Summary
Description
Job Description:
Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Director, External Communications to join our rapidly growing company.
Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions.
We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company.
Summary:
The Director of External Communications at Champion Petfoods is a strategic communications partner for the business.
Reporting to the Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, you will be responsible for helping shape and lead the execution of the external communications strategy to build and protect our corporate reputation and drive brand equity. Your primary mission is to proactively build the reputation of Champion Petfoods and our brands—ORIJEN™ and ACANA™—through strategic media relations, brand PR, thought leadership and digital communications.
You will also be responsible for supporting issues and crisis management. You will provide expert recommendations and lead the execution of external positioning and messaging to support our growth agenda.
This position works on a hybrid schedule with 3 days in-person and will be based in Boulder, Nashville, St. Louis or New Your, reporting to the Senior Director, Corporate Affairs.
Key Responsibilities:
Strategic Communications
- In partnership with the Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, help develop and execute a multi-year external communications strategy that supports business objectives, builds brand equity and protects our corporate reputation.
- Act as the subject matter expert on external communications, providing strategic communications recommendations that inform, engage and help deliver growth for Champion Petfoods.
- Develop and oversee the company’s media monitoring and measurement approach, establishing best practices to measure the success of external communications.
- Develop and maintain a library of foundational external communications assets, including core messaging and reactive statements.
Corporate Reputation
- Build the corporate reputation of Champion Petfoods externally as a global leader in natural, science-based nutrition.
- Help develop Corporate PR campaigns and proactive media opportunities that be scaled globally to build awareness for Champion Petfoods within the pet care industry, business community and pet lovers.
- Lead the development of our "backyard awareness strategy" by creating external communications opportunities to build a positive reputation in the local communities where we live and work.
- Oversee the corporate digital presence to ensure our external narrative is consistent and compelling, including owning the execution of our LinkedIn strategy and guiding content and strategy for the corporate website.
- Collaborate with Mars Public Affairs and One Mars Corporate Affairs teams as needed for proactive and reactive communications and government affairs efforts.
Brand Public Relations
- In active collaboration with the brand teams, help develop and execute integrated brand PR campaigns for ORIJEN™ and ACANA™ that build brand awareness and advocacy.
- Lead our PR agency partners to deliver creative and effective brand PR campaigns that deliver on strategy, budget and measurement.
- Collaborate with advocacy, brand, integrated agency teams and Marketing peers to help deliver 360-degree approach to communications.
Executive & Thought Leadership
- Help develop and execute a thought leadership platform that leverages our internal Research and Innovation experts and members of the Executive Leadership Team to tell our Champion story of Biologically Appropriate nutrition.
- Help prepare, coach and staff leaders and subject matter experts for external-facing engagements, including media interviews, industry keynotes and partner events.
Reputation, Issues & Crisis Management
- Support Champion’s issues and crisis management process by providing communications counsel, developing messaging, crisis trainings and executing response tactics as directed.
- Collaborate with the Senior Director of Corporate Affairs, legal, and other functional leads to help ensure communications preparedness for potential issues.
- Help develop a process and execute issues monitoring.
Preferred Education & Professional Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism or a related field
- 8-10+ years of progressive experience in a combination of corporate communications, brand public relations, and public affairs, preferably within a large, global and complex organization.
- Industry experience in CPG, manufacturing
Key Requirements:
- Proven success in developing and executing both corporate reputation campaigns and consumer-facing brand PR programs.
- Experience in reputation management, including supporting the communications response for complex issues and crises.
- Demonstrated experience managing a corporate digital presence, including content strategy for websites and execution of social media platforms like LinkedIn.
- Experience developing thought leadership platforms for a range of spokespeople, including senior executives and technical subject matter experts.
- Deep experience in media relations and strategic agency management.
- Experience working within a corporate public affairs framework, supporting policy monitoring and stakeholder engagement strategies.
- Exceptional storytelling, writing, and editing skills with the proven ability to translate complex topics into clear, compelling external narratives.
- Strong executive presence and a demonstrated ability to advise, influence and build trusted partnerships with senior leaders.
Mars Leadership Competencies
- Strategic Mindset
- Manages Ambiguity
- Builds Networks
- Organizational Savvy
- Communicates Effectively
- Drives Results
- Manages Complexity
Functional Competencies & Technical Skills
- Grow Brands/Category through Brand PR
- Build & Protect Corporate Reputation
- Issue & Crisis Management
- Storytelling
- Media Relations
- Public Policy & Government Affairs
- Stakeholder Management and Advocacy
- Agency Management
- Digital Fluency
What can you expect from Champion?
- Safety: a strong commitment to ensure all people are provided with a safe, healthy and respectful environment.
- Earnings: Salary range from $125,000 – $145,000 USD, 401k with donation matching.
- Industry Competitive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision and Employee Assistance Programs to meet your individual or family needs.
- Continuing Education: In House & Online Learning & Development, as well as an Education Assistance Program.
- Quality: a dedication to uphold the highest standards of authenticity, nutritional integrity, and food safety, to earn the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere.
- Other Perks: Free Bag of Premium Pet Food each month, Free Parking and more!
What are you waiting for? Join the pack!
Come as you are.
We value diversity in all forms and know the power it can bring. Workplace equality allows for creative ideas to bloom, diverse points of views to be heard, and increases overall happiness. That sounds pretty good to us.
Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here.
#cpfind
The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is expected to be between the range listed above, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to, market location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. The total compensation package for this position may also include other elements, if eligible, including variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits. Eligibility for these additional elements depend on the position offered and the employee’s work schedule (i.e., part-time schedule, store associate). Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.
