Director, State Association Communications

The National Pork Board is seeking a dynamic, team-oriented, Director, State Association Communications to serve as primary communications business partner to, and collaborator with, NPB’s Producer and State Engagement (P&SE) team in order to support cross-functional producer and stakeholder communications planning and problem-solving in partnership with state pork association leaders and their staff; the role will also lead internal communications to NPB staff and the Board of Directors in partnership with NPB senior leadership, human resources and other staff and colleagues.

• Through a consultative relationship, support the facilitation of scaled state pork association comms plans to ensure national priorities, projects, programs and initiatives are identified and incorporated into state comms plans
• Identify opportunities for strategic state-to-state and state-to-national organization communications collaboration and amplification
•  Support the implementation and state adoption of key industry message priorities
• Serve as a thought partner to state communicators for agency, contractor or vendor selection; project scope of work creation; content/creative; media; or production
• Develop turnkey communications tools and kits for states to communicate in an impactful way with their board, producers in their state and other stakeholders
• Collaborate with communications team colleagues who serve as business partners to NPB Market Growth, Sustainability and Swine Health teams to engage NPB thought leaders and subject matter experts in relevant state opportunities
• Partner with NPB P&SE team to ensure state pork association staff are regularly informed of key activities, opportunities, new or updated communications materials, content or assets
• Partner closely with Market Growth brand manager to ensure priority consumer marketing campaigns and activations are shared with stakeholder audiences effectively and consistently

Approximately 30% of the time in role may include:

• Collaborate closely with human resources, IT, finance, operations, admin business and NPB leadership to ensure NPB staff are regularly informed and updated on checkoff work
•  Develop NPB internal communications plans that engage and excite NPB staff
• Create materials and content to effectively communicate key organizational priorities and initiatives with staff and teams
• Partner with internal thought leaders on communications support as needed

• Experience crafting persuasive communications recommendations and business cases relevant to the animal ag/livestock industry
• Mastery of communications writing and strategic message creation
• Demonstrated ability to independently develop scaled communications plans and related resources for implementation, from strategies, goals and objectives to tactics and timing
• Experience in managing communications plan implementation and delivery
• Estimating and scoping communications work with partners
• Proficient in Microsoft tools including Teams, PPT, Excel and Word; SalesForce; Adobe;
• Track record of measuring and reporting communications measurement and performance to business leaders and/or executives
• Budget and financial oversight of communications plans, campaigns

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations or marketing
• Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in agricultural communications, public relations, ag trade media or marketing spent. An equivalent combination of education and experience will be considered.
• Agency, contractor and vendor relationship management, scoping/estimating
• Budget and financial oversight of communications plans, campaigns
• Reporting performance outcomes of communications plans, campaigns
• Animal ag/livestock background
• Pork industry experience preferred
•  Agency or service-oriented comms experience

This position will require 30% travel by air and auto with overnight stays. A valid driver’s license is required. Remote candidates may be considered, but preference will be given to Des Moines based candidates. The starting salary range for this role is $105K-125K but based on experience and skills.

Please submit a cover letter with a resume. Application deadline is December 4, 2024. We may speak to qualified candidates prior to the application deadline.
The National Pork Board has been recognized nationally as a “best place to work”.  We are an equal opportunity employer and offer an exceptional benefits package and work environment.  Visit us online at www.pork.org.

The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health, pork safety and environmental management.   

Applicants should be able to support the mission of the organization with enthusiasm to serve U.S. pork producers.