Advert / Media / Entertainment · Permanent
Director External Communications & Media Relations (Hybrid: Onsite and Remote)
US Foods · California, United States
- Location: California, United States
- Employment: Permanent
Job description
Overview
As Director External Communications & Media Relations, you will lead enterprise-wide strategies to build and protect US Foods' reputation. You will partner with senior leaders to align messaging with corporate goals and drive proactive media engagement. You will shape external narratives, manage crisis communications, and strengthen relationships with key media and stakeholders. This role offers high impact at scale, shaping how the company communicates during growth, change, and high-visibility events.
Compensation / Benefits
• annual incentive plan bonus
• long-term incentive plan
• health insurance
• retirement benefits
• paid time off
• short-term and long-term disability','employee stock purchase plan','life insurance
Responsibilities
• Lead enterprise media relations strategy and proactive storytelling to elevate brand visibility
• Serve as primary spokesperson and media advisor for the organization
• Develop integrated communication plans aligned with business goals and brand positioning
• Oversee media monitoring, messaging consistency, and reputation tracking across channels
• Direct external public relations agencies and manage related budgets
• Develop and execute crisis communication plans with leadership and legal teams
• Coordinate crisis response and rapid communications during high-impact events
• Foster cross-functional partnerships with CEO, senior leaders and other departments
• Support community affairs strategies to raise media awareness
• Lead issues management and early mitigation of reputational risks
• Mentor and supervise 1-3 direct reports and build capabilities in storytelling and stakeholder engagement
• Lead senior-level cross-functional teams on communications projects
• Manage relationships with media, agencies, nonprofits and external stakeholders
• Other duties as assigned by manager
Key requirements
• 8 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, media relations or public affairs
• Proven experience leading media relations and crisis communications at regional or enterprise level
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong track record of managing reputational risk in a large, matrixed organization
• Experience counseling and engaging with executive leadership and serving as trusted advisor
• Experience managing external PR or communications agencies
• Bachelor in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business or related field or equivalent experience
• excellent communication
• relationship-building
• strategic thinking
• media relations
• crisis communications
• issues management
As Director External Communications & Media Relations, you will lead enterprise-wide strategies to build and protect US Foods' reputation. You will partner with senior leaders to align messaging with corporate goals and drive proactive media engagement. You will shape external narratives, manage crisis communications, and strengthen relationships with key media and stakeholders. This role offers high impact at scale, shaping how the company communicates during growth, change, and high-visibility events.
Compensation / Benefits
• annual incentive plan bonus
• long-term incentive plan
• health insurance
• retirement benefits
• paid time off
• short-term and long-term disability','employee stock purchase plan','life insurance
Responsibilities
• Lead enterprise media relations strategy and proactive storytelling to elevate brand visibility
• Serve as primary spokesperson and media advisor for the organization
• Develop integrated communication plans aligned with business goals and brand positioning
• Oversee media monitoring, messaging consistency, and reputation tracking across channels
• Direct external public relations agencies and manage related budgets
• Develop and execute crisis communication plans with leadership and legal teams
• Coordinate crisis response and rapid communications during high-impact events
• Foster cross-functional partnerships with CEO, senior leaders and other departments
• Support community affairs strategies to raise media awareness
• Lead issues management and early mitigation of reputational risks
• Mentor and supervise 1-3 direct reports and build capabilities in storytelling and stakeholder engagement
• Lead senior-level cross-functional teams on communications projects
• Manage relationships with media, agencies, nonprofits and external stakeholders
• Other duties as assigned by manager
Key requirements
• 8 years of progressive experience in corporate communications, media relations or public affairs
• Proven experience leading media relations and crisis communications at regional or enterprise level
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Strong track record of managing reputational risk in a large, matrixed organization
• Experience counseling and engaging with executive leadership and serving as trusted advisor
• Experience managing external PR or communications agencies
• Bachelor in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Business or related field or equivalent experience
• excellent communication
• relationship-building
• strategic thinking
• media relations
• crisis communications
• issues management