Senior Manager, Public Affairs & Community

About the position

Coke Florida is looking for a Senior Manager, Public Affairs and Community Relations to work out of our South Florida market, working Monday-Friday with occasional nights and weekends. The Public Affairs & Community Relations Manager position will serve as a generalist in support of our corporate efforts to create an environment in which our business can grow unencumbered. As a rapidly growing beverage manufacturing, sales and distribution company, we are keenly focused on supporting our business operations by raising the company’s visibility, building and maintaining key relationships and growing our community engagement, government affairs and stakeholder relations capabilities. As a member of the Public Affairs and Communications team, the position serves as an individual contributor and will report to the Vice President of the function. This role must sit in South Florida, as it will focus on the following locations: Miami, Broward County, Palm Beach, Ft. Myers, Sarasota, Sebring, Ft. Pierce and the Florida Keys.

Responsibilities

• Be accountable for community engagement, stakeholder relationships, local government affairs and local communications and media relations within an assigned geography.
• Partner with and provide strategic guidance to our Territory General Managers (TGMs) within assigned territory to bring the company’s community pillars to life.
• Take ownership of and build upon the company’s relationships with key stakeholders.
• Work towards shaping positive perceptions about Coca-Cola Beverages Florida and our products.
• Execute strategic counsel in support of industry campaigns.
• Work with company lobbyists and consultants on the company’s positions regarding legislative, regulatory and public policy matters.
• Deliver strategic company perspectives on communications and issues posing a threat to our business.
• Manage employee volunteerism by creating a shared value approach to the Golden Triangle (Government, Community and Corporate).
• Responsible for community outreach and strategic partnerships with local and state organizations/associations that align with our company’s community pillars – Sustainability, Education & Economic Empowerment.
• Partner with our TGMs, field sales leads and operations teams to engage with local communities in an effort to bring our community pillars to life within the communities we serve.
• Build, preserve and improve relationships with key local government agencies and officials, industry associations, NGOs and community opinion leaders.
• Network with industry, customers and other relevant peers for information gathering and relationship building.
• Participate in business team meetings and training sessions to align with operational objectives in order to provide a public affairs and government relations perspective.
• Recommend, activate, track and report on community engagement, contributions and sponsorships by the company.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 8+ years of experience working in community and stakeholder engagement, government relations, public affairs and/or with an elected official, NGOs or local community organizations.
• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills.
• Fluency in English, Spanish a plus.
• Ability to identify and take advantage of new opportunities, best practices and potential partnerships, while considering business objectives and key stakeholders’ expectations.
• The capability to establish and build solid relationships with relevant external and internal audiences across all management levels.
• Proven ability to get things done without close supervision.
• Ability to travel across the state and region as needed.
• Flexibility to work evenings, weekends, under time constraints and last-minute deadlines.
• Excellent written and communications skills.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to multi-task and manage multiple priorities.