Stakeholder Relations Manager

The position is located in Northbrook, IL

The Corporate Relations department oversees external public relations and internal communications on behalf of the Allstate Corporation. Functions in the department include communication strategy, corporate positioning and stakeholder relations, media relations, government affairs and issues management, corporate contributions, The Allstate Foundation, shareholder communications, executive support, and employee and agent communications.

The Stakeholder Relations position reports directly to the Corporate Relations Director and will serve as a key member of CEO/COO Strategic Support Team in Allstate's corporate headquarters. The successful candidate will engage diverse stakeholders in ongoing dialogue and enhance relationships based on common interests while advancing the credibility, market position, and positive reputation of the Allstate Corporation. The ideal candidate should be a strategic thinker with experience in managing relationships and producing exemplary communications. This individual should also have strong business knowledge or advanced understanding of insurance industry, and translate business objectives into integrated communication strategies and tactics that drive business performance. Finally, this individual must have diplomacy in working with multiple and diverse audiences, team building skills to fully leverage talents of diverse people working together, and conflict management skills to deal with complex or sensitive situations and ensure the positive image of Allstate.

The individual will be responsible for:

1. As a member of the CEO/COO Strategic Support team, developing and executing an executive positioning strategy to position company leadership with key external publics, organizations, opinion leaders, and other targeted audiences.
2. Partnering with Director to provide ongoing counsel and one-voice messaging to CEO and COO, ensuring message consistency to diverse stakeholders.
3. Writing a variety of internal communications and remarks, and assist in the strategic development of external speeches.
4. Coordinating with the department's reputation management team to enhance the Allstate image and produce a favorable business climate allowing Allstate to operate in a more favorable media, community, political, legislative, industry, and regulatory environment.
5. Partnering with the department's Home Office and field corporate relations teams to fully leverage executive field travel, garnering media activity and complementing external programming and corporate positioning.
REQUIREMENTS
The skills required are:

1. Advanced - Strategic thinking/planning
2. Advanced - Ability to prioritize, organize and multi-task (in terms of both attention to projects and managing internal/external resources)
3. Advanced - Effective oral and written communication (business writing) with all internal and external stakeholders
4. Advanced - Problem solving
5. Intermediate - Develop and managing online communications programs

Experience Required:
Public relations background (7 plus years experience), ideally with experience in government relations.
Proven ability to analyze trends and build proactive programs to advance social and business causes.

Computer Proficiency:
Microsoft Office suite of products, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Internet research capability (news monitoring, competitive program due diligence, research on potential business partners, etc.).
Access or contact management software skills a plus.

Education:
College Degree - Preferred
Major preference: Degree in journalism, communication, public relations or political science.

To apply to this position please visit www.allstate.jobs and enter Job Code 236572