Director of Corporate Affairs and Reputation: Positions open in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston, Miami, and Denver.

Position Overview

Serve as market manager and face of Wal-Mart for an integrated corporate affairs program to strengthen Wal-Marts reputation as a great employer contributing to the community economically and as a strong corporate citizen. The integrated program covers state and local government relationships, media relations and community affairs. The market manager serves as the communications link for in-market internal and external resources.

Position requires an individual who is a self-starter and can work independently in the field with minimal supervision. The individual must be a team player with excellent communication skills and able to build and maintain partnerships internally and externally.

Position is located in the field and requires existing relationships within one or more markets.

Specific Responsibilities

Assess community needs and build long-term relationships

Work with community affairs managers to assess and prioritize issues and concerns, particularly in the area of development, in each market that impacts reputation.

Identify key opinion leaders within the market and key community organizations and special interest groups whose involvement can help strengthen Wal-Marts reputation.

Work with market operations team to develop reputation management plan for each market. Activities flow from template plan and are customized for each market. During planning process, ensure there is support from all affected Wal-Mart functional departments.

Maintain relationships with opinion leaders, including local legislators and government officials, media, community organizations.

Work with state government affairs to supplement relationships at the state level and to coordinate with them and contracted lobbyists.

Serve as local media spokesperson and face of Wal-Mart. Serve as gatekeeper to ensure complete flow of communications among functional groups, e.g., corporate communications.

Serve as a media spokesperson for reputation activities and issues. Be proactive in establishing relationships with metro market media. Specifically pick up from the community affairs manager once real estate situations are finalized as spokesperson on store activities. Work with Corporate Communications on all messaging.

Serve as metro market gatekeeper/point person for media representatives to ensure coordination with corporate communications for specific issues and products.

Identify and work with stores and associates to ensure that key people and stores are available for media opportunities. Determine store and associate media spokespersons and ensure training on messages is completed. Work with Corporate Communications to ensure messages and results are communicated to associates within the market.

Provide support and coordination for grand openings, marketing and merchandising of products and services to help generate store traffic, continued brand awareness. Work with Corporate Communications and Marketing teams to support overall seasonal objectives.

Mobilize resources as needed during local market issues and crisis situations. Serve as market spokesperson as needed.

Support and localize Home Office initiatives, such as the speakers bureau, diversity programs, recruiting, etc.

Mobilize customer fan base for public speaking opportunities.

Leverage supplier network for third party communications activities.

Leverage Foundation resources to greatest community impact and visibility

Work with the Wal-Mart Foundation team and regional, district and store managers to create a philanthropic strategy and related funding to improve Wal-Marts overall halo reputation in the market. Identify and build good works partnerships that can allow Wal-Mart to own and brand key relationships in the market.

Manage execution and research resources to extend reach of internal team

Identify and contract with metro market consultant or agency to provide strategic counseling and execution in the market.

Manage budgets and resources designated for the market.

Coordinate research and metrics measurement to provide qualitative and quantitative evaluation of metro market reputation.

Qualifications

Required
Minimum of 7years of experience in one or more areas of corporate affairs functions
Communication skills, both oral and written, including media presence
Proven track record of building and maintaining relationships with community influentials, opinion leaders
References of current relationships among opinion leaders within metro market
Bachelors degree in journalism, marketing, communications, public policy, government or related field
Proven track record of working independently, with ability to tap into and leverage resources in the home office
Ability to provide financial oversight for budgets
Computer skills and ability to use technology to ensure consistent and constant communication
Flexibility to travel extensively throughout region and/or market
Must be on call 24/7 to assist with issues management and emergency response

Preferred
Agency or outside consultancy experience
Experience with retail organization
Understanding of real estate and development issues
Understanding of consumer products and services
Qualifications that are a plus:
1. proficiency in languages other than English
2. community service activities

Senior Manager of Internal Communications. (Bentonville Arkansas)
Will have responsibility for identifying key issues and developing communication to Associates in agreement with an overarching strategic campaign – improving
perception and increasing awareness to facts. Will be tasked with supporting and maintaining cooperation for corporate communication strategy among many
divisions and stakeholders. This position will provide content for broadcasts, Wal-Mart World articles, responses to Associate questions and external/internal
criticism, as well as a corporate web site.
Requirements:
1. 3-5 years of corporate communications experience.
2. Demonstrate oral and written communication skills including ability to write in a variety of media, strong presentation skills, and knowledge of design
elements.
3. Ability to establish strong partnerships with multiple divisions and stakeholders.
4. Understands Associate needs, business needs, differences between corporate and field environments.
5. Sensitivity to confidential issues.

Public relations manager: (Bentonville Arkansas)

The Corporate Public Relations Manager will have responsibility for creating and executing communications plans for numerous internal merchandising clients.
Duties will include proactive and reactive media relations; providing strategic communications counsel to clients on traditional and crisis issues and
writing press materials and communications plans. This position will also focus on additional corporate reputation initiatives as needed. Position participates
in after-hours media call duty.
Requirements:
REQUIREMENTS:
-Strong writing skills and extensive media relations experience with the ability to design and execute strategic communications plans.
-5+ years public relations/ corporate communications experience
-Self-starter with a high degree of on-target productivity
-Ability to work effectively within a team or as an individual contributor while handling multiple projects at once.
-Ability to perform professionally in a high volume, high expectation work environment.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
-Client service experience in an agency or large corporate PR setting.
-Retail experience
-Project management experience
-Bachelors Degree in Public Relations, Communications, Journalism or related Liberal Arts field
-Second Language (i.e. Spanish, French)

Community affairs manager:
These positions could be located anywhere in the country.
Work from home!
The Community Affairs manager is responsible for representing Wal-Mart interests to local government officials, opinion leaders, local media representatives,
and communities in a designated geographic regions. As part of the government relations team, this position is responsible for all issues that impact the
company at the local level, including those actions of local government that impact the company's ability to expand existing or locate new stores and facilities.
Requirements:
1. Bachelor's Degree
2. 5-7 years experience in government relations, community affairs, or related field.
3. Strong written and verbal communication skills
4. Ability to travel extensively
5. Ability to be based within region

If these are opportunities you do not wish to pursue, please let me know.