Jobs
Public & Government Affairs Manager Vacancy at The Dow Chemical Company
Dow (NYSE: DOW) combines the power of science and technology to
passionately innovate what is essential to human progress. The Company
is driving innovations that extract value from the intersection of
chemical, physical and biological sciences to help address many of the
world's most
challenging problems such as the need for clean water,
clean energy generation and conservation, and increasing agricultural
productivity.
Dow's integrated, market-driven, industry-leading portfolio of specialty
chemical, advanced materials, agrosciences and plastics businesses
delivers a broad range of technology-based products and solutions to
customers in approximately 180 countries and in high growth sectors such
as packaging, electronics, water, coatings and agriculture. In 2013,
Dow had annual sales of more than $57 billion and employed approximately
53,000 people worldwide. The Company's more than 6,000 products are
manufactured at 201 sites in 36 countries across the globe.
The Dow Chemical Company is recruiting to fill the position below:
Job Title: Manager, Public & Government Affairs
Job ID: 1700356
Location: Lagos
Job Descriptions
- Dow sees Africa as crucial to the company’s future growth and
business success. We are proud that our solutions have been part of this
growth across industries, whether it is in agriculture, infrastructure,
energy, or manufacturing.
- We have been operating in Africa for over 50 years and we are
passionate about combining the power of science and technology to create
solutions that forward human progress.
- We are constantly looking at ways to help address many of the
world's most challenging problems such as the need for clean water,
renewable energy generation and conservation, and increasing
agricultural productivity.
- Africa is one the two most politically tumultuous regions in the
world. For our fast growing operations in sub-Saharan Africa we have an
opportunity for Public & Government Affairs manager West Africa
(f/m) to be located in Lagos, Nigeria.
- This role is responsible for building and strengthening the Dow
brand (internal/external) in Ghana, Nigeria and the broader West Africa
region, in line with business development priorities and activities.
This includes counselling (senior) leaders and Public & Government
Affairs colleagues on implementation of the strategy as well as
leveraging best practices, learnings’ and tactics when and where
appropriate.
- The incumbent needs to have a strategic mindset, methodical
manner, capable of ensuring adequate processes are in place for
rationalizing tactical activities and ensure Public & Government
Affairs in Sub-Saharan Africa continues to play a strategic role.
This position reports to:
- Public & Government Affairs Leader for Sub-Saharan Africa, based in Johannesburg, South Africa.
Specific Responsibilities
Public Affairs:
- Develop a comprehensive strategic Public Affairs strategy and
lead its implementation, developing an annual calendar of activities
including external communications programs and actives including (trade)
media engagement, trade show and conferences, thought leadership
positioning in media and speaking platforms, customer engagements -
campaigns and events, executive communications support, social media,
literature creation and production.
- Manage Corporate Social Responsibility in West Africa and
leverage those across the region to build, maintain and enhance local
relationships and reputation.
- Deliver employee communications - within the business in the region and between the region and the global business.
- Agency and supplier management.
- Develop business case studies to serve as proof points for
geographic Public Affairs or corporate messaging where geographic
examples are required (innovation, sustainability, etc).
- Develop tailored value propositions, key messages and proof points to be used as regional specific messages.
- Identify (trade) press relevant for Dow and establish relationships with key media.
- Identify and recommend trade fair and conference participation
critical for positioning and promotion Dow in our strategic key markets.
Government Affairs:
- The preferred candidate has an in-depth understanding of
political and economic processes as well as thorough knowledge of the
political economy of at least one of the regions. She/he will need to
possess an analytical mind backed by extensive engagement at a policy
level - preferably across disciplines.
Specific Responsibilities
- Develop a comprehensive strategic Government Affairs strategy and lead its implementation.
- Build a strong corporate profile amongst key government and political decision makers.
- Develop and implement advocacy plans that target key issues and government challenges for the company.
- Work closely with the country General Managers and other
geographic leaders to ensure that the organization’s interests are best
represented and moved forward within governmental circles.
- Align objectives and strategies with the Global and Regional Public and Government Affairs functions.
- Provide political analysis and expertise to owners of country strategy.
- Identify key risks and work with stake holders to ameliorate them.
- Develop tailored value propositions, key messages and proof points to be used as regional specific messages.
- Harness existing DOW relationships with key stakeholders
including national, regional and international policy makers,
bureaucrats as well as industry associations and NGO’s.
