Corporate Affairs Director, Americas

Want to help us bring happiness to the world? Want to join an ambitious and fast-growing global biscuits and confectionery business investing heavily in iconic global brands, infrastructure and people? Then this is the place for you.

As proud bakers and chocolatiers and custodians of iconic global brands, we don’t compromise on the quality of ingredients in our products or on the people we hire. We are looking for entrepreneurial spirits who share our passion for bringing happiness to our consumers and who embody our Winning Traits.

To succeed at pladis you need to be purpose-led, resilient and positive to succeed here because we expect pace and agility, we insist on collaboration and demand accountability. If that is your thing, then pladis offers global ambition, a clear Vision and roadmap for success, challenge, and unrivalled opportunities to learn and make an impact

PURPOSE:

We’re looking for a strategic, purpose-driven Corporate Affairs Director for North America to join our Americas Leadership Team. This is a pivotal senior leadership role, responsible for shaping and safeguarding pladis’ reputation across the region through a dynamic portfolio that includes government relations, public affairs, corporate communications, sustainability, and brand PR.

The successful candidate will be a trusted advisor to senior leaders, a champion of stakeholder engagement, and a driver of thought leadership initiatives that align with both regional priorities and global ambitions. This role demands a visionary communicator with an entrepreneurial mindset, deep expertise in corporate affairs, and a passion for building trusted relationships.

This position reports to our Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer, with a dotted line to the Americas Region Managing Director, and is based in our White Plains, NY office on a hybrid schedule (3 days onsite per week).

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES AND DELIVERABLES:

• Act as the in-region expert on Corporate Affairs. Ensure insight are brought into the business to help us be better.
• Develop and implement a comprehensive corporate affairs strategy for North America that aligns with pladis' global objectives.
• Sit on Americas Leadership Team, responsible for leadership communications including partnering with the Regional MD.
• Manage relationships with key stakeholders, including government officials, industry associations, and media representatives.
• Provide strategic counsel to senior leadership on public affairs and communication matters.
• Partner with CMO to build a comprehensive brand PR plan for the Americans region
• Lead the development of thought leadership platforms and campaigns to enhance pladis' reputation.
• Represent pladis at industry forums, conferences, and other public events.
• Monitor and analyze political, economic, and social trends to identify opportunities and risks for pladis.
• Oversee the creation and distribution of press releases, speeches, and other communication materials.
• Manage crisis communications and ensure the company's response to reputational risks is effective.
• Collaborate with the global corporate communications team to proactively shape and protection our corporate reputation.
• Develop and maintain a measurement framework to assess the effectiveness of corporate affairs activities.

SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED:

Essential Criteria

• Bachelor's degree in public relations, Communications, Political Science, or a related field; a master's degree is preferred.
• 10 years of experience in corporate affairs, public affairs, or government relations, preferably in the food and beverage industry.
• Strong understanding of the political and regulatory landscape in North America.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to develop and execute effective corporate affairs strategies.
• Experience in managing crisis communications and handling sensitive issues.
• Prior leadership roles with cross-functional and cross-regional exposure.
• Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and external partners.

PERSONAL ATTRIBUTES REQUIRED:

• Agile, ever-evolving, and adaptable to change.
• Collaborative, inclusive, and transparent in working with others.
• Resilient, persistent, and able to rejuvenate in the face of setbacks.
• Positive, self-motivated, and inspiring to others.
• Curious and proactive.

ADDITIONAL JOB DETAILS:

Base starting salary ranges from $185k - $215k/year. The base pay offered is based on market location and may vary depending on job-related knowledge, skills, experience, and internal equity. In addition to base pay, this role includes an annual incentive opportunity, awarded based on individual and company performance.

pladis is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to hiring a diverse workforce. All openings will be filled based on qualifications without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion or any other classification protected by law.

We operate a strict Preferred Supplier List. If you are a recruitment agency and wish to submit candidate to be considered for this vacancy, you must have agreed to, and signed, our terms of business.

We will not accept CVs from any other sources other than those currently on our PSL. We will not pay a fee for any candidate that has not been represented by a provider on our PSL.