Senior Director of Communications--Beer Institute

Position: Senior Director of Communications

Location: 122 C Street, NW, Suite 350, Washington DC 20001

Description: The Beer Institute is seeking an experienced communications professional to coordinate proactive and responsive media relations and communications activities on behalf of the brewing industry. S/he will be responsible for developing and implementing a comprehensive strategic communications and media plan to include communications from the BI President directed at industry members, legislators, agency officials, trade press and mainstream media outlets. This position will involve close coordination with the President and senior management of the BI member companies, as well as coordinating as needed with the BI’s outside PR firm. A successful candidate must have experience with issue advocacy/campaigns, particularly those that involve public policy. S/he must have strong writing, editing, social media and traditional media outreach skills. S/he must have a track record of developing and implementing innovative communication strategies that advance industry goals. This position will report directly to the President.

Requirements:

 Minimum 7 years of communications experience at a trade association, company, PR firm, Capitol Hill, in election campaigns and/or in a government agency.
 Four year college degree in journalism or related subject area preferred. Master’s degree a plus.
 Excellent writing skills and ability to produce high quality strategic plans, position papers, hearing testimony, press releases and statements;
 Contacts in Washington, DC-based media and especially Hill publications;
 Ability to quickly grasp and communicate complex policy and regulatory issues;
 Sensitivity to competitive issues and legal concerns of a highly regulated industry;
 Experience in obtaining a quick consensus among association members on time-sensitive materials;
 Ability to establish and maintain a schedule for production of regular communications;
 Ability to serve as media spokesperson and screen media inquiries to enable the appropriate Beer Institute executive to provide a prompt and substantive response on behalf of the industry.
Primary Responsibilities:

 Drive the development and execution of the BI’s media relations strategy to include digital and social media;
 Provide media relations counsel to the President and staff;
 Provide communications direction and message delivery on industry issues to external audiences and media;
 Develop and prepare member communications such as the BI newsletters (bi-monthly), BI updates (bi-monthly), and Annual Report;
 Work with BI President and other key personnel in preparing statements, speeches, responses or talking points on key industry issues;
 Coordinate and obtain approval from BI member companies on statements, press releases, and other responses to the media;
 Collaborate with other trade association communicators (within alcohol beverage industry and ancillary industries), where applicable, on issues and matters of common interest;
 Travel to and participate in industry events such as trade show, conventions, conferences and meetings;
 Provide editorial assistance for the Brewers Almanac and other publications;
 Develop and execute a plan to update the BI Web site and maintain issue specific Web sites such as AlcoholMyths.com and BeerServesAmerica.com.
To Apply for this Position:

Submit a cover letter, resume and salary history to BICOMM350@gmail.com