Writer - Executive Communication

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 Speechwriter/Writer 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 provide communications support to senior leadership to drive workforce alignment, reach a broad network of stakeholders, build interactive relationships with key influencers, and increase Allstate's presence and influence in target markets. The ideal candidate should be a strategic thinker with a track record of producing exemplary communications. The individual should possess advanced speechwriting skills, excellent verbal skills, and have the ability to develop and deliver strategically targeted messages. 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 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, develoing and executing an executive positioning strategy to position company leadership with key external publics, organizations, opinion leaders, and internal 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 targeted external speeches. Coordinating with contract speechwriter on major external speeches.
4. Developing and maintaining strong working relationships and ongoing, deliberate program integration with the company business units, marketing, law and regulation, investor relations, and others.
5. Partnering with the department's Home Office and field corporate relations team 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 manage online communications programs

Experience Required:
A minimum of 7 years PR experience with experience writing for executive level management.

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 program partners, etc.)

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

To apply to this position please visit www.allstate.jobs and enter Job Code 236577