📌 Core Information
🔹 Job Title: Senior Brand Communications & PR Manager
🔹 Company: Certified Angus Beef
🔹 Location: Wooster, Ohio
🔹 Job Type: On-site
🔹 Category: Advertising Services
🔹 Date Posted: 2025-04-24
🔹 Experience Level: 5-10 years
🔹 Remote Status: On-site (not remote)
🚀 Job Overview
Key aspects of this role include:
- Leading communication strategies and media relations to promote the brand and its products.
- Overseeing company communications, engaging with media, and managing public relations strategies.
- Collaborating with internal teams, external agencies, and influencers to build and execute communication strategies.
- Protecting and enhancing the brand’s reputation through proactive and reactive communications plans.
- Providing leadership, mentorship, and professional development for team members.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strategic mindset, excellent communication skills, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
📋 Key Responsibilities
✅ Company Communication & PR Strategy: Lead and execute comprehensive communication strategies, guiding messaging and approach in engaging business partners, consumers, and related media and influencer outlets.
✅ Strategic Communications Leadership: Collaborate with the Creative Director and Director of Producer Communications to help build out communications and editorial strategies that engage audiences from gate to plate.
✅ Media Engagement: Oversee strategic media engagement, actively pursuing media outlets, journalists, and influencers to pitch relevant stories and foster strong relationships.
✅ Content Creator & Campaign Collaboration: Collaborate with the marketing and creative teams to develop strategies that engage content creators and influential voices to amplify campaign and marketing initiatives.
✅ Brand Reputation & Issues Management: Develop and implement proactive and reactive communications plans to protect and enhance the brand’s reputation, managing issues and media inquiries with strategic foresight.
✅ Media Monitoring & Reporting: Oversee media monitoring activities for both proactive and reactive opportunities. Analyze coverage and report on key media metrics.
✅ Social Media & Digital Communications: Collaborate with the digital team to support social media strategies, ensuring consistent brand messaging and engagement across platforms.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires a strong background in corporate communications, media relations, and issues management, with experience leading communication teams and managing agency relationships.
🎯 Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor’s degree in public relations, journalism, or agricultural communication from an accredited college or university.
Experience: Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in communications, media relations, or public relations, with experience in issues management, corporate communications, and brand reputation preferred.
Required Skills:
- Proven experience in media relations, including pitching stories and managing relationships with journalists and influencers.
- Strong background in corporate communications and issues management.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to engage, educate, and influence a wide range of audiences.
- Ability to define success by establishing KPIs for media coverage, engagement, brand sentiment, and campaign performance.
- Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
Preferred Skills:
- Experience in media training spokespeople.
- Trade media engagement experience.
- Understanding of agriculture, food marketing, and/or the beef industry.
ASSUMPTION: Candidates with a strong background in media relations, corporate communications, and issues management, along with experience leading communication teams, are preferred for this role.
💰 Compensation & Benefits
Salary Range: $80,000 - $120,000 per year (based on industry standards for a Senior Communications Manager in Ohio)
Benefits:
- 10 vacation days and 10 personal days in the first year of employment.
- Nine paid holidays.
- 90% of full-time employee health insurance.
- Dental and vision coverage.
- Extensive wellness program.
- 401(k) and pension programs.
Working Hours: Full-time, with occasional overnight travel and/or weekend work required.
ASSUMPTION: The salary range provided is an estimate based on industry standards for a Senior Communications Manager in Ohio. Actual compensation may vary based on experience and qualifications.
📌 Applicant Insights
🔍 Company Context
Industry: Advertising Services, focusing on marketing and promoting Certified Angus Beef products to global food distributors, grocery stores, chefs, and home cooks.
Company Size: 51-200 employees, providing a mid-sized company environment with opportunities for collaboration and growth.
Founded: 1978, with a rich history and strong brand reputation in the beef industry.
Company Description:
- Certified Angus Beef is owned by family farmers and ranchers, ensuring high-quality, sustainable beef production.
- The company sets strict standards to certify every bite of beef is juicy, delicious, and meets their high-quality standards.
