Position Description:

The Mill Communications Manager supporting International Paper’s Grande Prairie, Global Cellulose Fibers Mill.  The mill employs about 330 employees. The candidate will be expected to live in the surrounding area and the position will require minimum travel. The job will consist of leading, developing and implementing a communications strategy for the mill that enables the cultural integration of these locations into International Paper. Additionally, the candidate will be responsible for leading a deliberate and continuous focus on key manufacturing and business objectives, including safety performance initiatives and cost reduction efforts supported by effective and sustainable communications systems as described below.

Key Accountabilities:

  • The position reports to the Sr. Mgr., Communications, Global Cellulose Fibers, with a dotted line to the Grande Prairie Mill Manager
  • Lead high-value initiatives and projects that require timely and consistent communications expertise and have a high value for the mill (A3 planning, deliberate and continuous improvement, leadership and engagement communications, feedback systems, etc.)
  • Work with leadership inside and outside of the mill to develop creative solutions around work that requires a lower level of communications expertise and is of lower value to the mill.
  • Participate on Mill Lead Team and be a communications advisor and coach to Lead Team members, Area Managers and Front Line Leaders.
  • Lead strategic communications planning and specific (day-to-day) ongoing communications needs
  • Develop and manage an active media relations strategy (build a relationship with media, seek media opportunities, write news releases, respond to media inquiries with key messages)
  • Manage crisis communications and ensure crisis communications plans exist and key people are trained in crisis communications processes and protocols
  • Develop a community relations strategy to manage and sustain community goodwill, identify key risks and manage the implementation of community initiatives to support mill goals (Community Advisory Council, Company Giving, Strategic Partnerships, and Affiliations, etc.)
  • Provide communications and media training and manage mill’s participation and interaction with company communications tools (IPToday, Hot News, IPMedia Network, Chairman’s Updates).
  • Lead social media activity at the mill, which includes oversight of social media channels, content posting and measuring the engagement of customers and other key stakeholders.
  • Actively lead the assessing, auditing, measurement, and enhancement of communications programs and processes to continue improving the overall communications effort within the mill internally and externally.
  • Constantly interact with Global Citizenship team members to achieve common goals, share information and learn best practices.
  • Partner with Global Government Relations on a selected mill and business issues/initiatives.
  • Working with Mill leadership, maintain proactive and positive relationships with key government bodies (County, City, Provincial and Federal levels).

Key Challenges:

  • Cultural integration of new facilities to International Paper
  • Multiple and diverse priorities of mill leadership
  • Providing support to numerous improvement initiatives underway.
  • Sustaining a high employee engagement levels with waves of employee retirements underway.
  • Developing reliable and consistent communications systems in a team-based work environment.
  • Creating communications credibility and influence.
  • Advancing communications methods beyond past approach.
  • Gauging employee and local community sentiment
  • Varying leadership styles and levels of endorsement, as well as limited on-site resources.
  • Translating company and business communications initiatives into effective local programs.
  • Balancing mill objectives and goals with company objectives and goals.
  • Time management/balancing priorities among multiple leaders

Scope:

  • Responsible for communications of about 330 employees total
  • Manage an internal and external mill communications budget.

Knowledge & Experience:

  • Four-year bachelor’s degree, minimum of six years of experience in communications, journalism or related field.
  • Minimum six years experience in communications and manufacturing environment experience preferred
  • Possess entry-level competencies outlined in Communications Career Path.
  • Possess strong PC software knowledge, including Microsoft Office, Adobe, PowerPoint, and Internet software.
  • Possess excellent verbal, presentation, people and diplomacy skills essential.
  • Demonstrate strong written communications and technical skills and experience.
  • Demonstrate successful interpersonal, political savvy and organizational agility skills.
  • Demonstrate employee, community and media relations experience.
  • Demonstrate the ability to establish systems and manage/measure work across a facility.
  • Demonstrate strong planning, project management, priority setting and time management skills.
  • Show the ability to interact and build relationships with various levels of the organization in a professional manner.
  • Show ability to work strategically, multi-task and adapt to a changing work environment.

Key Competencies:

  • Written Communications
  • Managing and Measuring Work
  • Motivating Others
  • Planning and Organizing
  • Perspective
  • Business Acumen
  • Dealing with Ambiguity
  • Learning on the Fly
  • Innovation Management
  • Political Savvy
  • Organizational Agility
  • Comfort with Higher Management

Developmental Opportunities:

  • IP Leadership Institute – Individual Contributor
  • IP Leadership Institute – Exploring Leadership
  • IP Safety Leadership Training
  • IP Sustainability Training
  • IP Communications Planning & Media Training
  • IP Diversity and Inclusion Training
  • IP Finance for Non-Finance Course
  • Conduct Assessment, Audit  and Research Work/Classes

International Paper is an equal opportunity employer Our core values: Commitment, Ownership, Respect, Excellence.

Apply Online.