Associate Director Corporate Communications

Mars Incorporated; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 134,000 - 185,000; Full time

Job summary

Mars Incorporated's Accelerator Division seeks an Associate Director, Corporate Communications to elevate external visibility and engage with customers, policy makers, and stakeholders. You will lead sustainability, customer, and policy communications, contextualizing Accelerator within Mars Snacking with collaboration across regional Corporate Affairs teams.

You will advise senior leaders, shape strategic narratives, manage issues, and guide internal alignment across Mars Snacking.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism or related field required; MS/MBA a plus.
• 8-10 years in corporate affairs, communications or related fields.
• Experience advising and coaching senior leaders.
• Strong strategic planning and relationship-building at executive level.
• Experience with media and policy makers; sustainability storytelling is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead storytelling for Accelerator's sustainability progress to build trust and reputation among key stakeholders.
• Enable and support customer engagement and communications for events and meetings.
• Deploy proactive corporate communications through media relations and external speaking engagements.
• Translate governance directives and regulatory frameworks into accessible guidance for audiences.
• Collaborate with Public Affairs to communicate Mars positions on policy issues, trade, and regional regulations.
• Provide communications counsel to senior leadership during critical issues; manage crises and issues.
• Ensure external visibility is reflected in Accelerator engagement and internal communications.

Skills

Strategic planning

Media relations

Policy communications

Leadership

Crisis management

AI in communications

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications

MS/MBA is a plus

Job description

Job Description

Who Are We?

Accelerator, a global Division of Mars Snacking, is on the front line of unlocking growth across high-potential categories and brands to fuel what's next for Snacking. It's home to both emerging and enduring brands, including KIND, TRÜ FRÜ, NATURE'S BAKERY, RXBAR, EGGO, POP-TARTS and RICE KRISPIE TREATS. Combining the scale of Mars with the agility of a start-up, our Division has the ambition to accelerate the future of snacking by delivering products consumer love today, discovering category-shaping innovations for tomorrow and developing entrepreneurial teams whose impact will last for generations.

We're looking for passionate talent who dare to dream big, agile collaborators who talk straight and decide fast, and driven performers with a growth mindset. We're proudly part of Mars, while also building something boldly different. If this inspires and energizes you, you've found the right place where you can do cool things with fun people for one of the biggest snacking companies in the world!

What You’ll Do

Join our team as the Associate Director, Corporate Communications, Accelerator Division reporting to the Senior Director, Corporate Affairs. You will have the unique responsibility of building external visibility of the Division and driving engagement with key external stakeholders including customers and policy makers. The role will focus on Sustainability, Customer and Policy Communication components that enable the reputation and growth of the Division: Play a critical role in contextualizing Accelerator as a Division within Mars Snacking in support of our reputation and freedom to operate goals. Our primary business is within North America and has the ambition to grow internationally. This role will also work closely with the Corporate Affairs teams in other Mars Snacking regions and the Mars Corporate Public Affairs leads for North America and the EU. This person will also support issues management and work closely with our Business Units CA teams to protect the reputation of our brands and business.

Job Responsibilities

• Sustainability & Purpose Communications: Lead strategic storytelling to champion Accelerator's and Mars Snacking's sustainability progress in service of driving trust and reputation with key stakeholders.
• Customer Communications: Enable and support customer engagement and communications. Bring to life key messages specific to Accelerator for our customers, events and meetings including the annual National Sales Conference and critical top-to-top meetings.
• Corporate Communications: Deploy choiceful, high-impact corporate communications through proactive media relations, external speaking engagements, and strategic thought leadership as relevant to our business and sustainability goals.
• Policy Communications: Translate complex corporate governance directives, compliance standards, and regulatory frameworks into accessible, actionable guidance for internal and external audiences.
• Public Policy Support: Collaborate with the Public Affairs team to communicate Mars' positions on key public policy issues, trade, and regional regulations.
• Crisis & Issue Management:Anticipate reputational risks and establish robust response plans. Provide communications counsel to senior leadership during critical business issues.
• Internal Alignment:Ensure our external visibility and thoughtleadershipprogress issufficientlyrepresented in our Accelerator engagement and internal communications.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, marketing, journalism, or associated profession is required, or the equivalent combination of education, training, and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. MS/MBA is a plus.
• 8-10 years relevant professional experience in corporate affairs, communications or related fields.
• Experience advising and coaching senior leaders.
• Strong strategic planning skills, a solid understanding of the business, and the ability to build and nurture relationships at the highest levels in a corporate environment.
• Strong external orientation including experience dealing with media and policy makers.
• Experience in sustainability communications, including translating technical sustainability programs into compelling storytelling.
• Self-starting and collaborative leader who confidently balances strategic and operational priorities, thrives in ambiguity, exercises sound judgment under pressure, and motivates others while providing strong leadership during critical situations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Robust knowledge of working with AI, responsibly, in corporate communications including policy comms / public affairs.
• Experience within CPG is a plus.

What can you expect from Mars?

• Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles.
• Join a purpose driven company, where we're striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today.
• A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University.
• An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus.

The base pay range for this position at commencement of employment is between the range listed below, however, base pay offered may vary depending on multiple individualized factors, including but not limited to job-related knowledge, skills, and experience.The total compensation package for this position will include variable pay, medical and dental benefits, participation in 401k plan, and paid time off benefits.Details of participation in these benefit plans will be provided if an applicant receives an offer of employment.

The pay range shown is applicable to all US locations listed within the job posting:USD 134,400.00 - USD 184,800.00