Manager, Earned Influence & Brand PR

Kellanova•Chicago, IL

1d•$108,160 - $141,960

About The Position

The Manager, Earned Influence & Brand PR leads earned- and influence-led brand initiatives that drive reputation, awareness, and growth across the Tasty & Wholesome portfolio, including Eggo®, Rice Krispies Treats®, and Pop-Tarts® in the US and Canada. The role covers earned media, strategic partnerships, brand storytelling, internal engagement, executive visibility, content creation, and reputation management. It develops high-impact campaigns informed by data-driven insights and cultural relevance to strengthen brand equity and drive growth. Reporting to the Senior Director, Corporate Affairs, the position is a key member of the Mars Snacking Accelerator Corporate Affairs Team. It partners with senior leaders, cross-functional and regional teams—including Corporate Affairs, Marketing, Sustainability, and Canada—as well as PR agency partners and the Integrated Agency Team (IAT). The role helps shape culturally relevant brand communications, identify opportunities for brands to spark trends and movements, and balance proactive communications with issues and reputation-management support.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience.
Strong experience in external communications, brand public relations, journalism, or related disciplines.
Strong experience in agency management, cross-functional leadership, and operational delivery, including working with internal and external stakeholders in a large, highly matrixed organization.
Proven ability to develop and execute culturally relevant brand campaigns with measurable impact.
Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling capabilities.
Strong project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
Sound editorial judgment, discretion, and attention to detail.
Experience supporting executive communications and reputation management.
Ability to travel as needed.
Permanent legal authorization to work in the United States; employment visa sponsorship is not provided.

Nice To Haves

Agency and/or brand PR background.
Consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry experience is strongly valued.

Responsibilities

Support integrated brand communications, strategic partnerships, programming, and sustainability initiatives that increase awareness of Mars and its Tasty & Wholesome brands.
Serve as the earned media and influence expert across brand IATs and internal cross-functional forums, supporting proactive and reactive media relations, partnerships, creator engagement, events, and earned-first storytelling.
Monitor media trends, consumer feedback, industry insights, emerging topics, and reputational risks; support communications planning, social listening, and media reporting during issues and crisis situations.
Own the Brand Communications editorial calendar and align content and planning timelines internally and externally.
Develop, edit, and distribute communications materials, including press releases, key messages, Q&A documents, media statements, social posts, presentations, and speeches.
Identify opportunities to amplify key brand moments internally and drive Associate pride.
Support executive visibility for Tasty & Wholesome leaders by identifying positioning opportunities and developing messaging, interview materials, speaking briefings, and leadership communications assets.
Manage and inspire agency partners to deliver earned-first storytelling, cultural intelligence, and reputation impact.
Lead the awards process, including maintaining the target awards calendar, working with agencies, tailoring submissions, and ensuring timely reviews and applications.
Own and strategically lead the measurement and monitoring platform; champion standardized KPI frameworks and partner with regional markets on adoption, best practices, and North America utilization.
Manage Brand PR budget tracking, inputs, and monthly reporting processes.