Public Affairs, Communication, & Sustainability Director

Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) presents an exciting opportunity for a seasoned executive with experience in public affairs, government stakeholder management, and communication, to join the PACS team at CCBA. This role will play a significant part in leading initiatives around corporate citizenship, sustainability, and regulatory activities across Ethiopia’s business unit. The successful applicant will be reporting into the Managing Director for Ethiopia. CCBA is the largest African Coca-Cola bottler, accounting for 40% of all Coca-Cola volumes on the continent. CCBA is a Non-Alcoholic Ready to Drink market leader with an extensive footprint in Africa, employing over 17 000 employees and serving a combined population of over 300 million people across the continent. We conduct ourselves with the utmost integrity for shared value and the greater good. We are a world class, customer-orientated, socially and environmentally conscious fast-moving consumer goods company that is driven by engaged, motivated and inspired employees. Key Purpose : The PACS Director will be responsible for building and maintaining strong, strategic relationships with key external stakeholders, including business partners, government entities, industry leaders, and the media. This role will focus on enhancing the company’s reputation, advancing its public relations strategy, and promoting its corporate social responsibility initiatives. The PACS Director will work closely with senior leadership to align external communications with business objectives, drive brand advocacy, and identify opportunities for collaboration and growth. Through effective stakeholder engagement and brand positioning, the PACS Director will help strengthen the company’s market presence, influence, and long-term success. Organisational Structure: The role will report to the Managing Director for Ethiopia. Key Responsibilities: PACS Country Thought Leadership & Strategy Research global and local trends in corporate reputation, regulatory affairs, and sustainability, introducing innovative ideas and keeping all stakeholders updated. Consultation and Networking: Consult on corporate reputation, communication, and sustainability, building networks and representing the company at conferences. Workshops and Training: Organise and lead workshops and training sessions on sustainability best practices. Strategy Execution: Collaborate on corporate strategies, set annual metrics, manage project budgets for sustainability initiatives, and monitor and report progress of PACS projects to senior management and Group PACS. Actively drive Corporate Citizenship, acting as a responsible corporate citizen, ensuring that all actions and initiatives align with the broader PACS team's goals and objectives. Regulatory Affairs Monitor Compliance by managing relationships with regulators to protect licensing and mitigate business risks. Ensure effective local public policy development through collaboration with regulatory, risk, and respective functional heads to align sustainability initiatives with risk management and supply chain policies. Participate and coordinate necessary regular audits of sustainability practices, ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements and recommending improvements. Sustainability Develop local strategy and lead the development and execution of country sustainability plans across various functions, aligning with group-wide standards. Identify and adopt innovative sustainability initiatives, implement pilot projects, and execute sustainability projects from conceptualisation to reporting. Foster a culture of sustainability through communication, education, and partnerships with relevant in-market sustainability partners and industry bodies. Performance Measurement: Identify sustainability and social responsibility frameworks, set target metrics, and track progress. Provide data for annual sustainability reports and contribute insights into corporate and regulatory reports. Stakeholder Relations & Communications Develop regional and country partnerships, collaborating with key stakeholders (TCCC, government, vendors, beneficiaries, internal functions) to support effective stakeholder engagement and strategy and corporate reputation. Execute country internal and external corporate communication strategy and plans, manage IMCR reputation response, and mobilise employees behind the business strategy. Identify public relations opportunities, enhance corporate identity, and meet regularly with the PAC team to report progress and brainstorm solutions. Outcomes will be measured by: EBIT Preventable Fatalities Internal Audit Rating (IA Rating) GDAT Compliance PET Collection Supply Assurance of Raw Water Reputation Sentiment Demonstrate Carbon Footprint Reduction Advocacy against Increases in Taxes Water Replenishment Qualifications, Experience & Skills: Qualifications & Experience: A tertiary degree in Business Management, Communication, Sustainability, Policy Development or Political studies. Experience: Minimum 10 years’ experience in a manufacturing or production environment with at least 6 years focused on working in one or more in focus area in the Environmental and Sustainability domains. Skills: Full understanding and co development of PACS’ strategy, cross-functional implications and interdependencies. Regulatory Affairs: Managing relationships with regulators to protect licensing and mitigate business risks Strategic Communication: Creating and sharing messages to inform and engage audiences. Media Relations: Building good relationships with the media for positive coverage. Crisis Management: Handling negative press to protect the organisation’s image. Stakeholder Engagement: Connecting with the public, officials, and groups to build positive relationships. Content Creation: Making engaging content for social media, press releases, and other platforms. Sustainability Agenda: Create and share the environmental agenda and impact. Policy Analysis: Understanding sustainability policies to guide decisions. Environmental Impact Assessment: Evaluating and communicating the environmental effects of activities. Stakeholder Collaboration: Working with others to develop sustainable practices. Continuous Learning: Keeping up with the latest trends in sustainability and communication.