Job Description

Referred applicants should not apply directly to this role. All referred applicants must first be submitted through Workday by a current Loblaw Colleague. Come make your difference in communities across Canada, where authenticity, trust and making connections is valued \xe2\x80\x93 as we shape the future of Canadian retail, together. Our unique position as one of the country\xe2\x80\x99s largest employers, coupled with our commitment to positively impact the lives of all Canadians, provides our colleagues a range of opportunities and experiences to help Canadians Live Life Well\xc2\xae.

At Loblaw Companies Limited, we succeed through collaboration and commitment and set a high bar for ourselves and those around us. Whether you are just starting your career, re-entering the workforce, or looking for a new job, this is where you belong. Reports To: Vice President, Communication When you hire great people, great things can happen. Loblaw is a large organization, with an array of divisions, products and services \xe2\x80\x93 all geared toward best meeting the needs of 18 million Canadians that shop with us every single week. We operate in grocery retail, pharmacy retail, apparel, financial services, eCommerce, and more. We have weighty expectations of ourselves as an organization, as we work hard to help Canadians Live Life Well. And while we admittedly have lofty goals, we do a lot of really cool stuff to achieve those goals. We need a seasoned, creative and collaborative individual to help tell our stories to those Canadians \xe2\x80\x93 leveraging strong media relationships nationally and/or locally to proactively share all the good actions, and to help manage reactive questions and news. If you\xe2\x80\x99re curious about what makes a company tick, why people work there for decades, and passionate about letting others know, this might be a great opportunity. The role As Director, Media Relations, you will be a senior member of a strong communication team, and a partner and counsel to leaders across the business. This position requires strong written, verbal and presentation skills, exceptional media relations experience, knowledge of social media and how to best tell stories through multiple channels to reach targeted audiences, and the ability to build trusted relationships \xe2\x80\x94 with both internal and external stakeholders \xe2\x80\x94while operating in a fast-paced, complex environment. Responsibilities Media Relations:

• Cultivate and nurture existing media relationships to enhance the company\xe2\x80\x99s positive media presence.
• Support communication team with media outreach plans to secure coverage for company initiatives, events, and announcements.
• Draft press releases, media pitches, and other materials to support media relations efforts.
• Pitch and secure national and local stories.

Issues Management:

• Monitor media and social media channels for potential issues or crises related to the company\xe2\x80\x99s reputation.
• Develop and implement strategies for effective issues management, including crisis communication plans.
• Act as the primary point of contact for media inquiries.
• Work closely with internal teams to coordinate responses and messaging.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key media outlets and journalists to ensure accurate reporting during sensitive times.

Social and Customer Relations:

• Work closely with Social Media team to respond to customer inquiries, comments, and feedback.
• Collaborate with the customer care team to address and resolve customer concerns posted on social media platforms.
• Develop and implement strategies for maintaining a positive online reputation.

Proactive Story Pitching:

• Identify compelling and newsworthy stories related to the company\xe2\x80\x99s stores, colleagues and initiatives.
• Create and pitch proactive news stories to media outlets to generate positive media coverage.
• Work closely with the operations, marketing and content teams to gather information and assets for story development.

Reporting and Analysis:

• Track and analyze media coverage and social media sentiment related to the company.
• Provide regular reports and insights to senior management on media and reputation trends.
• Use data and analytics to make informed decisions about media and communication strategies.

Qualifications

• 8-10 years of experience in public relations, media relations, or corporate communications, with a focus on issues management and proactive media outreach.
• Strong existing relationships with key media outlets and journalists in business, retail and health and wellness.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to identify opportunities and challenges in the media landscape.
• Demonstrated success in securing positive media coverage.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, a belief in plain language, and an ability to write in various styles and formats.
• Proven ability to support and counsel senior leaders, strong interpersonal skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with the ability to adapt to change and meet timelines (without sacrificing quality!).
• A positive attitude, a desire to learn, a willingness to roll up your sleeves to get work done either independently or as part of a team.
• Excellent problem-solving and crisis management skills.
• Knowledge of media tracking and analysis tools.

Our commitment to Sustainability and Social Impact is an essential part of the way we do business, and we focus our attention on areas where we can have the greatest impact. Our approach to sustainability and social impact is based on three pillars \xe2\x80\x93 Environment, Sourcing and Community \xe2\x80\x93 and we are constantly looking for ways to demonstrate leadership in these important areas. Our CORE Values \xe2\x80\x93 Care, Ownership, Respect and Excellence \xe2\x80\x93 guide all our decision-making and come to life through our Blue Culture. We offer our colleagues progressive careers, comprehensive training, flexibility, and other competitive benefits \xe2\x80\x93 these are some of the many reasons why we are one of Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Top Employers, Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Best Diversity Employers, Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Greenest Employers & Canada\xe2\x80\x99s Top Employers for Young People. If you are unsure whether your experience matches every requirement above, we encourage you to apply anyway. We are looking for varied perspectives which include diverse experiences that we can add to our team.

We have a long-standing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion because we know it will make our company a better place to work and shop. We are committed to creating accessible environments for our colleagues, candidates and customers. Requests for accommodation due to a disability (which may be visible or invisible, temporary or permanent) can be made at any stage of application and employment. We encourage candidates to make their accommodation needs known so that we can provide equitable opportunities.

Please Note:
Candidates who are 18 years or older are required to complete a criminal background check. Details will be provided through the application process.