Senior Communications Officer - Brand and Executive
Job Description
The Walton Family Foundation (WFF) is seeking a skilled communications professional to join the Communications team as a Senior Communications Officer – Brand and Executive Communications, reporting to the Director of Communications.
About the Walton Family Foundation
Sam and Helen Walton had an unshakeable belief in the power of people to transform their own lives. As Sam said, there is no limit to what individuals can accomplish if “given the opportunity, the encouragement and the incentive to do their best.” Today that “no limits” philosophy is carried forward by their descendants through the Walton Family Foundation.
During 2017, the foundation plans to invest over $400 million in domestic and international projects that address significant social and environmental issues. The foundation continues to implement and expand grant making to fund a positive difference in many diverse communities – and in the lives of the people who call these communities their home.
Headquartered in Bentonville, Arkansas, with offices in Washington, D.C., Jersey City, New Jersey and Denver, Colorado, a staff/consultant base of approximately 80 associates conducts the day-to-day operations of the foundation.
What you’ll do:
• Oversee ongoing implementation of WFF brand language into internal and external communications products.
• Manage and update WFF messaging for use by foundation leaders and staff.
• Serve as a counselor to senior WFF leaders to help establish individual public engagement priorities including speaking opportunities, media engagement and authoring blog posts and op-eds.
• Establish content and public engagement calendar for Foundation leaders involved in external engagement.
• Develop system and protocols to prepare and brief leaders in advance of each engagement.
• Develop clear platforms and messaging for each leader reflecting individual interests, expertise and credentials as well as carrying forward consistent WFF themes and values.
• Create a leadership dossier for the organization to share information internally. It will outline each individual’s areas of expertise, public speaking interests, and personal achievements.
• Survey current social sector news and developments to ensure WFF leaders can take advantage of important opportunities as they arise.
• Equip relevant leaders with the capabilities and resources they need to advance their leadership objectives, such as media training, speechwriting assistance and presentation development.
• Collaborate with WFF program area communications leads as well as the Walton Family Political and Communications office to identify opportunities and leverage engagement to support WFF programmatic goals.
• Ensure that the ideas and expertise of the WFF have reach and influence with key foundation audiences.
Who we’re looking for
The Walton Family Foundation is seeking a skilled, highly motivated and entrepreneurial individual to join the foundation’s Bentonville, Denver, Jersey City or Washington, DC office as a Sr. Communications Officer for Brand and Executive Communications. You are:
• Builder of effective relationships and networks to achieve results.
• Ability to manage projects from conception to execution.
• Insight to know which stakeholders to incorporate into different projects at different times.
• Executive-savvy, understanding the nuances of executive-level interactions
• You incorporate feedback from multiple stakeholders while moving projects forward.
• A problem solver who is outcome oriented.
• Expert at juggling multiple tasks and priorities based on the impact on overall goals.
• Creative and can produce great content without having to outsource.
• An ambassador with the ability to give and receive feedback graciously
• Superior communicator who treats everyone with respect
• Intellectual agility and the ability to analyze, think critically, and understand emerging issues that are directly relevant to Executive Communications
• Unquestionable ethics and personal integrity
• Effective team member who is also able to act independently and deliver with limited guidance.
• Willingness to make a passionate commitment to the goals of the Walton Family Foundation
Basic Qualifications
The Sr. Communications Officer must possess the following professional qualifications and personal attributes:
• A Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, English, Communications or a related field required
• At least 10 years of communications or public relations experience
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, including a portfolio of writing samples. Digital skills a bonus
Additional helpful experience includes:
• Relevant master’s degree or higher
• Experience working on political campaigns or at communications agencies
• Experience writing and managing communications for a variety of social media channels
• Adept in the use of social media with keen awareness of appropriate communication for each platform
