Senior Manager, Communication Corporate Affairs, Finance, Analytics & Corporate Strategy

Work Location Type: Onsite 

As a leading industrial distributor with operations primarily in North America, Japan and the United Kingdom, We Keep The World Working® by serving more than 4.5 million customers worldwide with products delivered through innovative technology and deep customer relationships. With 2023 sales of $16.5 billion, we’re dedicated to providing value for customers, fostering an engaging culture for team members and driving strong financial results.

Our welcoming workplace enables you to learn, grow and make a difference by keeping businesses running and their people safe. As a 2024 Glassdoor Best Place to Work and a Great Place to Work-Certified™ company, we’re looking for passionate people to join our team as we continue leading the industry over our next 100 years.

Position Details:

Lead the development of strategic internal and leader communications, company communications programs, and support external communications as needed for one of Grainger's key business functions.

Manage audiences and partners simultaneously, while working collaboratively with leaders and team members in different positions from Executive leadership to the company's non-exempt team member base. Support the highest priority and most complex communications for the function.  You will report to the VP, Communications and Public Affairs and be expected to work in either Lake Forest or our Chicago, IL office 3 times per week.

You Will:

• Lead strategic planning, messaging and coordination of both functional communications and highly complex communication needs.
• Lead work and projects including: message development for key priorities and initiatives, creation and support of engagement strategies, large meeting leader communications support, company strategy deployment, and translating and tailoring relevant corporate content for distinct audience needs.
• Provide communications support to Functional Sr. Leadership. Support external communications efforts with leaders as needed.
• Foster open, honest, transparent communications between senior leaders, mid-level managers and non-exempt team members in ways that enhance engagement and service to customers.
• Create relevant strategic communication playbooks and templates to help leaders communicate with their teams and better scale communications resources to areas of greatest impact.
• Measure and assess the effectiveness of communications activities and improve communications channels. Use data to make decisions on future communications.
• Provide strategic oversight and direction to teams managing operational, deployment and change communications.
• Be an ambassador who builds relationships externally that promote the Grainger reputation with important partners and create broader awareness of Grainger's strategy and local presence.
• Handle sensitive or proprietary company information.
• Show up as a business leader beyond the role of communicator.
• See effects across communications and raise reputational risks.

You Have:

• 7+ years of experience providing strategic communications counsel for large, complex projects and change initiatives by understanding the needs of different audiences.
• Experience across multiple dimensions of communications, and a willingness to experiment with new ways to communicate.
• A track record of building relationships across all levels of the organization.
• Experience working in a matrixed environment and across multiple facilities and regions, and leading large-scale change communications projects.
• Experience with both executive and field roles.
• Experience with external communications.

Rewards and Benefits:

With benefits starting day one, Grainger is committed to your safety, health and wellbeing. Our programs provide choice and flexibility to meet our team members' individual needs. Check out some of the rewards available to you at Grainger.

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans
• PTO (Paid time off) and 6 company holidays per year
• Automatic 6% 401(k) company contribution each pay period
• Employee discounts, parental leave, 3:1 match on donations and tuition reimbursement
• A comprehensive set of emotional, financial, physical and social wellbeing programs

We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender, gender identity or expression, or veteran status. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible environment that includes both providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during the application and hiring process as well as throughout the course of one’s employment.  With this in mind, should you need a reasonable accommodation during the application and selection process, please advise us so that we can provide appropriate assistance.

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