Responsibilities

• Lead and oversee the company’s Public Relations function, serving as the primary point of contact for media outlets and other external parties making inquiries on behalf of the brand.
• Develop and execute a proactive public relations strategy that supports the company’s business objectives, protects and enhances brand reputation, and reinforces the company’s position as a leading QSR brand.
• Monitor external trends, media coverage, stakeholder sentiment, and emerging issues that may affect the company’s reputation, and recommend proactive communications strategies as appropriate.
• Shape and steward the company’s public persona, voice, and messaging across all external-facing communications, ensuring consistency, clarity, and alignment with ADQ’s Mission, Vision and Values.
• Manage relationships with outside public relations agencies, consultants, vendors, and other communications resources, ensuring high-quality execution, strategic alignment, and effective use of resources.
• Partner closely with executive leadership to develop company positions on key business, reputational, regulatory, social, and industry issues, including inquiries or campaigns from NGOs and other advocacy organizations and other sensitive or high-profile matters.
• Oversees Employee Communications
• - Provides strategic oversight and direction to the Manager responsible for Employee Communications.
• - Oversees the development, positioning, and execution of key internal communications for ADQ employees, ensuring messages are clear, timely, engaging, and aligned with the Company’s strategic priorities, brand, and Mission, Vision, and Values.
• - Supports executive leadership as a communications advisor and strategist, providing counsel on high-impact internal messaging, strategic initiatives, leadership communications, and employee engagement.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, English, Mass Communication, or equivalent combination of education and work experience. Graduate degree a plus.
• Must have a minimum of 8-10 years of prior corporate communications, association or agency experience including several years in a leadership role.
• Management experience required.
• Experience providing strategic communication counsel to company senior management is preferred.
• Experience in a corporate communications leadership role in a franchisee-based organization is preferred.
• Skills:
• - Superior communication/writing and editing skills with an understanding of how to tailor messages to different audiences clearly, quickly and proficiently.
• - Exceptional editing and proofreading skills.
• - Demonstrates an understanding and proven track record of strategic communication planning, message development and execution.
• - Creative/strategic thinker who can quickly develop innovative story ideas for an audience across a wide variety of business units.

Preferred

• Graduate degree a plus.
• Experience providing strategic communication counsel to company senior management is preferred.
• Experience in a corporate communications leadership role in a franchisee-based organization is preferred.

Benefits

• Our benefit package supports the well-being of our employees and their families. Our comprehensive benefit package includes, medical, dental, 401K match, paid time off (including volunteer time as well as parental leave) and so much more! To learn more about our great benefit offerings, Click Here .
• Most positions located out of our global headquarters in Bloomington, MN will work a hybrid work schedule where you will work 3 collaboration days a week. Additional in office time may be required to support team/project needs.