Business Communications Manager

Land O'Lakes•Arden Hills, MN

About The Position

The Business Communications Manager is the primary communications partner and strategic advisor for an assigned business unit within Animal Nutrition, Dairy Foods, or WinField United. The role is embedded in the business, with continuous understanding of its commercial priorities, stakeholder dynamics, operating realities, and emerging risks. The Manager advises leaders early in strategy, planning, and decision-making, helping sharpen priorities, pressure-test messaging, anticipate stakeholder needs, and connect business-unit priorities with the broader enterprise narrative and reputation. The Manager develops focused communication strategies for high-priority initiatives and translates business priorities, market dynamics, and operational complexity into clear narratives for employees, business teams, member-owners, customers, and other external stakeholders. The role leads messaging architecture and executive communications for key initiatives and coordinates with communications, marketing, digital, and agency partners to deliver aligned storytelling and stakeholder engagement. The Manager also drives disciplined execution by clarifying objectives, audiences, messages, owners, channels, and timing; escalating emerging issues; supporting mitigation and response planning; and measuring communication effectiveness in relation to business priorities. The position requires a bachelor's degree and 8–10 years of relevant communications experience. A master's degree and direct experience in agriculture, animal nutrition, dairy foods, agribusiness, or manufacturing are preferred.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English, or a related field.
8–10 years of progressive corporate communications, public relations, or strategic communications experience.
Demonstrated success partnering directly with senior business leaders.
Proven ability to operate as an early-stage strategic advisor who shapes business decisions, challenges assumptions, and navigates complex matrixed environments.
Demonstrated ability to align business-unit priorities with corporate goals and brand identity.
Exceptional written, verbal, and presentation skills.
Proven ability to translate complex technical or commercial concepts into clear, engaging narratives.
Demonstrated success collaborating with integrated teams across internal communications, external PR, brand marketing, and agency partners.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in communications, Business Administration (MBA), or a related discipline.
Direct industry experience in agriculture, animal nutrition, dairy foods, or broad agribusiness or manufacturing sectors.
Prior experience operating within a dedicated business-unit-aligned communications model.

Responsibilities

Serve as the communications partner and strategic advisor for an assigned business unit, maintaining a deep understanding of its priorities, commercial goals, stakeholder dynamics, and emerging risks.
Partner with business leaders early in strategy, planning, and decision-making to evaluate communications implications, sharpen priorities, pressure-test messaging, and ensure relevant audiences are considered.
Advise on external positioning to strengthen business reputation and confidence with customers, member-owners, and industry stakeholders, while anticipating potential scrutiny.
Connect business-unit priorities to the broader enterprise narrative and bring an enterprise perspective to divisional plans.
Develop focused communications strategies for high-priority business initiatives and advise leaders on where communications support or integrated resources are needed.
Translate business priorities, market dynamics, and operational complexity into clear, differentiated narratives for internal and external stakeholders.
Lead messaging architecture and executive communications for key business initiatives, coordinating with Enterprise & Executive Communications when broader visibility or reputational considerations require it.
Coordinate communications partners, including Enterprise & Executive, Member & Employee, Digital, Central Marketing, and agency teams, to deliver aligned storytelling, PR campaigns, digital and channel execution, and stakeholder engagement.
Drive disciplined execution by clarifying objectives, audiences, messages, owners, channels, and timing, and ensure deliverables meet quality, brand, and business standards.
Identify and escalate emerging business-unit issues; lead issues-management mitigation, response planning, execution, and business reputation protection in partnership with Enterprise & Executive Communications.
Measure communications effectiveness using quantitative and qualitative insights to assess reach, understanding, stakeholder response, and contribution to desired outcomes.