Lead Consultant, Media and Issues Management

At Allstate, great things happen when our people work together to protect families and their belongings from life’s uncertainties. And for more than 90 years, our innovative drive has kept us a step ahead of our customers’ evolving needs. From advocating for seat belts, air bags and graduated driving laws, to being an industry leader in pricing sophistication, telematics, and, more recently, device and identity protection.

Job Description

We are seeking a Lead Consultant for Media and Issues Management who will be responsible for crisis and issues communications for the western half of the country. The ideal candidate will have experience with proactive media engagement, crisis and issues PR, and a demonstrated history of protecting the reputation of large companies and organizations. This role will report to Allstate’s director of corporate reputation.

Candidates located in Chicago, Illinois strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Communications Expert for Local Markets: Build a deep understanding of Allstate’s presence in your markets by working closely with state teams to plan for newsworthy events and activities. Advise state teams on media strategy, messaging and potential issues. Identify opportunities for proactive storytelling and prepare for challenging topics in your region.

• Crisis and Issues Preparedness: Support Allstate’s ability to mitigate and respond to issues by building communications preparedness plans, enhancing reputation threat detection systems, and developing case studies on notable issues to help the company detect, prepare for, and prevent reputation issues.

• Media Engagement: Understand local media markets to help ensure Allstate is represented fairly. Build relationships with key reporters in priority markets to help shape reporting and identify opportunities.

• Catastrophe Response Communications : Lead the development and execution of communications plans when major catastrophes occur. Work closely with partners to tell the story of how Allstate is responding to protect and support customers.

• Ensure Accurate Reporting : Maintain awareness of insurance reporting in local markets to correct reports that include inaccurate or misleading information about Allstate. Be vigilant and appropriately aggressive to ensure reporting is accurate.

• Communicate Allstate’s Support of Customers : Work with local teams and Allstate’s Claims team to investigate and respond to news stories about customer issues.

• Monitoring & Reporting : Partner with Allstate’s measurement and insights team to track media coverage across the region, analyze sentiment and provide regular insights to state leadership to adjust strategies and responses as necessary.

• Skills :

  • Strong written and verbal communication skills.

  • Expertise in building relationships with local/regional media and understanding their landscapes.

  • Experience managing media during crises and providing strategic counsel.

  • Ability to thrive under pressure and make quick, informed decisions.

  • Strong sense of evolving social issues and current events.

  • Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and collaborate with senior leaders and cross-functional teams.

  • Familiarity with media monitoring tools and digital platforms.

Experience

• 5 or more years of experience in media relations, issues management, public relations or corporate communications Preferred.

#LI-SP2

Skills

Brand Communications, Collaboration, Communication, Communications Strategy, Corporate Branding, Crisis Communication Management, Cross-Team Collaboration, Internal Communications, Media Reporting, News Stories, Problem Solving, Public Relations (PR), Strategic Communication Planning

Compensation

Base compensation offered for this role is $80,000 -$124,600 annually and is based on experience and qualifications.

*** Total compensation for this role is comprised of several factors, including the base compensation outlined above, plus incentive pay (i.e. commission, bonus, etc.) as applicable for the role.

The candidate(s) offered this position will be required to submit to a background investigation.

Joining our team isn’t just a job — it’s an opportunity. One that takes your skills and pushes them to the next level. One that encourages you to challenge the status quo. One where you can shape the future of protection while supporting causes that mean the most to you. Joining our team means being part of something bigger – a winning team making a meaningful impact.

Allstate generally does not sponsor individuals for employment-based visas for this position.

Effective July 1, 2014, under Indiana House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1242, it is against public policy of the State of Indiana and a discriminatory practice for an employer to discriminate against a prospective employee on the basis of status as a veteran by refusing to employ an applicant on the basis that they are a veteran of the armed forces of the United States, a member of the Indiana National Guard or a member of a reserve component.

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Allstate provides a comprehensive technology setup, including a laptop, monitors, headset, keyboard, and mouse. Employees eligible to work from home also receive a monthly connectivity reimbursement to help offset internet costs.

When working from home, you must have a dedicated, private workspace free from distractions, along with appropriate desk and seating. Reliable internet is required, with minimum speeds of 50 MB download and 5 MB upload.