Overview

Reputation Communications at Chick-fil-A is a specialized discipline, developing storylines and key messages intended to protect and enhance our reputation with internal and external stakeholders. Reputation Communications proactively positions Chick-fil-A as a company that truly cares about more than just profits and makes a positive impact on the communities where we operate. This discipline is also responsible for reactively protecting the reputation of Chick-fil-A as issues arise with key stakeholders, including the media. This role serves as the de facto press secretary and frontline spokesperson for Chick-fil-A's reputation needs and leads a team of storytellers responsible for shaping the reputation narrative of the company.

The Principal Program Lead for Reputation Communications will be a highly skilled and seasoned media relations professional with a thorough understanding of the Reputation Communications discipline and extensive experience as an on-the-record spokesperson for a large organization. This leader will influence the strategic direction of Reputation Communications by providing input and leadership that will have a broad impact across the company and manage media outcomes that align with team priorities and companywide initiatives.

This role will be responsible for advising local Owner/Operators on holistic media communications strategies in both emerging markets and in established markets with challenging issues. This role utilizes both professional experience and research tools to anticipate and respond to media inquiries on both long-term and time-sensitive issues that could pose a threat to the company’s reputation and role in the community.

Our Flexible Future model offers a healthy mix of working in person and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

Responsibilities

This role provides critical, real-time strategic direction and media response on issues and topics that are of importance to the company, its leadership, ownership, and network of independent Operators. The position has several areas of focus, including external communications, media and stakeholder relations, and proactive storytelling. Each area of focus has a wide variety of demands that require this leader to set objectives and priorities. Specific duties include:

• Serves as an on-the-record media spokesperson on a broad range of issues impacting Chick-fil-A, Inc. nationally and in key markets across the country.
• Leads a team of skilled communicators within reputation communications with experience fielding media inquiries and developing potential strategies for response.
• Primary consultant to Chick-fil-A Owner/Operators on emerging issues and media inquiries in their local communities.
• Assists with selection and oversight, including budgetary management, of outside agency partners contracted to deliver outcomes and results in external communications.
• Partners with Corporate Communications/External Affairs senior leadership to update and implement the strategy for building Chick-fil-A’s relationships with key local, trade, and national journalists and newsroom leaders.
• Proactively builds effective relationships with operations leads and Operators in key markets to understand and mitigate potential issues before they become external stories.
• Develops internal relationships at Chick-fil-A, Inc. that provide subject matter expertise and inform strategy for advising local Operators on external media issues.
• Leads team members tasked with sharing proactive stories about Chick-fil-A’s reputation and helps shape those narratives for external media.
• Works closely with social channel leads in the Chick-fil-A reputation storytelling ecosystem to ensure alignment on positioning, messaging, and timing for proactive stories on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
• Partners with the Public Affairs research team and other stakeholders within Corporate Communications to ensure messaging is consistent with insights from reputation tracking and the department’s reputation narrative.

Minimum Qualifications

• Demonstrated success as a spokesperson dealing directly with national and local external media.
• Extensive experience working directly with C-Suite leaders, including the Chairman/President/CEO, in large, complex organizations, or elected/appointed officials with large government entities.
• Proven experience in identifying, developing, and driving issues management strategies.
• Strategic thinking with a creative mindset.
• Ability to identify, engage and manage multiple stakeholders.
• Proven track record of being entrusted with highly confidential information.

Preferred Qualifications

• Significant people leadership experience within a national brand

Minimum Years of Experience

Travel Requirements

Required Level of Education

Preferred Level of Education