AVP, Crisis Communications

Description

At Bath & Body Works, we believe everybody deserves to feel good. When you join us, you're part of more than an iconic fragrance and personal care brand - you become part of Gingham Nation, where people are at the center of everything we do.

We believe great associate experiences create great consumer experiences. When our associates feel supported, inspired and empowered, consumers feel it. Whether you're starting your career or building your next chapter, we invest in your growth so you can learn, lead and help create feel good moments every day.

The AVP of Crisis Communications is responsible for protecting and enhancing the reputation of Bath & Body Works through strategic risk management, crisis communication planning, and proactive reputation-building initiatives. This person serves as a critical enterprise leader responsible for protecting and strengthening the reputation of Bath & Body Works in an increasingly complex and dynamic environment. This role is anchored in deep expertise in crisis and risk management, with primary responsibility for anticipating, assessing, advising on, and navigating high-impact, high-sensitivity issues that have the potential to affect the company's brand, operations, and stakeholder trust. This role will collaborate with internal stakeholders and serve as advisor to senior leadership, while working with external partners to identify potential risks, develop response strategies, and implement communications plans to maintain trust and credibility and protect our brand. This individual brings a forward-looking, enterprise mindset-proactively identifying emerging risks, shaping response strategies, and ensuring the organization is prepared to respond with clarity, speed, and confidence. The role requires sound judgment, executive presence, and the highest level of discretion, regularly managing confidential and business-critical situations.

Responsibilities

Risk Assessment and Monitoring:

• Conduct regular assessments of potential risks to the organization's reputation, including media scrutiny, public perception, regulatory changes, and competitive activities.
• Monitor media coverage, social media channels, and industry trends to identify emerging issues and reputational threats.
• Apply monitoring tools and analytics to track sentiment and assess the impact of PR activities on brand perception.

Crisis Preparedness and Response:

• Develop and maintain comprehensive crisis communication plans, including protocols for rapid response and escalation procedures.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams during crises to ensure timely and consistent messaging across all channels.
• Provide counsel to senior leadership on crisis management strategies and reputational risks.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Cultivate relationships with key partners, including customers, employees, investors, media representatives, and community.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the organization, effectively communicating its values, mission, and response to critical issues.

Organize outreach events, press conferences, and media briefings to maintain transparency and build trust.

Reputation Building Initiatives:

• Develop and implement PR campaigns to enhance the organization's reputation and promote its brand values.
• Find opportunities for thought leadership and industry engagement to establish the organization as a trusted authority in its field.
• Measure and analyze the effectiveness of reputation-building initiatives, adjusting strategies as needed to achieve desired outcomes.

Collaboration and Training:

• Collaborate with various teams, including Marketing, Legal, Compliance, and Operations, to integrate risk management and reputation considerations into business strategies.
• Provide training and guidance to internal collaborators on crisis communication standard methodologies, media relations, and reputation management.

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in corporate communications, crisis communications, or reputation management, with significant leadership experience.
• Demonstrated deep expertise in crisis and risk management, including navigating complex, high-profile, and confidential situations.
• Proven ability to serve as a trusted advisor to senior executives and influence decision-making at the highest levels.
• Strong experience as an external spokesperson and in managing media relations in high-stakes environments.
• Fluency across corporate communications, financial communications, and owned channels, with the ability to integrate messaging across platforms.
• Exceptional judgment, discretion, and ability to operate with confidence under pressure.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills with experience partnering across Legal, HR, Operations, and Finance.
• Experience managing agencies and external partners.

Focus

• Leader of complete business or a major portion of a business function. May be a functional expert in their own area. Manages related functions and needs to balance competing demands for resource and policies where actions in one function may impact another function if not carefully integrated.

Strategy and Vision

• Works cross-functionally with other teams to create annual operating plans consistent with function strategy and guides implementation with a view of 1-2 years out.
• Works within the strategy and operational plans set for their function and the policies that have been created.
• Meets with Customer team leadership on a monthly basis as needed with quarterly connection points to check progress. Reviews major challenges and changes to operating plans with leader as they occur.

Organization & Talent Development

• Provides input on the technical direction of their function for the plan, come up with alternatives. Figures out how to allocate talent resources provided to deliver expected results.

Experience

• Proven expertise in crisis communication, or reputation management in a corporate or agency setting.
• Strong understanding of media relations, social media dynamics, and crisis communication strategies.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages for diverse audiences.
• Strategic problem solver who can anticipate potential risks and develop proactive solutions.
• Experience managing external PR agencies and vendors
• Knowledge of relevant industry regulations and compliance standards.
• Availability to be flexible in work hours including evenings and weekends, during times of crisis or heightened media scrutiny.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for meetings, conferences, or media engagements.

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or related field
• Master's degree preferred

Core Competencies

• Drives Results
• Action Oriented
• Collaborates
• Decision Making
• Nimble Learning

Benefits

• Feeling good starts with you. We invest in benefits that support your well-being, growth and future, helping you thrive as a creator of feel good - every day. Benefits for eligible associates include:

• Robust medical, dental, vision and pharmacy coverage. Plus, access to our onsite wellness center and pharmacy located at the Columbus, OH home office.

• No-cost mental health and well-being support through our Employee Assistance Program (EAP).

• 401k with company match and Associate Stock Purchase program with discount.

• Opportunity for paid time off, paid parental leave and access to family building benefits.

• Home, auto and pet insurance and a company-provided Care.com subscription.

• Tuition reimbursement and scholarship opportunities for post-secondary education.

• Enjoy complimentary products and a 40% merchandise discount so you can experience and share the brand you love.

• Visit bbwbenefits.com for more details.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required.

We will consider for employment all qualified applicants, including those with arrest records, conviction records, or other criminal histories, in a manner consistent with the requirements of any applicable state and local laws. Please see links: Los Angeles Fair Chance In Hiring Ordinance, Philadelphia Fair Chance Law, San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance.

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not make employment decisions based on an individual's race, color, religion, gender, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, age, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, protected veteran status or any other legally protected status, and we comply with all laws concerning nondiscriminatory employment practices. We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations for associates and job applicants with disabilities. Our management team is dedicated to ensuring fulfillment of this policy with respect to recruitment, hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, training, compensation, benefits, associate activities and general treatment during employment. We only hire individuals authorized for employment in the United States.

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