadest talent pool possible. We believe diverse ideas foster innovation and engagement, and allow us to attract creatively-led people, and to develop the best products, services and solutions.

All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply.

How We'll Take Care of You:

The actual base pay is dependent upon many factors, such as: training, transferable skills, work experience, business needs and market demands.

The base pay range shown below is annualized, is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

This role may also be eligible for bonus, benefits, and Employee Travel Credits.

Germany Annual Pay Range €128.000-€160.000 EUR

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