(USA-WA-Seattle) MD Strategic & Corp Communications

**WHAT WE'RE ABOUT** We're creating an airline people love. It begins with each Alaska Airlines employee, bringing unique strengths and energy to our work in the air and on the ground. Every day, we go beyond what's expected and reach for the remarkable, together. With the recent acquisition of Virgin America, Alaska Airlines is now the fifth-largest US airline and the leading airline on the West Coast ? or, as we like to say, #MostWestCoast. Our objective is to be one of the most respected U.S. airlines by our customers, our 23,000 employees, our shareholders, and the many communities where we live and work. As we?ve become one team and grown significantly over the last few years, we?ve invested in our brand through new aircraft interiors, Alaska Lounges at major airports, and an updated menu with fresh, local food and beverage selections. We?re also obsessed with customer service. And because of the hard work of our remarkable people at Alaska, we have been awarded the JD Power #1 spot for customer service for 12 years running. We believe strongly in a diverse workforce ? which leads to better ideas and better business results. We achieved company-wide gender balance in 2017, and 50 percent of independent directors on our Board are women. We are inspired to give back to our communities, through disaster relief, or inspiring, empowering, and enabling young people?s paths to career opportunity. In 2018, our employees volunteered more than 44,000 hours, and we supported 1,300 different nonprofit organizations with our resources, our voice, and our business. In total, we contributed more than $17 million in funds, in-kind contributions and travel. We fly to some of the most beautiful places in the world ? and we make conscious choices to reduce our environmental impact. We?ve eliminated single use plastic straws, cut our in-flight waste in half over the last decade, and have been ranked No. 1 in fuel efficiency among 13 major U.S. airlines for the last 7 years. We have a great story to tell ? and we?re just getting started. **YOUR ROLE** Role Summary The Managing Director of Communications sets the long-term strategy and oversees the financial performance of multiple divisions at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air. As a people leader, this role establishes strategic goals and direction for a team of senior leaders to lead all internal communications reaching a broad employee base, including union and non-union employees, as well as communications to and through leaders, and all external communications including owned and earned media, thought leadership and other emerging channels. This role works collaboratively with leaders across the company to advance and protect Alaska's reputation, brand, and employee engagement. This includes ensuring authenticity in content and tone of internal and external (non-marketing) communications; understanding and utilizing best practices across industries that fit our business needs and culture; capturing and telling stories of the business model, strategy, sustainability, and people to influence opinion and engagement; utilizing modern methods of delivery (e.g., social, mobile, push notifications, blog, etc.) effectively; and managing and communicating performance with data. Additionally, this role leads a team of directors, managers, and staff that deliver communications consistent with the Alaska Airlines brand to external audiences. Scope & Complexity This executive role directs multiple functions requiring the integration of strategic and corporate activities for Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air, leading leaders and working across the breadth of the business. Key Duties - Shapes company strategy and culture through the development and execution of internal, external, and leadership communications designed to advance Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air business goals, reputation, brand, employee engagement and pride. Works with the VP External Relations, CEO, President and other company executive leadership to ensure aligned priorities, positions, and overall narrative and tone to effectively engage audiences in our business. - Sets long-term vision and strategy and owns financial performance for Communications at Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air with 24+ month horizon. Ensures the proactive development and delivery of external communications strategy to share Alaska news, translate our business, create connection, and advance our brand and reputation with key audiences. This includes oversight of PR and media strategies, social content (in partnership with the marketing team), and Alaska Airlines blog(s). - Establish strategic goals and direction for a team of senior people leaders across internal, external, and leadership communications teams. - Develop people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on fostering strategic and systems thinking, development of talent, and succession planning across internal, external, and leadership communications. - Ensures effective development and management of technology-enabled channels and authentic human connections to and from leaders, tailored as needed to serve the individual needs of particular workgroups. Maintains awareness Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air culture and the need for transparent two-way communication that supports and enables our people. - Supports Investor Relations in the presentation of Alaska Airlines' financial performance (e.g., shareholder meetings, analyst calls, etc.) and translation of complex financial results into clear and concise communications that are delivered both internally and externally. - Ensures a robust crisis communications response plan and process, regularly updated, for any kind of unexpected event response to support employees and external audiences alike. Participates regularly in drills and covers the media line at intervals as part of the broader team. - Develops and executes management systems (scorecards and review structures) to ensure effective execution and delivery of results, checking and adjusting performance to meet or exceed targets. - Creates strategic communications plans and strategies for the company, leads, manages, and develops the overall communications team to enhances capability and builds bench strength for the organization, working efficiently with limited resources for great results. - Stays abreast of and employs the most recent trends in how communications are delivered both with employees and external audiences - including both delivery and two-way communication methodologies, face-to-face and personal and mobile-enabled, visual and verbal. Job-Specific Skills, Experience & Education Required - A minimum of 10 years of experience in a corporate setting delivering strategic communication plans internally and externally. - A Bachelor degree - A minimum of 5 years of progressive leadership experience in a senior corporate communications position, managing high-performing teams. - Demonstrated ability to build effective relationships to influence and develop buy-in in corporate and community sectors. Strong team player willing to participate in a variety of roles and projects. - Demonstrated executive presence and diplomacy. Initiative and drive, a bias toward action, and a passion for learning and delivering results. - Clear, compelling, and effective communication in written and oral form including storytelling, translating technical concepts to non-technical audiences, ability to influence and demonstrate a high degree of attention to detail and accuracy while appreciating the nuance and emotion needed to connect to different audiences. - Demonstrated ability to be creative in achieving goals with limited resources and in a fast-paced consumer-focused industry. - Strong, cross-divisional team leader experienced at building relationships with business executives. - Ability to cut through complexity and ambiguity, prioritize effectively, set clear goals, and operate in an agile fashion while leading concurrent high-priority projects. - Ability and willingness to travel periodically. - Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook). - High school diploma or equivalent is required. - Minimum age of 18. - Must be authorized to work in the U.S. Preferred - A Master of Arts or a Master of Science degree in Business, Communications, political science, creative writing, or a related field is preferred. Job Specific Leadership Expectations - Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be kind-hearted, deliver performance, and be remarkable. - Demonstrated ability to influence and drive change cross-divisionally for mutually beneficial strategic and operational impact. - Skilled at making and defending tough decisions, while demonstrating care and concern for the opinions of others, both inside and outside the organization. - High energy, positive, and executive-level presence, along with top-notch written and verbal communication, public speaking, influencing, and motivational skills. - Proven success building a strong network, developing new relationships, and influencing decision makers within and outside the company. **START YOUR NEW JOURNEY NOW** Submit your application by 08/11/2019 11:59pm (Pacific Time). We'll be happy to see it. **EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY** Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information. Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with applicable Federal, State, and local laws. Horizon Air and Alaska Airlines participate in E-Verify, a service of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA), where required. **Job ID** 35110 **Location** Seattle, WA **FLSA Status** Exempt **Full/Part Time** Full-Time **Regular/Temporary** Regular
Apply Now