Director of Public Relations

About the role

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for a Director of Public Relations based in United States. This is a senior communications role focused on shaping and strengthening public reputation while supporting business growth and customer engagement. You will lead public relations, media relations, community engagement, and reputation management initiatives across local, regional, national, and trade audiences. The role combines strategic communications with hands-on content development, media engagement, executive advising, and event leadership. You will serve as a trusted communications adviser to senior leaders and a spokesperson for the organization when appropriate. The position also plays an important role in crisis preparedness, issue management, community partnerships, and major market initiatives. You will work cross-functionally with Marketing, Legal, Finance, Operations, Recruiting, and other teams in a dynamic environment where priorities can evolve quickly.

Responsibilities

• Develop and lead public relations and media relations strategies that strengthen reputation, increase brand awareness, support business growth, and reinforce organizational values and priorities.
• Write, edit, and oversee high-quality communications materials, including press releases, fact sheets, presentations, bylined articles, speeches, talking points, reports, and other internal and external content.
• Ensure communications consistently reflect the appropriate organizational voice while remaining aligned with marketing strategies, business objectives, and established principles.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with reporters, editors, producers, and other media professionals across business, consumer, trade, local, regional, and national outlets.
• Identify proactive media opportunities and serve as a spokesperson while preparing senior leaders, subject-matter experts, and other representatives for interviews and public-facing engagements.
• Advise senior leaders and functional managers on public relations, media relations, public affairs, reputation management, and communications strategy.
• Develop employee communications capabilities by training teams to create accurate, engaging, and consistent content and represent the organization effectively in media and community settings.
• Lead issue management and crisis communications planning, preparedness, and response in partnership with Legal, including developing messaging and supporting responses to high-profile or sensitive matters.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to develop accurate and responsive communications around products, vendors, initiatives, customer matters, and other public-facing topics.
• Plan and execute public relations and community engagement activities for new store openings, relocations, remodels, VIP events, ribbon-cutting ceremonies, donation presentations, and other major initiatives.
• Build relationships with media and community stakeholders in future markets, coordinate outreach, and represent the organization at important events and community engagements.
• Oversee designated partnerships, sponsorship opportunities, product media samples, donation communications, and corporate responsibility initiatives while ensuring alignment with organizational values and objectives.
• Coordinate with Finance and Legal teams on donation programs, fundraising activities, compliance, and financial accuracy, while providing investor relations communications support when needed.
• Manage communications and marketing projects from scope and scheduling through approvals, budgets, deliverables, and completion, while monitoring progress and addressing changes that could affect execution.
• Collaborate with Social Media, Marketing, Creative, Production, Nutrition Education, store leadership, and community partners to deliver integrated communications that support broader objectives.
• Measure the effectiveness of public relations campaigns and use insights to refine future strategies, outreach, messaging, and execution.
• Help position the organization as a trusted leader in natural and organic grocery retailing, nutrition education, responsible business practices, and related areas of public interest.

Requirements