Address: 1390 Enclave Pkwy, Houston, TX 77077

Hybrid Role: In-office Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. Work from home on Thursday and Friday.

Job Summary:

The Senior Director, Corporate Communications, will lead Sysco's colleague-facing and external communications programs. He/she will partner with leaders up to and including the CEO and President, as well as with teams across the enterprise, in support of a global strategic communications framework that enables Sysco's communications teams in the United States and other global geographies to execute with excellence.

He/she is passionate about the communications discipline, understands what great looks like, and knows how to deliver results that engage colleagues and influence external thinking, ensure Sysco is well-positioned to deliver against our strategic initiatives.

A core competency for this role is deep understanding and experience in the strategic management of sensitive, high-stakes, reputation management-related communication. The role requires the ability to work under pressure; produce and direct the production of a wide variety of world class work product; exhibit sound judgment and sensitivity to organizational dynamics; provide confident, proactive counsel to senior leaders; and to be available as needs arise. In addition, the individual will be adept at multitasking and have unquestionable integrity with an uncompromising commitment to quality and superb written and editorial skills. He/she is a key member of Sysco's Communications Leadership Team and plays a vital role in the company's strategic messaging and overall positioning with key internal and external stakeholders, including the media. This role reports to the Vice President of Communications. Currently reporting to this role are five direct and a further three indirect reports. The direct reports include: Senior Manager, Communications - Administrative Office; Senior Manager, Executive Communications; Senior Manager, Internal Communications; Senior Manager, Public Relations; Senior Manager, Corporate Media. This individual should display strong leadership skills, and acts as the first layer of approval on all communications content.

This role leads a team which manages and directly handles the preparation and delivery of a broad array of communications materials, with a focus on doing so on time and in budget. These will include: communications plans; global colleague-wide messaging; internal news and feature content; colleague newsletters; leadership messaging and presentations; media engagement plans; press releases and other media-facing materials; Board of Directors meeting communications; creative briefs; video scripts/production; p/vodcast scripts; graphic assets; speech writing; talking points; Q&A documents; analysis of survey data and additional materials as needed. This includes supporting the Office of the President & CEO when it comes to internal and external communications and events, including media briefings; colleague Town Hall meetings; fireside chats, quarterly and year-end messages, and much more.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Develop and Implement Communication Strategies: Lead the development and implementation of comprehensive communication strategies that support Sysco's business objectives and enhance its reputation. Internally, these programs will ensure alignment, engagement, and understanding of Sysco's Purpose, Vision, Mission and Values and Strategy, among employees at all levels. Externally, they will include the management of Sysco's interaction with media to secure positive coverage, while managing crises and issues.
• Stakeholder Engagement and Management: Provide strategic counsel to Executive Leadership and other business stakeholders; work with team members/cross-functional teams to develop and implement strategic functional and business unit communication plans and messaging which consist of clear and compelling narratives that inform and engage colleagues and external stakeholders (including the media), in support of Sysco's business objectives.
• Team Leadership: Develop and grow a team of 5 direct + 3 further indirect talented, high-performing internal and external communications professionals, demonstrating Sysco's leadership behaviors and fostering an environment of care and high employee engagement.
• Content Creation: Lead the creation of compelling content, including articles, blog posts, videos, and other collateral, to engage internal and external audiences and enhance Sysco's image and reputation.
• Measurement and Evaluation: Develop effective approaches to measurement and evaluation that align key performance indicators (KPIs) with organizational goals, including around brand awareness, reputation management, and stakeholder engagement. Utilize metrics like media mentions, audience reach, sentiment analysis, and engagement rates across various channels to assess strategic effectiveness.

Education Required:

Bachelor's degree

Education Preferred:

Bachelor's degree, preferably in Communications, English, Public Relations or Journalism

Experience Required:

• Communications professional with a minimum of 10 years' relevant experience
• Minimum 5 years' direct experience supporting C-level communications materials

Experience Preferred:

5 years' direct experience working directly with and forming strong, impactful relationships with national, business and trade media, ideally in the United States

Technical Skills and Abilities:

• Advanced computer skills, Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, Outlook and Excel) required
• Experience with full-service intranet packages, such as FirstUp or enterprise social networks such as Workplace preferred
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite a plus
• The candidate must demonstrate the ability to craft strategic communications plans, which includes: conducting basic needs assessments, identifying and analyzing stakeholders and audiences, drafting strategies, action plans, tactics and messages, overseeing resources, managing implementation, and measuring/analyzing results. He/she must have a proven ability to transform complex concepts into simple communications that can be easily grasped by a diverse audience.
• He/she must have the ability to appropriately influence senior reporters at influential media outlets.
• He/she must have the ability to appropriately influence, when and where needed, especially when providing insight and counsel to the range of stakeholders (leaders, project teams, colleagues, third-party vendors) encountered in this role.
• The candidate must be proactive and results-oriented, with the ability to prioritize and handle multiple assignments from conception to completion on deadline with minimal supervision. Superior interpersonal and listening skills, with creativity and flexibility in approach to solutions, along with excellent client management skills are also critical. Strong attention to detail is a must. Finally, this candidate must contribute to an environment in which all team members are respected regardless of their individual differences and are highly motivated to improve their individual and team contributions to achieve desired business results. A positive outlook and sense of humor are a plus.

Language Requirements:

English

Physical Demands:

Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this job.

Travel Requirements:

Must be able to travel to Sysco facilities or operating companies.

Work Environment:

Remote

BENEFITS INFORMATION:
For information on Sysco's Benefits, please visit https://SyscoBenefits.com

OVERVIEW:

Sysco is the global leader in foodservice distribution. With over 71,000 colleagues and a fleet of over 13,000 vehicles, Sysco operates approximately 333 distribution facilities worldwide and serves more than 700,000 customer locations.

We offer our colleagues the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, to contribute to the success of a dynamic organization, and to serve others in a manner that exceeds their expectations. We're looking for talented, hard-working individuals to join our team. Come grow with us and let us show you why Sysco is at the heart of food and service.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION STATEMENT:

Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.

We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer, and consider qualified applicants without regard to race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected factor under federal, state or local law.

This opportunity is available through Sysco Corporation, its subsidiaries and affiliates.