Associate Director, Brand PR

heinz; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 164,000 - 205,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus eligibility

Benefits package

Wellbeing programs

Job summary

Kraft Heinz in Chicago seeks an Associate Director of Brand Public Relations to shape and protect the company’s brand reputation. This role sits at the intersection of storytelling, earned media strategy and cross‑functional collaboration with marketing, creative and agencies.

The ideal candidate communicates with executive presence, quickly assesses complex situations, and influences leadership with sharp editorial instincts and a culture‑minded approach.

Qualifications

• External communications with executive presence.
• Experience in brand PR and earned media.
• Ability to manage agencies and cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Advance Kraft Heinz's North American brand PR and communications strategy, aligning with business priorities and equity building.
• Lead earned media campaigns to drive awareness, cultural relevance and measurable business outcomes.
• Identify culturally relevant narratives connecting brand purpose to consumer moments.

Skills

Decision making

Story instincts

Editor mindset

Executive influence

Cultural interest

Earned media insights

Job description

Job Description

The Associate Director of Brand Public Relations is a strategic leader responsible for shaping, elevating and protecting the reputation of Kraft Heinz's North American brands while driving breakthrough earned visibility that builds cultural relevance and business growth. This role sits at the intersection of brand storytelling, earned media strategy and integrated communities, partnering closely with brand marketing, creative, and agency teams to deliver best-in-class communications.

This individual is an externally oriented communicator with strong executive presence, sharp storytelling instincts, and the ability to operate with speed, ownership, and influence in a complex, fast-moving environment.

Role Responsibilities

• Advance Kraft Heinz's North American brand PR and communications strategy, ensuring alignment to business priorities, brand growth objectives, and long‑term equity building
• Spearhead earned media efforts for North American brands, partnering closely with marketing, creative, legal and agency teams to design and execute high‑impact communications campaigns that drive awareness, cultural relevance, brand affinity and measurable business outcomes including consideration and purchase intent
• Serve as an internal culture intelligence function, identifying and shaping culturally relevant narratives that connect brand purpose to consumer moments
• Act as a strategic advisor and thought partner to brand, marketing and executive leadership teams - shaping early‑stage thinking on brand decisions, communications implications and reputational impact
• Provide proactive counsel on cultural risk, opportunity spaces and reputational implications of brand, product and marketing decisions
• Build and maintain strong relationships with agenda‑setting media to ensure consistent brand presence in relevant conversations
• Manage external PR agencies, setting clear strategy, expectations, and performance metrics
• Ensure that all communications and activity reflect the Company's core values and advance Kraft Heinz's business strategy
• Operate as a key connector across the organization, ensuring brand PR is embedded early in planning cycles and fully integrated across marketing and creative functions

Personal Skills

• Ability to quickly assess complex situations and make sound decisions
• Strong instinct for what is - and isn't - a story, with a clear understanding of reputational risk vs. opportunity
• Comfort making decisions with incomplete information
• Confident, credible advisor to senior leaders; able to challenge constructively and influence decisions
• Naturally curious with a sharp editorial mindset
• Deep interest in culture, media and how attention shifts
• Strong understanding of how earned media influences the information large language models learn from and surface in responses

Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz' strategy and values.

New Hire Base Salary Range: $164,200.00 - $205,200.00

Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents.

The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job‑related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors.

Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family's needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.

Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families.

You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example:

• Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments
• Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training
• Emotional - Employee Assistance Program, Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs
• Financial - 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability

Location(s) Chicago/Aon Center

Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer - Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact [e-mail] for assistance.