Director, Communications - TravelCenters of America : Job Details

For more than 50 years, millions of professional truck drivers and motorists have called our travel centers home, depending on us daily for fuel, food, truck maintenance and essential services.

Now a part of the bp portfolio, TA is focused on growing its network of travel centers, implementing cutting edge technology and embarking on innovative alternative energy and sustainability initiatives.

From our locations across the country, to our corporate headquarters in Westlake, Ohio, every team member is a stakeholder in TA's success. This environment offers endless career opportunities for individuals interested in sharing their ideas, growing with the company and shaping TA's future.

Summary

The Communications Director leads a team to oversee a variety of internal and external communications initiatives. They are responsible for developing, leading, and delivering the TA strategic communications and engagement plan, aligned with bp's US Mobility & Convenience business priorities. In this role, the Communications Director will drive a consistent and thoughtful strategy for all external and internal communications in partnership with bp.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead a team of communications professionals in implementing internal and external communication initiatives that promote, enhance, and protect our brands and reputation, strengthen team member engagement and organizational culture, and engage external stakeholders.
• Through action and leadership, and in collaboration with the TA leadership team and People & Culture, analyze and build the organizational culture focusing on alignment, communication, recognition, and goals.
• Partner with the leadership team and People & Culture to ensure TA's retail organizational culture and values are visible, embedded, and upheld and effectively linked to the bp culture frame ‘who we are'.
• Lead, develop and deliver the overall communications agenda for TA in alignment with the entity vision and TA business strategy ensuring effective inclusion of key culture, change, engagement, and communications considerations.
• Serve as an advisor to the CEO and TA Leadership regarding internal and external communications that address specific needs and objectives. Oversee writing talking points, company-wide memos and speeches for CEO and senior management, developing content relevant to different audiences.
• Provide coaching to assist with preparation for internal town halls and external speaking engagements including conferences and media engagements.
• Partner with TA Leadership, and all functions across TA, to plan, launch and clearly communicate key initiatives that support delivery of the strategy and strategic deliverables.
• Manage and uphold bp's reputation with external stakeholders (media, government, investors and community) through relationship management and proactive and reactive stakeholder engagement. Create external communications strategy to enable TA Leadership to cultivate and enhance meaningful relationships with targeted and relevant external audiences.
• Lead communications issues management and crisis communications management for TA.
• Ensure that TA's internal and external communications are clear, consistent, coherent, and crafted for unique target audiences, fully adopting bp group communications policies and procedures.
• Active membership in the wider bp network to help provide an integrated approach to internal and external communications delivery and learn from best practice.
• Support organizational change management through thoughtful communications.
• Own team member engagement activities with support from People & Culture, overseeing strategic direction and coordination.
• In collaboration with the bp team, oversee media relations, including press release writing and story pitching. Manage TA content distribution strategy on various channels including the news wire, TA/bp website, Linkedin and targeted media outreach.
• Oversee TA's corporate giving initiatives to elevate team member engagement and brand awareness in the market.
• Serve as a company spokesperson, ensuring TA messaging is effectively and consistently communicated.
• Cultivate close relationships with team members to gather story ideas, and with key partners, media, and influencers in the industry.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience preferred. Advanced degree a plus.
• 10+ years of experience in communications preferred. 2+ years of supervisory experience a plus.
• Ability to build trust and manage external and internal stakeholder relationships.
• Demonstrate commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working environment.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities in a fast paced, team environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with a clear and consistent voice.

With us, you'll enjoy:

• Competitive wages and annual bonus opportunity
• Medical, dental, vision and life insurance
• 401(k) with a company match
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Tuition reimbursement
• A wide variety of discounts on technology, travel, food and fuel
• Opportunity for growth and advancement with company paid training

Not all benefit plans are available to all team members. For a more comprehensive list of benefits, please visit

Pay Range

$COMPENSATION.RANGE annually - A pay range listed reflects the potential pay for this role. The pay will depend on various factors, such as responsibilities of the position, job duties/requirements, and relevant experience and skills. Not all positions posted will have a pay range listed.

Our travel centers serve thousands every day; not one traveler is the same and our team must reflect that. We can return every traveler to the road better than they came only by understanding and celebrating individualism. TravelCenters of America is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless race, color, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, age, marital status, familial status, ancestry, sex, gender, pregnancy, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, mental or physical disability, handicap, military service or Veteran status, genetic information or membership in any other category protected by applicable federal, state or local law. At TravelCenters of America, we invite everyone to make themselves at home.

Individuals with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation related to our recruiting process. If you would like to request an accommodation related to the recruitment process, please email us at [email protected]. In your email, please include your first and last name, phone number, the position and location for which you are applying, and details pertaining to the accommodation request.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

In this role, the employee is continuously sitting and typing, frequently talking and using eye and hand coordination and may also be required to climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch or crawl. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move objects. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus. Standing, walking, bending over, and repetitive use of legs are done occasionally. All performed with or without a reasonable accommodation.

Disclaimer

This job description may not list all duties for this position. The incumbent in the position may be asked to perform other duties. TA Operating LLC reserves the right to revise the job description at any time. This job description is not a contract for employment, and either the incumbent or TA Operating LLC may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.