Public Relations Manager

The primary role is to tell the story of the Company, creating a lasting emotional connection and supporting the Company goals to achieve its mission. The role focuses on building relationships with key organizations and sponsored influencers in the industry. The Public Relations Manager is tasked with building a strategy to communicate the outcomes of those relationships, leveraging marketing platforms and media connections. This role works closely with the marketing team to ensure that all content creation, advertising collateral, and communications align with the Company’s goals.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Lead efforts to enhance the Company brand via external channels that illustrate and embody the Company culture, mission and story

• Build and nurture authentic relationships with organizations we support

• Develop a national content strategy that maximizes the utilization of brand sponsorships, nonprofit contributions, and product donations, to tell the story.

• Work closely with sponsors and organizations to create a content calendar, with clear objectives and accountability for deliverables.

• Seek out additional opportunities for sponsors and organization partnerships, establishing clear objectives, budgets and schedules.

• Spearhead the preparation of purpose-driven communications to key stakeholders that share the mission, vision, and goals.

• Write and provide feedback on corporate press releases, talking points, and other public corporate communications, ensuring that public statements are consistent with the Company’s Mission

• Coordinate local media relations for Company activities, programs, and corporate events

• Develop and maintain strong and enduring relationships with the local area media to position the Company as an industry leader and good corporate citizen committed to its customers and communities

• Monitor and analyze media metrics to measure engagement and the success of campaigns and make data driven recommendations for improvement

• Collaborate with regional teams to align and execute media relations and communications efforts

• Partner with HR, leadership, sales, and other departments to support key initiatives through strategic communication planning and execution for recruiting.

• Obtain an understanding of legislation, emerging issues, and industry trends that impact the Company’s license to operate. Assist with the development of communication pieces relating to public policies that impact the Company’s Mission and/or employees at the federal, state and local levels that create positive interactions with elected officials and external opinion leaders

• Lead the response for Crisis Communications, working alongside a team.

• Refine Crisis Communication Plan to ensure corporate readiness

• Communicate effectively with Corporate Affairs team members and other departments within the organization, and function within a team environment

• Assist with special, high-visibility projects as requested

• Creation of works for the Company, including but not limited to, text, literary works, musical works/sound recordings, pictorial/graphic works/drawings, photography, video, and audiovisual works

• Assist with community and national events as necessary.

• Perform other assigned duties that may be required in meeting Company objectives.

Requirements:

· Bachelor’s degree in communication or public relations

· Minimum 7 years of experience in public affairs, communication, and/or PR marketing

· Specific experience in corporate communications planning and reputation management is a plus

· Ability to develop strong, authentic relationships with external and internal stakeholders aligned to the Company’s Mission

· Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to form and maintain professional working relationships with a diverse group of individuals

· Strong written and oral communication skills

· Ability to organize and manage projects in a fast-paced, rapidly changing, visible, deadline-oriented environment

· Ability to prioritize and re-prioritize quickly

· Ability to multi-task and produce quality materials under strict deadlines

· Has experience with federal, state and local legislation

· Understanding of the media and ability to develop and successfully place media stories, releases, op-eds, and other corporate communication

· Has excellent and efficient working knowledge of PowerPoint, Word, Excel and Adobe programs