Sr. Manager, Business Communications - Chicago or Decatur, IL

Senior Manager, Business Communications, Corporate
This is a full-time, exempt level position. Can be based in Chicago or Decatur, IL.

The Senior Manager, Business Communications, Corporate serves as a strategic communications partner to enterprise and functional leaders, helping translate business priorities into integrated communications strategies that drive understanding, engagement and action. This role provides senior communications counsel, develops and executes communications plans, identifies opportunities to strengthen communications effectiveness through measurement and insights, and flexes across priorities based on evolving business needs.
This role serves as a trusted advisor to senior leaders across corporate functions and business teams, including Human Resources, Global Technology, Finance, and other functions or business areas as assigned. The successful candidate is a versatile communications professional who can quickly build business understanding, adapt to changing priorities, and combine strategic communications counsel with hands-on execution in a complex global environment.

Job Responsibilities

• Serve as a trusted communications advisor to senior leaders, providing counsel on messaging, employee engagement, and communication effectiveness.
• Partner with leaders across functions and business teams to understand objectives and deliver effective communication solutions.
• Develop executive-ready communications, presentations and strategic materials for senior leadership and Executive Council audiences.
• Support enterprise priorities across corporate functions and businesses, adapting responsibilities and communications portfolios as organizational priorities evolve.
• Create, manage, and deliver a range of communications, including executive messaging, employee emails, intranet content, talking points, presentations, and organizational updates.
• Lead communications support for employee meetings, town halls, leadership events, and other engagement activities.
• Support organizational change, transformation, and business initiatives through proactive communication planning and execution.
• Collaborate with communications colleagues across the function and geographies, as well as cross-functional stakeholders, to drive alignment and support shared priorities.
• Use measurement, audience insights and colleague feedback to evaluate communications effectiveness and continuously refine strategies and recommendations.
• Establish and continuously improve communications processes, templates and best practices that elevate quality and consistency across the Global Communications team.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, Business, or a related field preferred.
• 8-10 years of progressively responsible experience in corporate, organizational, employee, or internal communications.
• Demonstrated ability to quickly develop business acumen, anticipate communications needs and translate business priorities into proactive communications strategies and recommendations.
• Proven ability to develop communication strategies and execute communication plans from concept through implementation.
• Exercises sound judgment and operates with a high degree of independence, anticipating stakeholder needs and delivering executive-ready work with minimal direction.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives and influencing decision-making.
• Experience leading enterprise or global communications initiatives.
• Experience developing integrated communications strategies informed by measurement and business insights.
• Experience working in complex, matrixed global organizations.
• Experience supporting multiple business functions or leadership teams within a complex, global organization.
• Strong written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear and compelling messages.
• Demonstrated project management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Strong business acumen, adaptability, and ability to quickly learn new functions, priorities, and operating environments.
• Ability to work effectively across a global organization and build strong relationships with diverse stakeholders.
• Leverage communications measurement, audience insights and AI-enabled tools to improve communications effectiveness, efficiency and decision-making.
• High level of professionalism, discretion, initiative, and a solutions-oriented mindset.