Sr. Lead Advisor, Corporate Communications & External Affairs

Overview

Corporate Communications partners across the Chick-fil-A organization to execute effective, compelling internal communications that build culture, drive change and support business goals. This individual will support the team’s vision of creating clarity and alignment by inspiring, educating and equipping key audiences.  

Specifically, this individual will lead communications efforts for select departments and/or cross-functional business initiatives, identifying priorities and building transformative communications approaches for key leaders and initiatives in support of Staff. This individual will be responsible for development of strategic communications messaging, utilizing change management practices to build understanding and trust, rolling out complex initiatives to Staff, and representing Corporate Communications on strategic cross-functional teams. This role directly supports Chick-fil-A, Inc.’s People and Planning department with a focus on Culture, Staff Learning and Development, and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion.

To be successful in this role, the communicator must have experience leading through highly nuanced business challenges with autonomy, be resourceful, collaborative, and able to quickly learn the business, its audiences and their needs.

Our Flexible Future model offers a healthy mix of working in person and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community. 

Responsibilities

• Strategic communicator who is comfortable leading in ambiguity and is willing and able to evaluate, make informed recommendations to leadership and execute communication plans.
• Executive communications: Consult with Officers, Executive Committee members and leaders of strategic business initiatives on thought leadership messages and platforms.
• Communications consulting: Build understanding of identified teams and initiatives to effectively create strategic communications plans, then execute tactics to help business partners and Operators achieve their goals.
• Change communications: Identify the impact on target audiences, messaging to create commitment and capability, and a channel strategy to support internal audiences through change.
• Cross-functional team representation: Provide leadership and strategic business thinking around key strategies and initiatives, connecting to broad enterprise strategies.
• Project oversight: Oversee major deadline-driven communications initiatives, on budget and on time, using appropriate combinations vendors, contractors, agencies, and in-house services.
• Issues management: Coordinate communications response to select incidents to ensure internal audiences are equipped to respond.
• Relationship builder: Highly collaborative style and has the ability to influence and build alignment at all levels and across multiple teams and departments.
• Audience: Understand Staff needs to tailor communications in the appropriate manner, including delivering strategic messages across a variety of digital, video and print platforms.
• Continuous improvement: Constant desire to learn how to improve work and translate key communication trends into the into the fast-paced, rapidly growing Chick-fil-A business.

Minimum Qualifications

• Excellent written, oral, and interpersonal communication skills
• Comfortable operating both autonomously and on matrixed teams
• Track record as a communicator who thrives on managing a variety of initiatives concurrently and on deadline.
• Self-starter able to work independently or in a group, adapt to shifting priorities, and who enjoys creating and implementing new initiatives

Preferred Qualifications

• Understanding of change communications theory and experience executing
• Understanding of franchised and/or highly matrixed organizations
• Experience in quick service, food and beverage or hospitality industries

Minimum Years of Experience

Travel Requirements

Required Level of Education

Preferred Level of Education

Major/Concentration

Minimum GPA (4.0 Scale)