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.
To applicants: This is a Senior Level Individual Contributor position, not a people manager, but will need to manage the external agencies across APAC countries.
The Community You Will Join:
The Senior Brand Strategy Lead, APAC will report to the Senior Brand Strategy Lead, International, and will be the strategic backbone for how Airbnb's brand shows up across one of the world's most culturally diverse and commercially important regions. Spanning India, Australia, Korea, China, and Japan, this role sits at the intersection of global brand ambition and deep local cultural intelligence - translating Airbnb's global brand platform strategy into market-resonant narratives that feel native, not imported.
They will work in close partnership with Senior Marketing Leads and APAC Marketing Director across each APAC market, the Global Brand Strategy team, Consumer Insights, Creative, and Media to ensure every brief is genuinely rooted in local truth.
The Difference You Will Make:
The ideal candidate has lived and worked across multiple APAC markets - not just studied them. They understand that what moves a consumer in Tokyo is structurally different from what resonates in Mumbai or Seoul, and they bring that fluency to every brief they touch. They are culturally rigorous but commercially minded, equally at home in a strategic framework and a creative review. They are a trusted partner to country marketing leads, someone who makes the work better - and makes the process feel easier.
They are not a regional proxy for global thinking. They are an advocate for what APAC needs, and a bridge that makes global better for it.
A Typical Day:
- Partners closely with Regional Creative Directors and Senior Marketing Leads across India, Australia, Korea, China, and Japan to develop inspiring briefs for local programs - ensuring they are anchored in genuine local consumer insight, not surface-level localisation
- Works with the International Brand Strategy Lead to pressure-test global brand frameworks and campaign platforms for APAC relevance from inception - flagging tension points early, not late
- Develops cross-market strategic frameworks that map cultural similarities and differences across the APAC cluster, surfacing actionable opportunities for both regional and local marketing
- Creates localisation briefs for the International Creative team that synthesise market-specific research, cultural context, and country marketing input - going beyond translation into genuine creative relevance
- Partners with Consumer Insights to identify APAC research gaps and commission the thinking that builds long-term brand and cultural understanding across the region
- Builds and maintains deep cultural intelligence across the five core markets - staying ahead of shifts in consumer behaviour, cultural mood, and the competitive landscape
- Leads APAC immersion sessions for the Global Strategy and Marketing teams, helping global stakeholders develop genuine fluency in the region
- Acts as a strategic thought partner to country Senior Marketing Leads and APAC Marketing Director - helping them elevate briefs, sharpen insight, and connect local programs to the broader brand platform
Your Expertise:
- 15+ years of brand strategy experience, with demonstrable time spent working in or across multiple APAC markets - India, Australia, Korea, China, or Japan. Multi-market lived or embedded experience is a strong requirement, not a nice-to-have
- Deep cultural fluency across the APAC region - an understanding that goes beyond demographic data into the values, tensions, and behavioural patterns that shape how people in each market relate to travel, community, and belonging
- Strong track record of developing locally resonant briefs and campaigns - in partnership with market-level marketing leads and creative teams. From conception of core strategic insights, crafting creative briefs to helping hone creative based on strategic intent.
- Experience working client-side or at a creative agency of record; preference for consumer internet, travel, lifestyle, or technology brands
- Expert at translating global brand ambitions into market-specific strategic frameworks without diluting either the global coherence or the local authenticity
- Ability to navigate ambiguity and complexity across multiple markets simultaneously - comfortable holding both the macro and the granular
- Natural collaborator and bridge-builder, with a track record of building trust with senior country marketing stakeholders
- High emotional intelligence and the ability to read a room - this role sits at the centre of a large and varied web of stakeholders, from country marketing leads and global strategy teams to creative agencies and cross-functional partners. The ability to build trust, navigate competing priorities, and bring people with you is as important as the strategic rigour you bring to the work
- Strong qualitative and quantitative analytical skills; experience working with insights and research teams to commission and apply consumer understanding
- Excellent written and verbal communication - able to write a brief that inspires creative teams and present strategy that earns confidence from senior stakeholders
- Passion for Airbnb and travel. Experience as an Airbnb host or guest in the APAC region is a genuine plus
- Language skills relevant to APAC markets are advantageous but not required
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.