POSITION SUMMARYThe Issues Management Senior Communications Specialist serves as a strategic advisor and program leader who works to protect the company's reputation and its license to operate and grow. This role will provide multifaceted support to the company in three critical areas:
- Issues management and media relations
- Crisis communications preparedness and response
- Business Development communications needs
As one of the company's primary communications experts, the Issues Management Senior Communications Specialist must deliver well-crafted messaging that resonates with internal leaders and employees as well as external audiences. Daily activities will include development and implementation of communications strategies, creative storytelling and strategic counsel on a wide variety of topics and issues. The successful candidate will utilize consulting, influencing, coaching, project management and content development skills to navigate a complex and evolving business landscape.
The Issues Management Senior Communications Specialist is part of the Communications & Community Relations organization and reports to the Senior Manager of Media Relations, Crisis Communications and Issues Management. This role belongs to a family of jobs with increasing responsibility, competency and skill level. Actual position title and pay grade will be based on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications. This position can be based in Findlay, Ohio; San Antonio, Texas; or Houston, Texas.
*This position belongs to a job progression with increasing responsibility, competency and skill level. Final position title and pay grade will be based on the selected candidate's experience and qualifications.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES - Build and maintain trusted relationships with leaders to advance their business objectives through delivery of compelling, fit-for-purpose communications, including providing strategic counsel on effective messaging to engage both external stakeholders and employees, with appropriate sensitivity to a range of perspectives.
- Create and deliver executive-level communications plans and materials, including messaging and content for complex, sensitive and business-critical issues, including sustainability, business strategy, and crisis management topics and scenarios.
- Develop and implement issues-management strategies and tactics. Monitor and provide communications guidance on emerging issues at the enterprise or local level that could impact stakeholder engagement or media relations needs.
- Respond to media inquiries as needed. Ensure alignment of corporate and local positioning/messaging.
- Understand and implement the principles of sound crisis communications response under high-stakes, time-constrained circumstances, including as part of the Incident Command System.
- Craft and manage communications content (news articles, videos, presentations, social media posts, emails, newsletters, etc.) including writing, editing, overseeing creative design, and facilitating content approval; advise on content placement for appropriate enterprise communications channels.
- Partner with the broader Communications & Community Relations team to align corporate positioning.
- Participate in emergency-response drills as part of the Joint Information Center (JIC) under the Incident Command System, collaborating with JIC and other drill participants from the company and federal, state, local and tribal agencies.
- Provide guidance and support to less experienced team members, and contribute to the overall development of the team's collective skills and expertise
EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATION - Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, public relations, journalism or related field required
- Demonstrated capability to lead communications initiatives from beginning to end
- 8+ years of experience producing compelling communications for a variety of channels and audiences at a large or midsized company or public relations firm required; industrial setting (or industrial clients, if experience is with PR firm) preferred
- 3+ years of crisis communications experience in an industrial environment preferred, including experience working under the Incident Command System to manage emergency response situations
- Energy or manufacturing industry experience strongly preferred
SKILLS - Strong understanding of internal and external communications strategies, tactics and best practices; ability to think strategically and build implementation plans that have a measurable impact
- Demonstrated capacity to be highly creative, analytical and data-driven
- Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with all types of employees, from front-line workers to executives
- Ability to establish relationships with representatives of the media to encourage positive coverage and mitigate risks of negative coverage
- Ability to identify emerging trends from news and analysis resources and apply learnings toward the enhancement of corporate image/reputation
- Excellent writing and content development skills, including when under pressure; demonstrated ability to present business plans, concepts, strategies and results succinctly and persuasively; knowledge of Associated Press style
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, continuously changing environment with a high degree of autonomy, accountability and accuracy
Location:
Findlay, Ohio
Additional locations:
Houston, Texas, San Antonio, Texas
Job Requisition ID:
00022252
Location Address:
539 S Main St
Education:
Bachelors (Required)
Employee Group:
Full time
Employee Subgroup:
Regular
