Head of Corporate Affairs

Overview

Head of US Corporate Affairs Primark USA is growing: a decade after it opened its first store, the international retailer now has 34 stores in 13 states and 17 further leases already signed. The Head of Corporate Affairs, US, will lead Primark’s reputation and communications strategy in the US, spanning external and internal communications, public affairs, stakeholder engagement and strategic advisory.

As Primark continues its expansion across the US, this role will be central to building brand awareness, affinity, and trust with external audiences and stakeholders while engaging consumers and colleagues across our stores, distribution centers, and offices.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and own clear and compelling internal and external narrative for Primark US based on US strategic priorities aligned to the overall Primark company narrative to build brand awareness and affinity with colleagues and consumers.
• Operate as trusted adviser to the head of market and US leadership team, providing support and strategic counsel on all issues directly impacting the trust and reputation of the Primark business and stakeholders.
• Identify key areas of risk and opportunity for Primark across key stakeholders in its operating environment and build these into a proactive strategic communications plan for Primark, with the objective of building awareness of the Primark business, brand and strategy for growth.

• Partner with Marketing US team to build and deliver one integrated US brand strategy combining marketing and comms with shared objectives.
• Develop and deliver Primark US’s external communications strategy to support overarching US brand strategy.
• Identification, training and oversight of US spokespeople across all business areas and channel, aligned with US and global narratives. Day to day, this includes training and preparation of all Primark colleagues speaking to any media on behalf of Primark, and accountability to Primark global media policy on external media engagement.
• Develop and deliver Primark’s US stakeholder strategy across policy makers, industry bodies, corporate and consumer media.
• Own and deliver external communications activity to build awareness of Primark, uncover stories that build brand affinity, crisis and issues, reputation and risk management.
• Run a best-in-class 24/7 press office function, proactive and reactive, mapping and building trusted relationships with key regional and national media, managing and influencing them to build awareness of Primark with US shoppers and enhance the reputation of the business in market.
• Work with marketing team on brand campaigns and brand activations to drive storytelling, build reputation, and increase awareness through earned media. Identify business and consumer news story opportunities within the US market to feed into a aligned media strategy that maximizes opportunities to build Primark’s brand, profile and reputation.
• Deliver external corporate and consumer regional press activity and press releases in market for new stores, as defined by NSO playbook, including handling all on-site press visits and interviews for spokespeople.
• Work with Fashion Communications team on product and fashion PR earned media opportunities and paid broadcast opportunities to draft and review messaging to ensure consistent narrative and messaging across the brand.
• Provide strategic counsel on reputational issues and crisis situations, build a highly effective reactive communications function, designing an issues and crisis management plan in market, to anticipate, mitigate and manage reputational risk, with a consistent tone of voice and messaging across all channels.
• Co-lead in-market PR agency relationship to agree key accountabilities in market and identify any potential areas of overlap.
• Work closely with central CA function to ensure alignment across key issues and topics that impact the overall Corporate growth and equity narrative.

• Lead internal communications strategy for the US, ensuring colleagues across all locations are informed, engaged, and inspired by Primark’s purpose, strategy,…