DIRECTOR, ISSUES MANAGEMENT

National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA)

Reports to: Issues Management Team Lead

General Responsibilities: The Director of Issues Management provides counsel, communication tools and background information to help lead beef issue preparedness and response efforts. The Director works with a broad cross-section of NCBA staff and independent experts to research, analyze and communicate issue information to farmers and ranchers, other industry stakeholders and consumer influencer audiences. Director maintains the Beef Expert Board third-party spokesperson network to support both proactive and reactive issue communication efforts. In addition, position serves as technical communication expert for the team and helps manage industry’s crisis preparedness efforts.

Specific Responsibilities:

• Helps lead issues response strategy by contributing counsel and developing alerts that communicate issue background, response recommendations and tools to farmers and ranchers, state partners and stakeholder organizations.
• Delivers issue analysis and overview presentations and issues response training for state and industry partners. Oversees creating and updating beef industry issue resources, such as fact sheets, letters-to-the-editor, media talking points, Web copy and FAQs.
• Directs the Manager, Issues Response and Manager, Issues Communication in addressing state-level issue response requests and in strategically deploying grassroots networks in support of issues management goals. 
• Translates scientific, technical and regulatory information into written resources for a variety of audiences including farmers and ranchers, state partners and consumer influencers (e.g., media, health professionals, policy makers, etc.).

·         Leverages third-party expert network in support of overall issues management strategy through regular communication, ongoing evaluation of network participants, communication trainings and thoughtful deployment.

·         Contributes to team’s successful issues response efforts by supplying technical expertise, liaising with scientific experts and engaging third-party network.

·         Attends applicable industry, government or scientific meetings in order to represent NCBA, enhance technical communication expertise and support Issues Management objectives.

• Participates in applicable planning meetings and manages budgets, vendor relationships and agency partnerships as directed.

·         Supports industry’s crisis preparedness efforts by participating in crisis planning exercises, engaging third-party experts and helping develop, edit and implement crisis communication resources such as key messages, template tools and Web copy.

Qualifications:

Candidate must have a Bachelor’s degree in relevant communication field and seven-10 years of experience in public relations, media relations, public affairs or journalism. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent writing and editing skills and success in building and leveraging professional relationships. Candidate also will demonstrate ability to critically assess and communicate a range of scientific and technical subjects, and must have experience using the Internet as a research, issues management and communication tool.

Candidate must be able to work effectively as part of a dynamic, fast-paced team and in high-pressure, crisis-communication type situations. Also, experience in successfully managing multiple projects and priorities at the same time is a must. Preference will be given to candidates who have a working knowledge of, and/or experience in, the agriculture industry and specifically food production.

Position is based in the Washington, D.C. office. Business travel and occasional extended work hours are required.

Please submit cover letter, resume and salary history to resume@beef.org