Community Relations Specialist

Community Relations Specialist Job Description

Job Description

The Community Relations Specialist leads community engagement with employees across the enterprise by building and sustaining positive volunteer relationships with nonprofit organizations. Primary responsibilities include designing, managing, and executing over 100 volunteer opportunities annually for employees at headquarters, plants and facilities, as well as with retirees, interns, and our Board of Directors. This role partners heavily with the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion department through donations to local and national nonprofits and engaging employee resource groups (ERGs) and their members in volunteer efforts. The Community Relations Specialist also supports the Community Relations Manager with annual LOL Giving Week and in-kind donations to community partners across the enterprise.

Core Responsibilities

Employee Volunteer Programs

Plan, organize, and manage over 100 volunteer opportunities annually that closely align with community relations strategy, across the enterprise. Land O’Lakes employees donate over 23,000 volunteer hours annually, equivalent to a $800,000 dollar value back to our communities.

• Conduct volunteer engagement during particular occasions, including – but not limited to – holiday seasons, fall giving campaigns, Hunger Action Week, Earth Day, MN State Fair, and others as they arise
• Manage Dollars for Doers and Team Grant programs by tracking and approving employee volunteer hours for grant dollars to be rewarded to nonprofit organizations

• Act as key liaison to volunteer and giving platform vendor, YourCause, by supporting and increasing employee usage
• Working with direction from the Community Relations Manager, plan and execute annual Week of Service, a week devoted to LOL employees getting involved with volunteer service and elevating different nonprofit partners
• Manage Annual Community Gardens program
• Lead recognition efforts of employee volunteers and nominations of donations on behalf of plant/facility employees
• Oversight of $300K volunteerism budget; accountable for purchasing discretion and annual tracking of spend
• Create and e-distribute monthly volunteer messages to increase community engagement of employees and usage of online volunteer and giving platform

Facility, Plant and Remote Employee Relations

Over 6,000 of the 8,500 Land O’Lakes employees work somewhere other than headquarters in Arden Hills, MN. The community relations specialist fields broad inquiries about community engagement opportunities from individuals and teams across the company’s footprint in order to foster connections, belonging, and giving back to our local communities.

• Source and act as liaison to volunteer opportunities across the enterprise where employees live and work, including over 80+ Land O’Lakes facilities
• Attend monthly Field Inclusion meetings and present on opportunities for facility and plant employees to be involved in company-wide volunteer initiatives

• Lead the communication and budget spending associated with 30+ Fall giving campaigns at facilities, supporting these teams with ideation of creative and feasible giving opportunities for their employees
• Manage plant/facility food drives

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Community Relations department partners heavily with our DEI team as diversity, equity & inclusion are vital to Land O’Lakes success a company. In this role, the Community Relations Specialist works hand in hand with DEI department, and more specifically with the 11 employee resource groups (ERGs), through monetary donations, sponsorships, donation drives and volunteerism in order to elevate LOL’s impact in these communities both internally and externally.

• Support CR Manager as key liaison between community relations and ERGs by creating partnerships with local and national nonprofits in order for these groups and their members to make meaningful impact in communities
• Attend monthly Diversity Enrichment Council meetings to communicate upcoming employee engagement opportunities and act as a support function to all ERG leaders
• Manage and track $70K ERG budget, making all nonprofit donations and sponsorship payments on ERGs behalf after confirming 501c3 status
• Lead annual DEI Summit volunteer event and participate in planning committee

Support LOL Giving Week Campaign

Support the Community Relations Manager in planning and execution of fundraising activities with the annual employee giving campaign. Collaborate with cross-functional teams, plants & facilities, and retirees to support annual goal of investing over $1.8M into local communities.

• Lead Ambassador program, including recruitment, team assignment, kick-off meeting, communications, website and resources, and recognition of Ambassador’s efforts
• Provide support for different fundraising events as needed, such as golf tournament, week of activities, leadership lunch and kick-off events
• Plan, lead, and execute company-wide volunteer event the week prior to giving week kick-off
• Lead the communication and execution of retiree giving program annually

Additional Responsibilities

• Use rational decision-making skills to evaluate essential in-kind donations for local and national nonprofit organizations, including Land O’Lakes dairy product, Purina product, and promotional branded items
• Manage Community Relations Inbox, fielding wide range of correspondence and connecting opportunities across LOL and within community relations and foundation team
• Support the planning and execution of additional campaigns and fundraisers as they arise (i.e. disaster and humanitarian relief)
• Act as key contact for American Red Cross and lead blood drives at HQ campus
• Establish connections with key external partners to both learn from and highlight Land O’Lakes community relations programming
• Collaborate with communications team on articles and calendar events that highlight volunteer programs, employee champions, and service in the field
• Support promotion of Venture37 opportunities to Land O’Lakes, Inc. employees
• Train on GIFTs entry and provide backup support as needed to the Senior Foundation Specialist
• Work with Community Relations Manager to learn YourCause and provide support

Required Skills & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
• 1 or more years of relevant experience with community relations, corporate foundations and/or volunteer management
• 1 or more years of experience with project management, collaborating cross-functionally, and working with external partners
• Experience with organizing events, promoting engagement, and managing teams or volunteers
• Experience in nonprofit sector, fundraising, volunteer work or community-based roles is a plus
• Excellent interpersonal skills - including the ability to build rapport with diverse community groups and organizations
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills – comfortable with presentations and public speaking

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company maintains a drug-free workforce, including pre- and post-employment substance abuse testing pursuant to a Drug and Alcohol Policy.

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