- They provide marketing and business tools to help restaurateurs, retail meat leaders, and food distributors thrive in the industry.
- Certified Angus Beef is dedicated to sharing the story of their family farmers and ranchers who are committed to humane care and climate-friendly practices.
Company Specialties:
- Marketing and advertising services for the beef industry.
- Retail and hospitality services, focusing on foodservice and grocery stores.
- Beef marketing and promotion, targeting chefs and home cooks.
Company Website: www.certifiedangusbeef.com
ASSUMPTION: Certified Angus Beef is a well-established company in the beef industry, with a strong focus on quality, sustainability, and customer satisfaction.
📊 Role Analysis
Career Level: Senior-level position, requiring extensive experience and strategic thinking in communications and public relations.
Reporting Structure: This role reports directly to the Vice President of Marketing and Communications and supervises a small staff, collaborating with external PR agencies.
Work Arrangement: On-site, with occasional travel required (up to approximately 20%).
Growth Opportunities:
- Potential career progression into a leadership or director-level role within the communications department.
- Opportunities to expand skills and knowledge in the beef industry and related marketing and advertising services.
- Chance to work with a diverse range of stakeholders, including media, influencers, and internal teams.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers significant growth opportunities for the right candidate, with the potential to advance within the company and expand their skillset in the beef industry.
🌍 Location & Work Environment
Office Type: On-site, with a collaborative and engaging work environment.
Office Location(s): 206 Riffel Rd., Wooster, OH 44691, US
Geographic Context:
- Wooster, Ohio, is a small city with a population of approximately 27,000 people, offering a tight-knit community and a lower cost of living compared to larger cities.
- The area is known for its agriculture and food processing industries, providing ample opportunities for networking and career growth in the beef industry.
- Wooster is located approximately 50 miles south of Cleveland and 40 miles west of Akron, providing easy access to larger cities and cultural attractions.
Work Schedule: Full-time, with occasional overnight travel and/or weekend work required.
ASSUMPTION: The location of Certified Angus Beef's headquarters in Wooster, Ohio, offers a unique blend of small-town charm and big-city opportunities, with easy access to larger metropolitan areas and cultural attractions.
💼 Interview & Application Insights
Typical Process:
- Online application submission through the company's careers portal.
- Phone or video screening to assess communication skills and cultural fit.
- In-person or virtual interview with the hiring manager and/or other team members to discuss the role, responsibilities, and qualifications.
- Final interview or presentation with senior leadership to discuss career goals, expectations, and next steps.
Key Assessment Areas:
- Communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage, educate, and influence a wide range of audiences.
- Strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities, with a strong background in corporate communications and media relations.
- Leadership and team management skills, with experience supervising staff and collaborating with external agencies.
- Cultural fit and alignment with the company's values and mission.
Application Tips:
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role, emphasizing your background in media relations, corporate communications, and issues management.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your communication skills, strategic thinking, and leadership abilities.
- Research the company and industry to demonstrate your understanding of Certified Angus Beef's mission, values, and market position.
ATS Keywords: Media Relations, Corporate Communications, Issues Management, Strategic Communications, Brand Reputation, Media Engagement, Content Creation, Social Media, Digital Communications, Team Leadership, Mentorship, Analytical Skills, Organizational Skills, Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Resolution
ASSUMPTION: The interview process for this role will focus on assessing the candidate's communication skills, strategic thinking, and leadership abilities, with a strong emphasis on cultural fit and alignment with the company's values and mission.
🛠️ Tools & Technologies
- Media monitoring and tracking tools, such as Critical Mention.
- Social media management platforms, such as Hootsuite or Sprout Social.
- Project management tools, such as Asana or Trello.
- Communication and collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Office Suite or Google Workspace.
ASSUMPTION: This role requires proficiency in media monitoring and tracking tools, social media management platforms, and communication and collaboration tools to effectively manage media relations, content creation, and team communication.
👔 Cultural Fit Considerations
Company Values:
- Quality: Certified Angus Beef is committed to setting strict standards and certifying only the best-tasting, best-sourced, best-selling Angus beef.
