Director, Public Relations & Government Affairs - Modesto/Dublin, Ca

About Us
The Save Mart Companies is one of the largest food retailers in California and Nevada. It is home to several well-known brands in food retailing. You might have seen our stores that include Save Mart, Lucky, Lucky California, and Food Maxx. We also have 3 distribution centers and our SMART Transportation trucking firm to transport dry groceries, frozen foods, ice, and novelties to all The Save Mart Companies stores. We are a California grown business, headquartered in the heart of one of the greatest agricultural areas of our nation – Stanislaus County.
The Modesto community is vibrant with great traditions, educational opportunities, and multi-cultural lifestyles. Aside from mild weather year-round, Modesto allows for easy access to many major tourist attractions in California. To the west lies the San Francisco Bay Area (90-miles) and the Santa Cruz Beach (115-miles). To the east is the famed Gold Country “Mother Lode” (50-miles) and a little farther you can find the majestic Sierra Nevada Mountain range, Lake Tahoe (180-miles) and Yosemite National Park (110-miles).
Some of our competitive benefits include exceptionally generous benefits package (Health, Dental, Vision, Life, 401K), Lifelong Learning Educational opportunities, Employee Association (discounted and free tuition options, contests, and support services).
We Are Currently Recruiting For The Position Of
Director, Public Relations & Government Affairs - Modesto/Dublin, CA
Job Summary
The Director, Public Relations & Government Affairs is the company spokesperson and is responsible for leading, implementing, and analyzing our external communication strategies across owned and earned platforms to promote the organization’s mission, priorities, brand, reputation, and initiatives, including PR, community relations, philanthropic activation, government and legislative affairs, crisis mitigation, and ESG.
This Director has an energetic, entrepreneurial mindset and is a writer, an associate advocate, a coach, and has a genuine love to celebrate the company, our stores and the communities we serve. Partnering closely with executive leadership, the Marketing, Social, and HR groups, and various stake holders throughout the organization, this position connects all business functions with aligned public relations and government affairs strategy, developing the company’s external voice and narratives and managing our reputation.
Key Responsibilities And Accountabilities

• Create annual budget for scope of work and ensure compliance during monthly, quarterly and year end reporting.
• Strong grasp on organizational culture to drive and influence initiatives.
• Build and maintain relationships with local, regional, and top-tier national media organizations and individual journalists, community and industry thought leaders, and influencers to shape narrative and pitch story ideas that result in positive news coverage and competitive positioning in the consumer and trade media markets.
• Serves as company spokesperson and ambassador as the public face for TSMC with members of the media, company constituents, and the public.
• Routinely interfaces with stores, community leaders, elected officials, and various media representatives.
• Develop and oversee an editorial calendar for proactive media opportunities, industry events and conferences (e.g., awards, expert interviews, op-eds, panels, and keynotes), and TSMC CARES Foundation and prepare and support leadership team during interviews and speaking engagements with background material, key messages, media prep/coaching).
• Track federal, state and local legislation that will impact the business, providing analyses and recommendation to Compliance Group for execution; collaborate with company leaders on a response, and provides updates on legislative status and passage as it may relate to the business.
• Direct the design, execution and implementation of external communications programs, company events, public relations, government affairs, CARES Foundation, and ESG.
• Supports and influences leadership team in connecting with trade and consumer media outlets to deliver consistent messaging that’s aligned to business objectives.
• Direct crisis mitigation preparation and detect public relations and government affairs issues as they emerge and consult with appropriate executives to address them directly.
• Architects PR strategies and programs that deliver consistent corporate messaging to enrich understanding and execution of company, banner and departmental priorities and initiatives.
• Designs and implements public relations campaigns and integrated communications that cultivate media relations, engage key stakeholders, build brand awareness and community engagement while protecting and enhancing reputation.
• Write and edit communication materials, including presentations, speeches, posts, holding statements, press releases, and scripts.

Hiring pay range: $129,948.00 - 170,557.00
Requirements (Knowledge, Skills And Abilities)

• Knowledgeable about Retail (ideally grocery retail), Store Operations, Warehousing, Procurement
• A creative thinker, doer, and leader who can solve problems and seeks to build understanding amid ambiguity
• Impeccable copywriting and copy-editing abilities to create clear and concise communications, in the appropriate tone/voice, that distills information into compelling, memorable messaging
• Excellent oral and written communication skills to advocate the company's position
• Ability to effectively interact with the news media, engaging positively with advocacy groups, activists, and NGOs.
• Highly organized, detail-oriented and able to meet deadlines consistently in a fast-paced environment where great ideas can come from everyone, at every level
• Ability to stay calm under pressure and consistently demonstrate exceptional judgment
• Must possess superior news judgment, persuasive communication skills and ability to take initiative.
• Strong presence with the confidence to share new ideas or challenge current thinking, both 1:1 and in groups that represent different levels and experience.
• An eagerness to learn and grow and the ability to help others do the same
• Experience analyzing situations and giving sound professional judgment on news value, strategic communications, public opinion, and media relations, government affairs and community engagement.
• Proven experience hiring and managing top talent and enabling them to grow and thrive
• A successful track record of effectively managing 24/7 communications response cycles, as needed

Education: Bachelor’s degree with a major in journalism, Public Relations/Communications, Community Relations and Philanthropy, Public Affairs or related field or equivalent experience including government and legislative affairs.
Experience: Ten+ years of retail and corporate communications, PR, Public Affairs, government affairs, and community relations/philanthropic experience, grocery retail preferred.
Other: Includes travel for media events, outreach, speaking engagements
Physical: Ability to sit, stand, walk, kneel, stoop, use stairs, reach, pull and lift objects
Work Environment: Office environment
Reference: req33071
Follow Us
Instagram: @savemart
Facebook: Save Mart
YouTube: @savemartsupermarkets
LinkedIn: The Save Mart Companies
The Save Mart Companies is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we welcome resumes from individuals who will contribute to our diverse workforce.