Senior Manager - Corporate Affairs

Lidl US; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 160,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Paid holidays & PTO

401K with company match

Training programs

Job summary

Lidl US seeks a Head of Corporate Affairs to align flagship initiatives across Corporate Communications, Stakeholder Engagement, and CSR. You will shape national strategies, manage reputational metrics, and guide executive messaging to reinforce the One Lidl brand across the United States.

The role requires 5–7 years in corporate communications or related fields, a strong media network, and the ability to travel for national events and partnerships.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Corporate Affairs, Business, or related field.
• 5–7 years of progressive experience in corporate communications or stakeholder engagement.
• Strong knowledge of media relations, crisis communication, and reputation management.
• Professional network among journalists and political stakeholders in the US market.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of a national 360° communications strategy, including political communication and issue management.
• Oversee internal and external communications content and media work aligned with national and international strategies.
• Coordinate cross-departmental communications to ensure a consistent brand narrative across Lidl US.
• Advise leadership on strategic communication challenges and measure company reputation as a KPI.

Skills

Corporate communications

Public relations

Stakeholder engagement

Crisis communication

Leadership

Strategic planning

Media relations

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Purpose

The Head of Corporate Affairs leads the strategic alignment of the Corporate Affairs division and the core disciplines of Stakeholder Engagement, Corporate Communication, and CSR. Operating as the central voice for the organization, this role safeguards and enhances the reputation of the company by developing and implementing measures to measure and manage the company's reputation and strengthen the corporate brand as 'One Lidl'.

Responsibilities

Corporate Communications & Public Relations

• Development and implementation of a national 360° communication strategy including political communication and issue management.
• Responsibility for internal and external communication, including content creation, as well as active and reactive media work taking into account the international and national communication strategy.
• Oversee the creation of an overarching editorial and content plan for internal and external communication to ensure a consistent narrative around the corporate brand.
• Synchronize all internal communication activities in cooperation with other departments (e.g., marketing and employer branding) in the sense of a one-brand strategy.
• Ensure binding content and consistent internal messages through cross-departmental and cross-thematic coordination.
• Build and manage strategic engagement with relevant internal stakeholders and opinion leaders.
• Advising and empowering management and specialist departments on strategic communication challenges.
• Responsibility for ensuring a regular analysis of the company's reputation and anchoring reputation as a relevant key performance indicator within the company.

Stakeholder Engagement & Political Affairs

• Responsibility for the development and implementation of strategic and sustainable stakeholder engagement for the effective representation of company interests, particularly in the political arena.
• Representation of interests in the national political environment and in regulatory processes.
• Representing the company or supporting management in relevant associations, organizations, and initiatives.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

• Developing, implementing, and regularly adapting the CSR strategy, measures, and projects in coordination with Corporate Affairs International.
• Ensuring CSR reporting capability in the country in accordance with the guidelines specified by Lidl International and ensuring compliance with national regulatory CSR reporting obligations.
• Responsibility for organizing CSR initiatives to raise awareness of social and environmental issues in line with the Lidl guidelines.
• Responsibility for coordinating the national company's donation activities in accordance with international guidelines and processes.
• Advising and empowering management and specialist departments on CSR based on trend analyses and assessments of the market, politics, and society.

About You

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Corporate Affairs, Business, or a related discipline.
• 5-7 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, public relations, or stakeholder engagement, ideally within the discount grocer or broader retail sector.
• In-depth knowledge of proactive and reactive media relations, crisis communication, and corporate reputation management.
• Established professional network among journalists, political stakeholders, and industry opinion leaders in the US market.
• Deep understanding of stakeholder engagement, particularly political stakeholder engagement and CSR initiatives.
• Exceptional written, verbal, and strategic presentation skills, with the proven ability to advise executive management and craft compelling corporate narratives.
• Occasional willingness to travel to support national events, store openings, or stakeholder meetings.

Physical Requirements

• Ability to travel up to ~15% of the time, which may include weekends and evenings, as needed.
• Most work is performed in a temperature-controlled office environment.
• Must be able to sit for prolonged periods of time at a desk or computer terminal.
• May use keyboards, telephone, and standard office equipment in the course of a normal workday.
• Stooping, bending, twisting, and reaching may be required in the completion of job duties.
• Must be able to lift up to 25 pounds at times.

Competencies

• Personal Competencies: Proactively drives the structural and procedural advancement of the department. Confidently adapts to change, upholds rigorous quality standards, and maintains a healthy balance between team workload and overall operational capacity.
• Business Competencies: Derives specific departmental actions directly from macro corporate strategy. Utilizes data-driven KPIs to make informed choices, solves complex problems from multiple perspectives, and maintains strict cost-benefit controlling.
• Social Competencies: Communicates with absolute clarity to persuade diverse audiences. Nurtures trusting cross-departmental relationships and applies diplomacy to resolve conflicts and negotiate balanced solutions.
• Leadership Competencies: Fosters a trust-based, learning-oriented department where mistakes are treated as growth opportunities. Actively mentors and develops team leads while delegating tasks thoughtfully using clear, measurable expectations.

Our Values

Ability to demonstrate, understand, and continuously apply our workplace values:

• Performance: We thrive together to passionately pursue ambitious goals, constantly develop ourselves, and turn complex organizational challenges into opportunities.
• Respect: We put people at the center of what we do by treating each other fairly, ensuring equal opportunities, and valuing diversity as a key cultural strength.
• Trust: We believe in each other, communicate openly and honestly, remain completely reliable, and treat mistakes as valuable learning opportunities.
• Grounded: We dream big while staying down to earth, remaining approachable, choosing simplicity over complexity, and focusing firmly on meaningful results.
• Belonging: We are stronger together than we are alone, standing up for one another, leveraging our collective strengths, and focusing on sustainable, long-term relationships.

What You’ll Receive

At Lidl, we know that in order for our people to do their best, they must be at their best. That’s why as a company, we offer one of the most generous benefits packages in the industry.

• Starting pay of $160,000 (with potential to earn $180,000 in the future)
• Medical & Prescription | Dental | Vision coverage
• Paid Holiday & Paid Time Off (PTO) to use for sickness or vacation
• Dedicated training plans to ensure you are set up for success
• 401K Plan (+ 5% company match)
• Voluntary Term Life & AD&D Insurance
• Total Well-Being Program
• DailyPay, a voluntary benefit to offer employees access to their pay on their own schedule

Lidl US views our Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through a lens of actions that are Good for the Environment, Good for People, and Good for You.

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