Communications Manager - Creative Team Lead

The Communications Manager and Creative Team Lead manages the development and execution of creative content for stakeholder communications for Allstate Technology, Service and Ventures. ATSV has more than 8,000 people in North America, Northern Ireland and India, and the organization plays a critical role in Allstate’s business transformation. The organization includes technology, real estate and procurement professionals.

In this role, the Communications Manager is responsible for leading a creative content development team of graphic designers and writers. That team, called the Creative Hub, is responsible for conceiving, developing and distributing highly creative, consumer-grade content that captures attention and engages employees in their work and the company’s strategy. The Creative Hub works closely with a team of executive communications leads, who work with senior executives to engage employees in their respective organizations within ATSV

Key Responsibilities:

Communications Strategy Development:

• Building, leading, and developing a high-performing creative team, ensuring high productivity, the ability to lead multiple projects and deliver against multiple deadlines with the highest of quality and creativity
• Demonstrates strong business knowledge, leadership, and general management skills
• Experience with internal communications and external marketing, including editorial planning, calendaring, live meetings and events, creative and multi-media
• Ability to understand and translate strategies and priorities into engaging communications
• Experience developing and executing internal communication strategies which create an understanding of Allstate’s technology strategy and priorities, giving context around issues and initiatives, building employee engagement and helping people to understand their role and how it contributes to the success of Allstate, ultimately inspiring desired mindset shifts and behavior changes
• Significant knowledge and extensive experience in developing integrated strategies and initiatives across an enterprise that implements best practices; optimizing the delivery of content and use of resources
• Knowledge of the insurance industry, with special emphasis on technology organizations, to support Allstate management
• Demonstrates in-depth understanding of target audience, highly effective writing style and expertise in high-impact messaging to a wider more strategic audience.
• Experience benchmarking “best-in-class” communications programs and initiatives and using excellent judgment to apply these to the Allstate and technology context
• Responsible for translating the company’s technology strategy into a communication strategy that connects to the hearts and minds of ATSV employees
• Drive positive culture change through development, integration, and optimization of contemporary communication that supports ATSV’s strategies and initiatives and drives alignment behind the company’s shared vision and strategic priorities. Utilizes web, mobile, social, and digital communication channels.
• Demonstrates expertise for development and implementation and measurement of complex integrated marketing communication programs, including analyzing research/data inputs, development marketing strategy and communication plan.
• Provide work direction and business context to ensure employees understand the link between their work and ATSV goals and strategies
• Direct and influence team members to adopt new communication innovations, ideas, and processes

Project Management:

• Consistently plans, implements, manages, and/or sponsors highly complex projects 
• Coordinates and evaluates project controls and tracks/analyzes project impact 
• Communicates and presents project information to project team as well as providing presentation/updates to senior-level management 
• Actively builds strong relationships among teams and team members to ensure cooperation on project objectives 
• Manages all-project-related expenses 
• Supports governance process

Key Responsibilities (continued):

Manage Human Resources:

• Assesses and anticipates resource needs including skills and education requirements (when leading project teams and/or managing direct reports) 
• Directs and is responsible for work that needs to be performed by a team(s) and/or their direct reports 
• Adheres to company’s management practices and processes 
• Supports and executes performance management and development plans for all direct reports 
• Participates in and provides input for succession planning 
• Actively involved in talent development for a department 
• Implements the Company’s Affirmative Action goals for the selection, education, development and promotion of minority group members and women

Preferred Qualifications:

Education and Experience:

• 8+ years’ experience required 
• Bachelor’s degree required, Communication, English, or Journalism degree preferred 
• Master’s degree preferred 
• Previous management experience a plus

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations:

• None required

Functional Skills:

• Proficient in Microsoft Office 
• Working knowledge of design software like Adobe Creative Suite is a plus, but not required 
• Strong communication and project management skills required