Vice President, Corporate Communications

Job Description

The Vice President of Corporate Communications is a leadership role within Communications reporting to the Chief Communications Officer.

Company Description

Hudson’s Bay Company is one of the fastest-growing department store retailers in the world.  In North America, HBC’s leading banners include Hudson’s Bay, Lord & Taylor, Saks Fifth Avenue, Gilt, Saks OFF 5TH, , and Home Outfitters. In Europe, HBC’s banners include GALERIA Kaufhof (the largest department store group in Germany), Galeria INNO (Belgium’s only department store group), and. At HBC we are a company of adventurers who explore uncharted territory, challenge convention, and work with imagination and fun.   

Major Responsibilities

The Vice President, Corporate Communications is responsible for leading externally-facing strategies and plans that promote key initiatives and drive HBC’s enterprise-level reputation on a global scale. The VP is also leads  the HBC U.S. Foundation and charitable giving strategies and the Linguistics Services and Heritage Services teams.

Role responsibilities include:

1. Corporate Reputation: Key owner of HBC’s reputation in the media through managing financial and all business media relationships and situations along with crisis communications globally.
2. Improving & Implementing Processes: Lead communications professionals globally to develop, implement, and execute strategic communication plans for HBC and its banners.
3. Building Relationships: collaborate with Public Relations, Internal Communications, Investor Relations, Finance, Social Compliance, Legal, HR and other functions on corporate initiatives, press releases, presentations, annual reports, CSR reports, and other key events
4. Cross Functional Exposure: Working with the banner Presidents and the HBC senior executive team to provide communication counsel and support, including speaking notes, videos, PowerPoint presentations, and executive messages
5. Management: Manage Corporate communications’ budget, a robust team, and service providers along with HBC Corporate identity and website
6. Talent Development: Coach and mentor team members at varying levels and career stages to maximize each individual’s growth and potential.
7. Communications Materials: Set the strategy for all materials and edit and approve communications including: press releases, talking points, speeches, presentations, and other materials
8. Organization Analysis: Identify challenges and emerging issues faced by the organization; work with leadership team and staff to recognize external communication opportunities and solutions in partnership with internal communications
9. Strategic Giving Program Development:In partnership with the Canadian team, build the HBC Foundation’s mission, establishing governance and a roadmap for all U.S. charitable giving by HBC and strategic counsel for U.S. banners
10. Management: Oversee Linguistics services team, ensuring that the Director is meeting budgeting and deadline requirements for the organization.

Qualifications

Personal Characteristics

The successful candidate should be an individual with a strong ability to lead teams and work with a range of personalities and issues, while maintaining composure under pressure. He/she must have a demonstrated abilityto quickly shift priorities in order to mitigate day-to-day communications issues while setting and meeting strict deadlines and budgets. He/she must have working knowledge of financial communications and understand the complexity of issues and crisis management at a global public company. This individual must possess a high level of teamwork and interpersonal skills and will know how to get things done, and overcome obstacles while respecting others’ points of view and positions. The successful candidate will be someone who works well under pressure, is flexible, resilient, and able to thrive in a dynamic, rapid-paced, complex retail environment.

Professional Qualifications

• Minimum 15+ years' experience in Corporate Communications and Public Relations at a public company
• Media relations, issues/crisis management, and corporate financial communications experience is required, retail experience is preferred
• Ability to simplify concepts and tailor messages for specific audiences 
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills including stellar grammar and creative approaches to external communications platforms
• Familiarity with news and social media monitoring tools and reporting processes
• Strong financial and business acumen and analytical skills
• Graphic design capabilities and a familiarity with Social Media an asset

Educational Credentials

University degree in Communications, English, Journalism, or a related discipline and/or community College/ Diploma or certification in Corporate Communications or Public Relations

Travel

Office environment with approximately 25% travel within the United States and Canada.  

Must be flexible with working nights, weekends and holidays.