External Communications Director

IFF has an exciting new opportunity for an External Communications Director to join our team! You will oversee the development and execution of public relations aimed at enhancing IFF’s reputation, closely aligned with the Company’s purpose and strategy. In addition, this individual will be a key member of the issues management team responsible for responding reactively to media inquiries and serving as a spokesperson on the company’s behalf. In this role, you will have the opportunity to provide mentorship and guidance to IFF’s designers and copywriters to ensure IFF collateral aligns with IFF’s brand, purpose, and vision. The role can report to the NYC, Hazlet, NJ, St. Louis, MO, Jacksonville, FL, or Newark, DE office. Hybrid work schedule.

Responsibilities:

• Develop⠀media⠀strategies⠀for⠀corporate⠀and⠀provide⠀guidance/governance⠀to⠀business⠀unit⠀clients;⠀identify⠀public⠀relations⠀opportunities,⠀threats,⠀and best⠀practices;⠀participate⠀in⠀strategic⠀planning;⠀implement⠀media⠀measurement⠀techniques;⠀and⠀evaluate⠀and report⠀the⠀effectiveness⠀of media⠀relations⠀efforts to⠀enhance⠀the⠀Company's⠀reputation.
• Sets⠀and leads⠀global⠀media⠀relations,⠀including⠀outreach⠀plan⠀creation⠀to⠀increase⠀brand⠀awareness,⠀executive⠀thought-leadership⠀planning,⠀drafting⠀of key⠀materials,⠀growth of⠀contact⠀network,⠀and⠀effective⠀pitching⠀and⠀training⠀of⠀spokespersons⠀on media⠀interviews,⠀speeches,⠀and⠀presentations.
• Facilitating⠀efforts to⠀ensure⠀continuity⠀of⠀messaging⠀roll-out,⠀post-roll-out,⠀and⠀influencer⠀strategies.
• Core⠀member of⠀global⠀issues⠀management⠀team⠀evaluating⠀the⠀financial⠀and social⠀impact of⠀key⠀issues;⠀advising⠀and⠀providing⠀recommendations⠀to⠀executives⠀on how to⠀mitigate⠀or address⠀these⠀issues⠀through⠀messaging;⠀and⠀recommending⠀strategic⠀messaging⠀changes⠀based on⠀stakeholder⠀feedback,⠀or program⠀modifications.
• Serving⠀as a⠀high-level⠀company⠀spokesperson⠀to ensure⠀statements⠀and key⠀messages⠀of⠀sensitivity⠀and impact⠀are⠀provided⠀to the⠀media by⠀improving⠀and⠀protecting⠀the⠀corporate⠀or⠀division's⠀reputation.
• Providing⠀strategic⠀expertise⠀to senior⠀management⠀by⠀collaborating⠀with⠀cross-functional⠀teams to⠀ensure⠀consistent⠀communication⠀and media⠀relations.
• Provides⠀guidance⠀and⠀governance⠀for⠀divisions⠀and⠀functional⠀PR⠀activities.
• Developing⠀and⠀leveraging⠀internal⠀and⠀external⠀partnerships⠀and⠀networks⠀to⠀maximize⠀the⠀achievement⠀of⠀business⠀goals by⠀sponsoring⠀and⠀leading⠀key⠀community⠀outreach⠀and⠀involvement⠀initiatives.
• Engaging⠀key⠀stakeholders⠀in the⠀development,⠀execution,⠀and⠀evaluation⠀of⠀appropriate⠀business⠀plans and⠀initiatives;⠀and⠀supporting⠀associate⠀efforts in⠀these⠀areas.
• Define⠀a content⠀marketing⠀strategy⠀that will⠀help us⠀increase⠀online⠀visibility.
• Oversee⠀the design⠀and⠀development⠀of⠀corporate⠀collaterals,⠀such as⠀corporate⠀videos,⠀presentations,⠀and paid⠀media.
• Manage⠀brand⠀promotions⠀for the⠀company,⠀including⠀paid⠀media, PR,⠀social⠀media⠀advertising,⠀and⠀sponsorships.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor’s⠀degree⠀required⠀along with⠀10 years⠀of proven⠀leadership⠀in⠀corporate⠀communications⠀or strong⠀agency⠀experience.
• Experience⠀working⠀with a⠀geographically⠀dispersed⠀workforce⠀is⠀preferred.
• Able⠀to build⠀relationships⠀through⠀personal⠀credibility;⠀operate⠀without⠀vested⠀self-interest.⠀Consistently⠀offer⠀quality⠀advice,⠀counsel,⠀and⠀insight.⠀Create⠀trust and⠀mutual⠀respect⠀through⠀words and⠀actions.
• Self-motivated⠀and a⠀passion⠀for the⠀importance⠀of the⠀work.⠀Develop an⠀understanding⠀of IFF’s⠀businesses⠀and⠀contribute⠀in a⠀meaningful⠀way to the⠀company’s⠀strategic⠀goals.
• Demonstrate⠀a high⠀degree of⠀ethics and⠀integrity⠀along with⠀strong⠀analytical⠀skills and⠀sound⠀judgment,⠀leveraging⠀data where⠀possible⠀to provide⠀solutions.⠀Timeliness⠀and sense⠀of⠀urgency.
• Outstanding⠀written,⠀verbal,⠀and⠀presentation⠀skills. A⠀hands-on⠀contributor,⠀with the⠀ability to⠀capture⠀the voice⠀of senior⠀leaders.
• Ability⠀to foster⠀a highly⠀collaborative⠀environment⠀while⠀driving⠀accountability.⠀Strong⠀interpersonal⠀skills and⠀high⠀emotional⠀intelligence.⠀Ability to⠀effectively⠀build⠀relationships⠀and⠀credibility⠀across the⠀organization.
• Proven⠀experience⠀developing/building⠀strong⠀teams and⠀the⠀ability to⠀work well⠀with a⠀global⠀team⠀already in⠀place.

Compensation⠀($160,000⠀-⠀$178,000)⠀is based⠀on a⠀variety of⠀factors⠀including⠀but not⠀limited to⠀work⠀experience,⠀skills,⠀certifications,⠀and⠀location.