Public Affairs Manager

Public Affairs Manager

Pennington, Alabama

Georgia-Pacific is seeking a Public Affairs Manager for our world-class bath tissue and paper towel mill Pennington, Alabama. The Public Affairs Manager is a valuable member of the mill leadership team, providing professional communications and public affairs guidance on critical issues. The position supports leaders and managers who are directly responsible for production and operations at the site. The role will spend approximately 70% of his/her time working on internal communications and employee engagement, 20% of his/her time on public affairs (community relations and local government interaction) and 10% on proactive and reactive media relations. Additionally, this role will provide public affairs and communications support, as required, for the company and other GP facilities in the region while coordinating with the corporate team.

Our Team

Georgia-Pacific’s Naheola operation is a world-class pulp and paper mill where more than 900 employees proudly produce Georgia-Pacific’s well-known consumer bath tissue and paper towel brands like Angel Soft and Sparkle. The mill also makes bleached paperboard that is used to make Dixie plates and cups.

The mill is the largest employer in the community and is engaged in supporting community outreach, workforce development and education. The area is a sportsman’s paradise with world-class hunting for deer, turkey and other small game and is bounded on the east by the Tombigbee River which provides such recreation as freshwater fishing, boating and water skiing. Residents of this area enjoy a low cost of living and an easy drive to the many resort communities and soft white-sand beaches of the Gulf Coast. To learn more about Georgia-Pacific’s consumer products business and the company’s commitment to stewardship, check out these links: Consumer Products Overview, How We Make Tissue, and Stewardship in Action.

What You Will Do

• Develop, implement and manage a strategic employee communications program at the mill, as well as internal communications support of critical mill and company initiatives, including use of best practices from the public affairs and communications team across other GP mills and corporate headquarters in Atlanta.
• Establish strong relationships with community members including local government officials, regulatory agencies, businesses and community groups. Coordinate external issues engagement and activities with GP legal, governmental affairs and corporate communications teams.
• As part of the mill leadership team, advise on issues, attitudes and opinions both inside and outside the company that could affect mill operations. This includes establishing a climate of cooperation with employees and implementing or helping support necessary programs to maintain GP’s position as a leader in a highly competitive industry.
• Establish and maintain the means to detect signals of company vulnerability in external and internal environments.
• Maintain a crisis communications plan for the mill and serve as a member of its crisis management team.
• Develop strong relationships with reporters and editors who cover the community/region and participate in the process of gathering and disseminating news. This includes serving as company spokesperson where appropriate and facilitating/managing interviews of others.
• Develop and implement mill investment and volunteer opportunities that are aligned with GP’s focus areas (education, environment, entrepreneurship, and community enrichment) to support the community and create long-term value for our business, community, and customers.

Who You Are (Basic Qualifications)

• Minimum of 5 years of public relations or related experience.
• Experience with communications strategy and programs, including adapting and implementing best practices of other communications programs.
• Excellent writing, editing and general communication skills.
• Experience with news media and community relations.

What Will Put You Ahead

• Undergraduate degree (journalism, communication, or public relations preferred)
• Experience working on or exposure to a manufacturing environment.
• Experience with supporting leadership communication and employee engagement efforts.
• Experience working with digital communication tools, including video, social media and SharePoint or other web-based applications.
• Involvement with community groups (chambers of commerce or other business groups).
• Knowledge and experience working with elected officials and appointed government officials.

At Koch companies, we are entrepreneurs. This means we openly challenge the status quo, find new ways to create value and get rewarded for our individual contributions. Any compensation range provided for a role is an estimate determined by available market data. The actual amount may be higher or lower than the range provided considering each candidate's knowledge, skills, abilities, and geographic location. If you have questions, please speak to your recruiter about the flexibility and detail of our compensation philosophy.

Hiring Philosophy

All Koch companies value diversity of thought, perspectives, aptitudes, experiences, and backgrounds. We are Military Ready and Second Chance employers. Learn more about our hiring philosophy here.

Who We Are

As a Koch company and a leading manufacturer of bath tissue, paper towels, paper-based packaging, cellulose, specialty fibers, building products and much more, Georgia-Pacific works to meet evolving needs of customers worldwide with quality products. In addition to the products we make, we operate one of the largest recycling businesses. Our more than 30,000 employees in over 150 locations are empowered to innovate every day to make everyday products even better.

At Koch, employees are empowered to do what they do best to make life better. Learn how our business philosophy helps employees unleash their potential while creating value for themselves and the company.

Our Benefits

Our goal is for each employee, and their families, to live fulfilling and healthy lives. We provide essential resources and support to build and maintain physical, financial, and emotional strength - focusing on overall wellbeing so you can focus on what matters most. Our benefits plan includes medical, dental, vision, flexible spending and health savings accounts, life insurance, ADD, disability, retirement, paid vacation/time off, educational assistance, and may also include infertility assistance, paid parental leave and adoption assistance. Specific eligibility criteria is set by the applicable Summary Plan Description, policy or guideline and benefits may vary by geographic region. If you have questions on what benefits apply to you, please speak to your recruiter.

Additionally, everyone has individual work and personal needs. We seek to enable the best work environment that helps you and the business work together to produce superior results.

Equal Opportunities

Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. Except where prohibited by state law, some offers of employment are conditioned upon successfully passing a drug test. This employer uses E-Verify. Please click here for additional information.

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