IFMA The Food Away from Home Association is the premier association representing all facets of the food-away-from-home industry. As the industry’s central hub, IFMA The Food Away from Home Association brings together leaders, innovators, and decision-makers to build meaningful relationships and create real business opportunities across the channel.

At IFMA The Food Away from Home Association, you’ll help facilitate collaboration among industry partners and customers, tackle today’s most relevant issues, and contribute to conversations that shape what’s next. This role offers the opportunity to lead, influence, and grow your industry presence—while gaining fresh perspective and insight that will help drive both member success and the future of the food-away-from-home industry.

Job Summary

The Director of Communications at IFMA The Food Away from Home Association plays a key role in developing and executing communication strategies that advance the organization’s purpose, mission, vision, and goals. This position is responsible for conceiving, planning, writing, and producing communications that align with the organization's strategic purpose, ensuring consistent messaging and brand integrity. These communications reach and influence internal and external audiences, ensuring that the organization’s communications and presentations meet the highest standards.

The director collaborates closely with senior leadership, staff, and key stakeholders to create content across all channels, including speeches, presentations, social media, op-ed articles, video scripts, etc. The role also involves leading projects and providing advice to senior leadership on communications strategies and business innovation.

Key Responsibilities

Voice of the Organization: Serve as the key voice for communications with the Association’s key communities as needed.
Strategic Communication Leadership: Develop and execute a comprehensive communications strategy to support the Association’s purpose, vision, mission, and goals—leading the creation of key messages and ensuring consistent messages across all channels.
Public Relations: Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including industry partners, members, and other organizations acting as liaison to enhance the organization's reputation and visibility. Oversee the creation of press releases and other external communications, ensuring they align with the organization’s goals and values.
Media Relations: Manage and oversee PR agency to execute an earned media strategy focusing on generating media coverage through third-party sources, including trade publications, influencers, industry experts, etc. Track and analyze media coverage to measure the effectiveness of media relations efforts.
Content Alignment: Collaborate with the Content Manager to align external messaging with the editorial and communications calendar, including shared website management.
Content Messaging: Oversee the creation of content for email, web articles, newsletters, social media, video, podcasts, reports, op-ed articles, and other channels ensuring content is tailored for Association’s diverse audiences.
Communications Calendar: Manage and update the communications calendar to ensure consistency and alignment across initiatives.
Accuracy: Review all external communications for accuracy, proper grammar, and adherence to organizational communication standards that are aligned and consistent across the organization.
Email Management: Oversee and manage email communications sent to the Association’s various communities, including from the CEO’s email address.
GSP Society Communication: Coordinate and facilitate communications with the Gold & Silver Plate Society, including the accuracy and upkeep of the society’s database and creating and distributing a quarterly newsletter.
Event & Conference Communication: Working closely with the programs team, develop event scripts, speeches, and other communications for presenters and staff, ensuring message consistency.
Internal Communications: Manage and oversee internal communications including the development of PowerPoint templates, Board Presentations, All-Staff Meeting presentations, and other Association collateral as needed.
Education Foundation Support: Working closely with the Executive Director, Talent & Education Foundation, support the communication needs and activities of the Education Foundation as needed.
Support Additional Communications: As directed by the CEO.

Compensation & Benefits

Work Location: Hybrid role based in Chicago, IL, with in-office collaboration on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

Compensation: Starting at $100,000 commensurate with experience, skills, and qualifications.

Bonus: Annual bonus opportunity, contingent upon achievement of mutually agreed-upon annual goals and continued employment at IFMA at the time of payout

Paid Time Off (PTO): 21 days annually

Benefits: IFMA The Food Away from Home Association may modify or discontinue benefit plans at its discretion; current eligible benefits include:

Medical/Health Care: 100% of employee and dependent premiums paid by Association; coverage begins the first of the month following a full month of service
Life & Long-Term Disability Insurance: 100% of employee premiums paid by Association
401(k): 15% annual employer contribution, four-year vesting schedule; eligibility after one year of service

IFMA The Food Away from Home Association

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