Director of Corporate Brand and Communications

Finlays Solutions; Glenview (IL); On-site; USD 155,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care plan (medical, vision, and

Dental insurance

Quarterly incentive bonus

Paid time off

Parental leave

Bereavement leave

401(k)

Job summary

Finlays Solutions is seeking a Director of Corporate Brand & Communications, a senior leader reporting to the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. The role shapes, protects, and advances the enterprise brand, works with Marketing, HR, Government Relations, and leadership to align corporate narrative with customer and product branding, and ensures a consistent, trustworthy identity for all stakeholders.

The position leads internal and external communications, media relations, and crisis messaging

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in corporate communications, corporate brand, public relations, reputation management, or related disciplines.
• Significant experience leading corporate brand and/or enterprise communications programs.
• Experience working with C-suite executives and senior business leaders.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex communications issues and multiple stakeholder audiences.
• Experience leading teams and managing agencies or external partners.
• Food and beverage industry experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing evolution of the organization's corporate brand strategy, positioning, purpose, and identity.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to articulate the enterprise corporate narrative, key messages, and reputation.
• Establish corporate brand standards, governance processes, and guidelines, ensuring consistent expression of the brand across functions, locations, and stakeholder groups.
• Ensure the corporate brand reflects the organization's purpose, strategy, values, culture, and desired reputation.
• Partner with Marketing to align corporate brand with product/customer brands and establish ownership and decision rights.
• Evaluate opportunities to strengthen corporate brand awareness and differentiation.
• Monitor external perceptions, media coverage, stakeholder sentiment, and issues affecting the organization.
• Develop and execute an integrated enterprise communications platform aligned with strategy.

Skills

Strategic communication

Leadership

Stakeholder management

C-suite collaboration

Media relations

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, PR, journalism, marketing, business, or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

About Us

Finlays Solutions is a leading partner to the B2B beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for its deep expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to innovation. The company plays a central role in supporting beverage brands, flavor houses, private label partners, and manufacturers through high-quality products, technical capabilities, and collaborative problem-solving. With a strong presence in the ready-to-drink beverage market, Finlays Solutions focuses on identifying emerging opportunities, expanding into new market spaces, and delivering solutions that meet evolving customer and consumer needs.

Finlays Solutions operates with a strong commitment to its mission, values, ethics, and long-term goals, ensuring that every initiative reflects the company’s dedication to integrity, partnership, and sustainable success.

Job Summary

The Director of Corporate Brand & Communications is a senior leader reporting to the Chief Corporate Affairs Officer. The position is responsible for shaping, protecting, and advancing the organization’s corporate brand, reputation, and enterprise narrative.

This role leads the development and execution of corporate brand strategy, internal and external communications, executive communications, media relations, and reputation management. Working closely with Marketing, Human Resources, Government Relations, Community Relations, and business leadership, the Director establishes the corporate narrative and reputation framework while ensuring appropriate alignment between the corporate/enterprise brand and customer and product-focused marketing brands.

