Director, Communications

The Director, Communications is responsible for ensuring operational excellence of the communications function by examining and optimizing current internal processes, establishing new workflows, evaluating the current tools stack, and implementing new ways to drive continuous improvement of communications activities through efficiency. This position ensures effective and streamlined cross-functional collaboration, planning and implementation of communications projects and campaigns by driving the daily execution of work, and removing barriers to completing work, as well as partnering with pork board staff, agencies, contractors, strategic partners and stakeholders to manage large-scale projects, long-term forecasting and ongoing resourcing.

The NPB communications function includes paid, earned and owned media and communications channels, from public and media relations, stakeholder communications and crisis communications to digital and web, content creation and deployment, social media, creative and production services.

Responsibilities include:

• Facilitate and manage complex projects daily, end-to-end, by developing staffing and resourcing plans, scopes of work, schedules and timelines for all communications work.
• Interface with internal and external stakeholders, fostering effective communication and collaboration among all departments with full transparency of all work being developed and executed.
• Examine, optimize and architect internal and shared internal-external processes and workflows by identifying bottlenecks, barriers and efficiencies.
• Design, deploy, train and continuously improve workflows for each communications functional area for both the NPB internal team as well as external agency partners.
• Leading by influence among the communications function as well as through partnering with leaders across the organization, including senior leadership
• In partnership with IT, evaluate current stack of tools the communications team currently leverages; research alternatives at scale and make recommendations on different/additional tools that could be used to drive efficiency.
• Drive and support operational and departmental process improvements, from discovery through launch; develop training materials, dashboards and reports to monitor and measure these improvements and their impact on the organization.
• Collaborate with Director, Project Management to apply and share effective approaches to solve workflow and process issues using data analysis and process improvement approaches within a context of organizational and business realities.

Skills/Experience Needed:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education, training and job-related experience. Academic emphasis in fields such as Marketing, Communications, Advertising, Project Management.
• Seven (7) or more years of experience as a Project Manager or Client Services Manager or similar role focused on the food or agriculture industry with an advertising firm or marketing agency setting is required.
• Demonstrate specialized project management subject matter expert (SME) skills.
• Demonstrate a track record of supporting a wide variety of projects in specialty communications fields, from digital and website projects to public relations, social media and content to omnichannel paid media campaigns.
• Progressive knowledge and proven experience managing communications, marketing or advertising work daily, weekly, monthly and conducting annual planning for this work alongside collaborators.
• Ability to lead projects driven heavily through shared accountabilities with external media vendors, fulfillment partners or production studios.
• Ability to successfully act as a change coach, change agent and teacher to all levels of the organization around communications process, workflows, timelines and resourcing.
• Demonstrate the ability to build consensus, motivate and manage others.
• Demonstrate successful record of leading teams to deliver results on time and on budget.
• Demonstrated ability to manage entire lifecycle of complex projects from initiation through implementation through the creation of project pans, schedules, timelines and DACI or RACI models to clarify accountability, roles and deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability in communication planning and delivery excellence through written, verbal and platform presentation skills.
• Exceptional organization and time management skills.
• Must be open to feedback and comfortable handling risk and change.
• U.S. based travel may be required (up to 25%). Must have valid driver’s license and good driving record.

Application deadline is Monday, February 12th, 2024. We may speak to qualified candidates prior to the application deadline. National Pork Bord’s corporate office is located in Des Moines, Iowa. Remote candidates may be considered, but preference will be given to local candidates.

Full-time Salary Range: $130,000-$150,000

Please note: This starting range is based on a general market pay assessment. However, individual salary decisions take into account a variety of factors including but not limited to: business and local market considerations, internal equity, and overall candidate skills, education and experience.

The National Pork Board, an equal opportunity employer, offers an exceptional benefits package and flexible work environment. The National Pork Board has been named one of the Principal Financial Groups and Inc. Magazine’s – Best Places to Work! Visit us online at www.porkcheckoff.org.

The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, science and technology, swine health, pork safety and sustainability and environmental management. Applicants should be able to support the mission of the organization with enthusiasm to serve U.S. pork producers.

National Pork Board