Sr. Manager, Public Relations
Ferrara Pan Candy Co., Inc.

Job Info

Job Location: Chicago

Want to make an impact?

The Sr. Manager, Public Relations, a key role within the organization, is responsible for overseeing Ferrara's earned consumer facing messaging, programming and media relations across our portfolio of brands. This person will lead the PR strategy and oversee all PR activities with consumer media and influencers. They should know the best ways to create earned-first PR moments and work with various internal and external partners to bring them to life in an effective way and have fun while doing it too. After all, this job works on candy brands!

Ways you will make a difference

• Manage all inbound and outbound earned media activities across brands helping to achieve individual brand objectives.
• Lead agency partners in development and execution of proactive media relations strategy and plans.
• Collaborate/partner with Brand marketing in briefing and up-front planning of all earned-first brand programs
• Manage the development of earned-first brand programs to secure positive third-party coverage, including earned media, celebrity endorsements, influencers and brand fans.
• Serve as lead for agile and reactive earned media moments; evaluating opportunities against brand priorities and strategy, ultimately assessing for ROI and risk management
• Support leadership and brand marketers with messaging and media training ahead of interviews and events.
• Develop KPIs and measurement; Evaluate key learnings from brand public relations efforts and provide thoughtful, comprehensive recaps and recommendations to leadership to improve upon future performance and results.
• Work cross-functionally to create central messaging repository for brands
• Handle brand-related issues and crisis preparedness resources and tools, including risk assessment crisis simulation and playbook
• Raise earned media acumen in-house, create learning opportunities across the organization
• Manage Public Relations agency
• Budget: Manages assigned A&P budget and billing inclusive of key Agency Fees, SOWs, and/or activation budgets

Skills that will make you successful

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
• A self-starter, but also an exceptional collaborator
• Knows how to elevate good ideas and provide the backup for why they make sense
• Excellent communication and influencing skills
• High levels of energy, creativity and enthusiasm
• Strong sense of ownership and accountability over results
• Effective budget ownership and management
• Comfortable operating in highly dynamic and ever changing environments

Experiences that will support your success

• Bachelor's degree required
• 8 years in a Public Relations or comms role
• A track record of strategic leadership in PR, securing media coverage and keeping brands relevant through ongoing evergreen coverage.
• Has robust media relationships
• Experience working at or managing agencies
• Experience planning and executing integrated campaigns that have PR as one of the marketing avenues
• Experience measuring and evaluating PR hits
• Experience managing influencers
• Experience working within a dynamic cross-functional team environment, navigating objectives to drive priority and deliver breakthrough results