- Work with appropriate trade and industry associations,
lobbyists, consultants and vendors to drive business and influence
decisions impacting the business.
Competencies most critical for this Job
Interpersonal Effectiveness:
- Make decisions that balance the needs, priorities and viewpoints of a global organization.
- Help others in communicating their ideas more effectively.
- Work with a strong team orientation to leverage and support.
- Demonstrates superior interpersonal skills and can operate
effectively with all levels of management both internally and
externally.
- Make decisions that balance the needs, priorities and viewpoints of a global organization.
Communications Expertise:
- Proactively develops, executes and takes ownership of complex,
multi-stakeholder Public Affairs/Government Affairs communications
plans.
- Develops creative campaigns/programs that change attitudes and behavior in various stakeholders.
- Proactively develops written Public Affairs/Government Affairs
communication plans and recommends to management. Understands clients'
priorities/ business strategy/plans.
- Advises others in Dow on message/tactic development.
Collaborating for Superior Results:
- Candidate must be able to effectively collaborate with
Government Affairs and Public Affairs within the region and have
credibility to influence the client and peers in the function outside
the region.
- Work effectively in an environment of collaboration through
purposeful coordination of communication programs across Public Affairs
and Government Affairs.
Leading Courageously:
- Candidate to be able to demonstrate effectiveness and focus on
priorities in face of change (unplanned events, cancellation of events,
late notice exec visits, people changes). Be comfortable to take
calculated risks to commit deliverables and achieve success for comm
programs where no precedent exists.
- Have credibility and confidence to challenge business or
function on actions not in support of Dow/regional objectives and lead
process to resolve conflicting views.
Delivering Innovative Solutions:
- Candidate to be creative and resourceful in developing solutions.
- As emerging geography, priorities and focus can shift quickly
and the incumbent must be able to adapt quickly and adjust priorities
while maintaining focus on strategic imperatives.
Generating Customer Value:
- Candidate to be focused on understanding Dow’s strategy and
business objectives in order to be able to define messaging and projects
that are customer driven and differentiate Dow. Use the knowledge of
geo/political drivers in key geographies and to shape business comm
priorities that address local themes and resonate with local target
audiences (i.e., infrastructure development, job creation, water
shortage, etc).
- Seek cross business, cross function, cross geo approach to deliver customer solutions.
Critical Success Factors:
- Mastery of multiple communications disciplines and in-depth
knowledge of all related and unrelated internal and external influences.
- Ability to understand and balance commercial, Public Affairs, Government Affairs and business priorities.
- Apply expertise of local communication practices to provide
credible counsel to commercial and sales leadership and influence
communication strategy driven from outside the region.
- Appreciation for sales and business drivers and processes to deliver comm plans that fit with the commercial practices.
- Exhibit confidence and leadership with logical rationale to
build support required for communication recommendations to clients, PA
peers and global business communicators.
- Coach executives and representatives in effective communication with the media and public at large.
- Proven project management experience to deliver on time and on budget.
- Understanding of strategy for Dow and the Dow businesses to
translate into meaningful and impactful business comm strategy in the
region.
- Recognized by clients, peers and global industry communication leaders as expert on effective local communication practices.
- Ability to build network and work effectively within the business and function with colleagues inside and outside the region.
Qualifications
- Mass Communications, Journalism, Political Science, Economics, Law, Master of Arts.
- Experience with several Dow businesses or similar businesses externally– B2B experience is a plus.
- Experience in more than one geography, i.e. Europe, Middle East, North Africa etc.
- Language: Strong English language skills – written and verbal. Knowledge of French is a plus.
- Minimum of 8 years regional experience as a Public Affairs/Government Affairs manager in an emerging market.
- Strong agency experience is preferred.
Job Information and Working Condition
- Full time position with regional responsibilities.
- Some out of country/town and overnight travel is required.
Dow Offers:
- Competitive salaries and comprehensive benefits
- Career experiences that can span different Dow businesses and functions with opportunities for personal and professional growth
- The chance to work within a global company and interact with colleagues from around the world
- Opportunities that spark your imagination and ignite your passion to help others
- Dow is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
- An annual variable pay program that rewards team and individual performance while sharing success across the company
- Employee stock ownership - and the commitment to long-term success that it brings
- On-going learning opportunities within a diverse, inclusive and rewarding work environment