- Integrity: The company is dedicated to maintaining high ethical standards and conducting business with honesty and transparency.
- Innovation: Certified Angus Beef continually seeks to improve and push the limits of beef innovation to help their customers thrive.
Work Style:
- Collaborative: The company fosters a culture of teamwork and collaboration, with open-door conversations and neighborly friendships inside and outside the office.
- Fun and celebratory: While challenging each other and pushing the limits of beef innovation, Certified Angus Beef cherishes fun and celebrations.
- Neighborly: The company maintains a strong sense of community and connection, both within the organization and with their family farmers and ranchers.
Self-Assessment Questions:
- Do you align with Certified Angus Beef's commitment to quality, integrity, and innovation in the beef industry?
- Are you comfortable working in a collaborative and fun work environment that emphasizes teamwork and celebration?
- Do you possess strong communication skills and the ability to engage, educate, and influence a wide range of audiences?
ASSUMPTION: Candidates who align with Certified Angus Beef's values, work style, and self-assessment questions will be the best fit for this role and the company culture.
⚠️ Potential Challenges
- Managing multiple priorities and projects simultaneously, with occasional overnight travel and/or weekend work required.
- Developing and executing proactive and reactive communications plans to protect and enhance the brand’s reputation, managing issues and media inquiries with strategic foresight.
- Collaborating with external PR agencies and managing agency relationships.
- Working in a fast-paced and dynamic industry, with frequent changes and updates in media trends and consumer preferences.
ASSUMPTION: This role presents unique challenges and opportunities for growth, requiring strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
📈 Similar Roles Comparison
- Compared to related roles, such as Communications Manager or PR Specialist, this position requires a higher level of experience and strategic thinking, with a focus on leading communication strategies and managing public relations initiatives.
- In the beef industry, this role requires a strong understanding of agriculture, food marketing, and the specific challenges and opportunities faced by beef producers and marketers.
- Career progression in this role may lead to leadership or director-level positions within the communications department, with the potential to expand into other areas of the business.
ASSUMPTION: This role offers unique opportunities for growth and advancement within the communications department and the broader beef industry, with a strong focus on strategic thinking, leadership, and communication skills.
📝 Sample Projects
- Developing and executing a comprehensive communication strategy to launch a new Certified Angus Beef product line, targeting both trade and consumer media outlets.
- Managing a crisis communication plan to address a recall or other significant issue, ensuring swift, effective messaging and responses that align with company values and minimize brand damage.
- Collaborating with the marketing and creative teams to develop and execute a social media campaign, targeting home cooks and food enthusiasts to increase brand awareness and engagement.
ASSUMPTION: These sample projects demonstrate the strategic and tactical aspects of the Senior Brand Communications & PR Manager role, requiring strong communication skills, strategic thinking, and the ability to manage multiple priorities and projects simultaneously.
❓ Key Questions to Ask During Interview
- Can you describe the team structure and dynamics within the communications department, and how this role fits into the overall organization?
- How does Certified Angus Beef support the professional development and growth of its employees, particularly within the communications department?
- What are the most significant challenges and opportunities facing the beef industry, and how does this role contribute to addressing them?
- How does Certified Angus Beef measure the success of its communication strategies and public relations initiatives, and what key performance indicators (KPIs) are most important for this role?
- What is the company's approach to work-life balance, and how does this role accommodate flexible scheduling or remote work arrangements?
ASSUMPTION: Asking these key questions during the interview process will help candidates better understand the role, the company culture, and the opportunities for growth and development within the organization.
📌 Next Steps for Applicants
To apply for this position:
- Submit your application through this link
- Tailor your resume and cover letter to highlight relevant experience and skills for this role, emphasizing your background in media relations, corporate communications, and issues management.
- Prepare for behavioral interview questions that focus on your communication skills, strategic thinking, and leadership abilities.
- Research the company and industry to demonstrate your understanding of Certified Angus Beef's mission, values, and market position.
- Follow up with the hiring manager one week after submitting your application to inquire about the status of your application and express your continued interest in the role.
⚠️ This job description contains AI-assisted information. Details should be verified directly with the employer before making decisions.
