Founders Brewing Co. · 15 hours ago
Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations
Grand Rapids, MI
Full-time
Onsite
Director/Executive
15+ years expFounders Brewing Co. is a leading brewery company overseeing multiple brands. The Director of Corporate Communications and Public Relations is responsible for strategic communications planning, media relations, and ensuring consistent messaging across internal and external audiences.
Food and Beverage
Responsibilities
Lead the annual strategic communications plan (internal and external) in collaboration with Mahou San Miguel HQ communications
Ensure all communications activities are aligned with Headquarters’ business and communications strategy
Present annual communications plans and results to the Board and Shareholders
Partner cross-functionally with executive leadership, managers, and teams to align goals and messaging across the organization
Advise internal stakeholders on program considerations, trends, and opportunities; recommend improvements to processes and approach
Build and maintain strong relationships with key consumer and trade media (national and local)
Develop media strategies and proactive story pipelines aligned with corporate priorities
Manage press inquiries and interview requests; coordinate media opportunities and spokesperson participation
Draft and distribute media materials including press releases, media alerts, articles, backgrounders, and Q&As
Prepare executives for interviews with research, messaging, briefing documents, Q&As, and suggested talking points
Monitoring media coverage and sentiment; report performance and learnings through qualitative and quantitative indicators
Strengthen corporate reputation and narrative with key stakeholders through consistent, strategic messaging
Define core messages and proof points; support thought leadership topics and communications priorities
Support CEO and Executive Leadership Team on executive positioning, key messages, and high-impact communication moments
Ensure message consistency across brands, functions, and spokespeople
Lead corporate storytelling across owned channels (website/newsroom, LinkedIn and other corporate social channels)
Build editorial calendars and content roadmaps; coordinate content creation with internal experts and external partners
Develop and edit content including website updates, articles, video scripts, LinkedIn posts, and corporate materials
Track performance metrics and continuously optimize content formats and narratives based on insights
Consult and support the CEO and Executive Leadership Team on executive messages, internal emails, employee meetings/talking points, media interviews, and thought leadership opportunities
Draft speeches, town hall scripts, talking points, stakeholder briefs, and Q&As
Design the structure and timing of internal messages to drive alignment and effective information cascading across the company
Cultivate a clear corporate voice and improve employee engagement through consistent leadership communication
Own content development for internal channels including internal emails, employee newsletter, TVs, intranet/SharePoint, posters, and internal presentations
Serve as Editor-in-Chief of the bimonthly Mahou USA Employee Newsletter, owning editorial planning and content creation
Define channel standards and governance; create templates/toolkits to ensure consistency and efficiency
Measure engagement and performance to continuously improve internal communications
Plan and deliver internal events and communications moments that reinforce culture, strategy, and engagement (e.g., town halls, employee sessions, leadership updates)
Serve as Executive Sponsor for Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) and employee engagement committees, managing budgets and resources
Own and maintain the Crisis Communication Playbook, including protocols, escalation paths, and governance
Lead communications response during crisis situations to protect organizational perception and reputation
Coordinate cross-functional response teams (legal, HR, operations, leadership) and manage real-time messaging and approvals
Monitor media and social conversation during sensitive situations; document actions and conduct post-crisis reviews to strengthen preparedness
Identify PR opportunities around brand campaigns, launches, and activations in alignment with corporate priorities
Lead external PR/communications agencies and manage the department budget
Ensure alignment between brand tone and corporate narrative; measure impact through coverage quality, reach, and reputation indicators
Lead community relations efforts, partnering with local and national corporate charity organizations
Oversee the employee giving program and report on CSR initiatives and results
Ensure CSR communications reinforce reputation and align with corporate priorities
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's Degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, or a related field
15 + years of PR & communications management experience (in-house and/or agency)
Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong presentation development and writing/editing expertise
Experience working with local, national, and trade media outlets
Experience managing social media channels (e.g., LinkedIn) and intranet platforms (e.g., SharePoint)
Community relations experience partnering with external organizations and nonprofits
Strong business acumen; demonstrated competency in strategic planning
Creative, decisive, collaborative, responsive, and able to work independently with accountability for outcomes
Benefits
Health, dental, vision, and other coverage for all employees starts date of hire.
401(k) matching
Paid time off, volunteer time, and floating holidays
Employee Assistance Program
Paid sabbaticals with tenure
Paid parental leave for all employees
Company
Founders Brewing Co.
Mike Stevens and Dave Engbers both had steady jobs when they decided to chase their dreams and open a brewery–which meant writing a business plan, quitting their jobs, and taking out giant loans.
201-500 employees
Funding
Current Stage
Growth StageLeadership Team
Elton Andres
CEO Founders Brewing Company
Adam Geyer
Human Resources Business Partner
Company data provided by crunchbase