Vice President, Public Affairs - Communications & Sustainability

job purpose:

As a member of the fairlife Executive Leadership Team (ELT) and The Coca-Cola Company North America PACS Leadership Team, this role will be responsible for driving an integrated approach to Public Affairs, Communications, and Sustainability for the fairlife business in the US and Canada. The VP, PACS will help fairlife to further our sustainability agenda in support of broader TCCC goals, strengthen relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external), and safeguard fairlife's reputation through proactive and reactive strategies, ensuring alignment with the brand's mission to "nourish the modern world." This leader will also provide ad hoc support to the Coca-Cola juice business.

This leader will operate at both strategic and operational levels, fostering strong collaboration between fairlife, The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC), and key stakeholders. They will play a pivotal role in shaping fairlife's narrative, enabling public engagement, and partnering with internal teams to advance business goals while ensuring alignment with consumer, societal, and regulatory needs.

responsibilities:

Public Affairs & Advocacy

• Position fairlife as a leader in the dairy industry by actively engaging with key industry groups, trade associations, and stakeholders, and partnering with the Coca-Cola NA PACs team to engage with federal and state policymakers in the US and in Canada. Collaborate to advance shared priorities around sustainability, animal welfare, ethical farming practices, ingredient regulation, farm labor and innovation in dairy. Ensure fairlife's leadership within the dairy industry adds value to The Coca-Cola Company's broader agenda and does so in a complementary, non-competitive manner.

• Build and strengthen farm-level relationships and partnerships with key dairy stakeholders to champion fairlife's commitment to ethical and responsible practices. Drive focus on initiatives that elevate animal welfare, human rights, and sustainable farming within the dairy supply chain. Foster open and transparent communication with dairy cooperatives, ensuring alignment, trust, and shared progress toward common objectives.

• Partner closely with The Coca-Cola Company teams on all government and regulatory engagements, ensuring alignment with Coca-Cola's advocacy framework while driving fairlife's leadership agenda as a trusted voice in the dairy sector. Advocate for fairlife's priorities in a way that enhances Coca-Cola's system reputation and builds collaborative partnerships with lawmakers, regulators, NGOs, and other stakeholders.

• Actively monitor and provide guidance on emerging regulatory or policy developments that may impact fairlife's business, both independently and as part of broader initiatives led by The Coca-Cola Company. Focus on areas such as agriculture, sustainability, animal welfare, and food and beverage manufacturing to ensure fairlife remains at the forefront of industry transformation.

Crisis Management & Reputation Stewardship

• Serve as the primary leader responsible for safeguarding fairlife's reputation during crises and high-stakes issues.

• Oversee crisis communications strategy, planning, and execution, ensuring readiness to effectively and transparently manage reputational risks in line with The Coca-Cola Company's procedures.

• Proactively identify emerging issues that may impact fairlife and The Coca-Cola Compay's reputation and lead efforts to mitigate risk, in lockstep partnership with TCCC's PACS team.

Communications & Brand Reputation

• Develop and execute strategies for internal communications to keep employees informed, engaged, and aligned with fairlife's mission, vision, and business goals.

• Lead executive communications for the CEO and other key leaders, crafting impactful messaging and thought leadership that strengthens fairlife's voice within the Coca-Cola system, the business community, and beyond. Also provide support to the juice team in this space, and collaborate closely with brand PR counterparts in juice.

• Oversee brand public relations to elevate fairlife's visibility as an innovative brand, engaging media, influencers, and social channels to amplify key narratives.

• Act as the company spokesperson as needed for media engagements, public forums, and community speaking opportunities.

Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

• Drive fairlife's sustainability plan, ensuring alignment with The Coca-Cola Company's overarching sustainability strategy/priorities and addressing evolving consumer and stakeholder expectations.

• Lead development and progress tracking of fairlife's key environmental, social, and governance (ESG) priorities, including carbon reduction, water stewardship, responsible sourcing, animal welfare, human rights, packaging innovation, and waste reduction.

• Oversee fairlife's community presence in the Chicago market, deepening the company's connections with the local community and positioning fairlife and Coca-Cola as the employer of choice in the marketplace.

• Partner with key functions (e.g., Operations, Marketing, Supply Chain) to embed sustainability deeply into business and brand strategies, ensuring that purpose-driven initiatives create measurable impact.

Stakeholder Engagement & Governance

• Build and nurture productive relationships with internal stakeholders across fairlife and TCCC, ensuring cohesion between local, regional, and system-wide priorities.

• Represent fairlife and juice when needed on the North America TCCC PACS Leadership Team, contributing to enterprise-level initiatives and ensuring alignment between fairlife and The Coca-Cola Company's strategies.

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams within fairlife and TCCC, aligning PACS strategies with commercial, operational, and marketing goals.

skills/qualifications required:

• 15+ years of leadership experience in public affairs, corporate communications, sustainability, or related functions, ideally within the food, beverage, or consumer goods industries.

• Demonstrated ability to lead and execute both proactive and reactive public affairs and communications strategies in high-visibility organizations.

• Experience navigating complex stakeholder environments, including policymakers, regulators, industry associations, NGOs, and community organizations.

• Extensive experience leading crisis response and managing reputational risks, including media relations, issue monitoring, and cross-functional coordination under pressure.

• Executive Leadership & Stakeholder Management:

• Proven ability to work collaboratively with senior leadership teams, influence across functions, and engage effectively at the C-suite level.

• Experience representing a company at public forums, with the media, or as a spokesperson.

• Experience aligning sustainability goals with business growth strategies and consumer expectations.

• Strong knowledge of the Chicago market dynamics, with experience cultivating impactful relationships with local community leaders, partners, and organizations.

• Experience leading teams, coaching & developing individuals to unlock stronger performance, building a fun team culture, cultivating individual career & development plans.

• Strategic Agility & Influence: Ability to think holistically, anticipate emerging trends, and build cross-functional buy-in for forward-thinking strategies.

• Exceptional Communication: Outstanding storytelling, writing, and presentation skills with the ability to craft compelling narratives for diverse audiences.

• Collaborative Leadership: Inclusive and team-oriented approach, capable of building strong relationships within fairlife, the Coca-Cola system, and external communities.

• Solutions-Oriented Mindset: Resilient and calm under pressure, with a focus on proactive problem-solving and delivering measurable results.

• Growth Mindset: Eagerness to challenge the status quo, embrace innovation, and bring fresh thinking to fairlife's PACS function.

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Comfort using metrics to guide sustainability reporting, communications outcomes, and stakeholder engagement performance.
  

position location: Chicago, IL

reports to:CEO

travel requirements:20%