Description
This role reports directly to the CEO and serves as a key member of the global executive team and is responsible for shaping and executing the organization's communication strategy while providing comprehensive support to the CEO in driving the almond industry to new heights. Serves as a key advisor providing communications expertise and advice to the Board, President & CEO, senior leadership, and committees to support business decisions. Collaborates closely with the CEO and the leadership team to drive strategic initiatives and alignment. This role plays a pivotal role in establishing clear objectives and tracking progress against goals and metrics to help tell our story. This executive will manage the teams, objectives, and associated budgets.
This is an exempt, executive level position based at our headquarters in Modesto, CA.
The following duties are typical of those performed by employees in this job title; however, employees may perform other related duties.

• Has primary responsibility for overseeing the producing and framing of written communications, presentations, talking points, speeches, and other important messages to be issued on behalf of the CEO and organization; collaborates on same with department heads as warranted.
• Works closely with the leadership team to ensure effective execution of strategic initiatives and alignment with overall objectives. Sets priorities and understands gaps, finding and implementing solutions to guide teams towards success. Can grasp and add value to the leader's vision.
• Sets key performance indicators to measure and improve the organization's performance as it pertains to communications. Identifies areas of improvement and makes actionable recommendations.
• Drives special projects and initiatives on behalf of the CEO, ensuring successful implementation.
• Serve as a liaison and trusted advisor to the CEO, fostering collaboration and cross-functional communication, resolving conflicts and prioritizing tasks to ensure the CEO is focused on the most critical elements necessary to drive strategic results for ABC. This role does not act as an internal buffer between the organization and the CEO.
• Serves as executive liaison of the Global Communications Committee (GCC), including planning and executing quarterly committee meetings and reporting on committee activities to the BOD and staff.
• Oversees all media training for executives and senior leaders.
• Develops and implements an overall communications strategy that builds and maintains a positive public image, advancing and protecting our reputation. Develops and maintains positive professional relationships with various members of the media.
• Develops and directs the implementation of department goals, objectives, policies, and work standards; monitors developments related to department activities, evaluates their impact, and implements improvements; participates in establishing and achieving overall strategic goals in accordance with the Almond Board's mission and vision statements.
• Prepares or directs the preparation of a variety of studies and reports related to current issues and strategic communication best practices to ensure consistency throughout the organization.
• Anticipates potential areas of concern, roadblocks, or silos to plan for and avert issues with diplomacy.
• Represents the Almond Board at conferences, media events and interviews with professionalism.
• Directs and participates in the selection, management, performance appraisal and reward of department staff and provides for their training and development.
• Coordinates the work of the team with other ABC departments, programs, outside agencies, and other entities. Assembles teams from around the organization to solve problems and generate ideas to further the interests of the almond industry.
• Manages sensitive and confidential information with the utmost discretion and professionalism.
• Fosters a collaborative and inclusive culture by promoting cross-functional communication and knowledge sharing that strives for high performance and continuous improvement.
• Acts on behalf of the chief executive as directed to answer inquiries, serving as an internal subject-matter expert, developing action plans, and assisting with preparation and dissemination of communications.
• Upholds and supports ABC initiatives, programs, policies, and processes. Demonstrates ABC's values through role modeling appropriate leadership behavior and action.
• Participates as an active Executive Team member, contributing to the betterment of ABC as a whole.

Qualifications:

• Proven ability in the principles and practices of public relations, advertising, and communications.
• Exceptional organizational and project management skills, with a high degree of accuracy in work output.
• Experience in strategic planning processes, goal setting, program and budget development, implementation, and evaluation.
• Exceptional analytical, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to gather, synthesize, and present complex information and strategic guidance.
• Proven success in a business management role, with special focus on executive level advising, strategy, and interdepartmental collaboration. Skilled at navigating organizational dynamics.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present ideas and recommendations in a clear and concise manner to a wide range of stakeholders.
• Ability to listen carefully, connect ideas across functional areas and stakeholders, and quickly distill complex concepts into digestible and actionable pieces.
• Planning, organizing, assigning, directing, and reviewing work of a department including selecting, training, motivating, and evaluating professional, support and supervisory staff.
• Developing communication strategies that address BOD, committee, and industry objectives.
• Ability to step back from day-to-day activities to view the business and industry from a big picture perspective.
• Strong leadership, networking, and interpersonal skills with the ability to build relationships and influence stakeholders at all levels.
• Comfortable operating in ambiguous environments with high degrees of task deadline pressure while maintaining attention to detail and quality. Using facts to support observations, making decisions thoughtfully, despite the complexity of the issues or pressure involved.
• Ability to drive change through direct and non-direct reporting relationships and partner teams.
• Detail-oriented with the ability to gather, analyze and interpret data to make informed decisions and strategic recommendations.
• Discretion and ability to oversee confidential information with utmost integrity.
• Ability to thrive in a dynamic environment and adapt to changing priorities. Strategic thinker and nimble business mind with the ability to anticipate challenges, identify opportunities, and develop creative solutions.
• Demonstrates effective and trustworthy leadership, resourcefulness, and dependability.
• Ability to work outside of traditional business hours when needed.

Education and Experience: A typical way to obtain the above knowledge and skill is a combination of education and experience equivalent to:
A bachelor's degree (or equivalent experience) in public relations, journalism, communications, or related subject and 10 years of increasingly responsible professional experience in issues/crisis management, communications program oversight, and media relations, including at least five years in a management capacity. Previous experience in a Chief of Staff or similar CEO advisory role required. Extensive experience working and coordinating with a broad network of media partners, giving direction and holding accountable. Proven track record of planning and leading strategic initiatives and cross-organizational projects.
Physical Characteristics: The physical abilities involved in the performance of essential duties are:

• Working at a computer for extended periods of time.
• Vision sufficient to read handwritten and printed documents and computer screens
• Speech and hearing sufficient to communicate by phone and in person
• Manual dexterity sufficient to use a variety of office equipment and tools, computer key- boards, and to manipulate papers.
• Travel 10-30%

Why ABC?
The Almond Board of California is a respected industry association that globally promotes California Almonds on behalf of over 7,600 growers and 100 processors under the supervision of the US Department of Agriculture. We are proud to offer competitive compensation and generous benefit programs to our valued team members.
In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident.
ABC is an equal employment opportunity employer EEO