The Director ensures that the organization presents a clear, consistent, and trustworthy identity across its key stakeholders including employees, customers, communities, business partners, media, government officials, and other external audiences.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Lead the development, implementation, and ongoing evolution of the organization's corporate brand strategy, positioning, purpose, and identity.
• Collaborate with the leadership team to articulate the enterprise corporate narrative, key messages, and reputation.
• Establish corporate brand standards, governance processes, and guidelines, ensuring consistent expression of the brand across functions, locations, and stakeholder groups.
• Ensures the corporate brand reflects the organization's purpose, strategy, values, culture, and desired reputation.
• Partner with Marketing to maintain clear alignment between the corporate brand and product/customer brands while establishing appropriate ownership and decision rights.
• Evaluate opportunities to strengthen corporate brand awareness, differentiation, and stake
• Monitor external perceptions, media coverage, stakeholder sentiment, and issues that could affect the organization.
• Collaborate with leadership to develop and execute an integrated enterprise communications platform aligned with the organization’s strategy.
• Lead corporate communications across internal and external stakeholder audiences with a balanced framework that ensures consistency.
• Oversee corporate announcements, press releases, organizational communications, leadership messages, presentations, talking points, FAQs, and other internal and external communications.
• Serve as a strategic communications advisor to the CCAO, CEO, and senior leadership team.
• Develop executive communications that strengthen leadership visibility, and credibility with key stakeholders (Customers, Suppliers, Trade, Employees)
• Lead or oversee the organization's corporate media relations strategy and develop proactive media strategies that advance the organization's corporate narrative and reputation.
• Build productive relationships with relevant business, industry, trade, and local media.
• Partner with Human Resources, Culture/Employee Engagement, and senior leadership to strengthen employee understanding of the organization's strategy, purpose, values, priorities, and culture.
• Work with the Communications Manager to form enterprise internal communications that create clarity, alignment, and organizational connection.
• Work with key function leads to develop crisis communications protocols, response plans, stakeholder messaging, and executive communications.
• Coordinate closely with Legal, Operations, Human Resources, Government Relations, and executive leadership during significant issues.
• Oversee enterprise-level content across corporate websites, social channels, presentations, reports, videos, publications, and leadership platforms.
• Establish KPIs for corporate brand, communications, media relations, employee engagement, executive visibility, and reputation.

The salary range for this role is $155,000 - $175,000 annually. Within this range, individual pay is determined by the work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. The total compensation package for this position also includes a choice of health care plan (medical, vision, and dental insurance), a quarterly incentive bonus, paid time off, parental leave, bereavement leave and a 401(K) for all eligible employees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, business, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• 10+ years of experience in corporate communications, corporate brand, public relations, reputation management, or related disciplines.
• Significant experience leading corporate brand and/or enterprise communications programs.
• Experience working with C-suite executives and senior business leaders.
• Demonstrated experience managing complex communications issues and multiple stakeholder audiences.
• Experience leading teams and managing agencies or external partners.
• Corporate, agency, or similarly complex organizational experience preferred.
• Food and beverage industry experience a plus.

Work Environment

• Employees must be able to work in a dynamic manufacturing environment that may include exposure to odors, dust, moderate noise levels, and fluctuations in temperature and ventilation
• Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times, which may include but is not limited to: safety glasses, steel-toed shoes, gloves, hairnets, uniforms, and face shields, as required by specific job duties and safety protocols
• Ability to work in elevated positions, at up to 50 feet and using proper safety precautions
• Must be able to work in limited or cramped spaces and extend arms into machinery for inspection, cleaning, or maintenance tasks, while following all established safety protocols

Quality Statement

• Our Quality and Food Safety Management strategy is anchored by our food safety and quality culture and a two-pronged approach to “be the best” as we produce “only the best”. Every employee has a role to play in this strategy as outlined by the following:
• Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP’s), allergen control, food defense, HACCP, SQF, and regulatory requirements so that we make consistently safe, quality products.
• Ensure the presence of visitors, contractors, and customers are documented on each visit in and out of the facility to maintain good manufacturing practices, allergen controls, food defense/food security and HACCP controls.
• Report all food safety and quality issues to management immediately.
• Partner with colleagues across all functions to share knowledge, skills, and information regarding quality and food safety.
• Adhere to all health and safety work practices.
• Exhibit an understanding of quality and food safety standards and be able to speak about the Finlays quality and food safety system and your role in it.
• Handle customer complaints in a timely and professional manner so that the customer is put first, always.
• Participate fully in Finlays programs that drive continuous improvement methodologies.

Any employee in doubt as to the role they play in the Finlays quality and food safety management system must reach out to the site Quality Manager or VP of Quality.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Finlays Solutions is an equal employment opportunity employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law. Finlays employs individuals that are 18 years of age or older.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.