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Description
The Opportunity
Wal-Mart is seeking an innovative, out-of-the-box thinker to lead the company's global stakeholder engagement strategy. The Senior Director will help pioneer a new model of how Wal-Mart works with outside stakeholders resulting in fundamental changes in how the company does business.
Wal-Mart is now the largest retailer in the world with $256.3 billion in sales in the fiscal year ending January 31, 2004. The company employs 1.6 million Associates worldwide through more than 3,600 facilities in the U.S. and 2,200 internationally (in Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Puerto Rico and the United Kingdom). If Wal-Mart were a country it would be the 20th largest in the world; if it were a city, it would be the fifth largest in the U.S.
Wal-Mart's size and scope have created a unique opportunity for the company to leverage its resources in new and different ways that create value for shareholders and have a positive impact on stakeholders worldwide. The company has recently embarked on an ambitious and innovative effort to incorporate stakeholder engagement into its core business model.
Over the course of the last year, senior leaders in the company gathered input from key global stakeholders to better understand their concerns, the company's impact on the world and society, and what leadership means for Wal-Mart in the 21st century. Summary information on this process and the company's specific commitments and work in the areas of the environment, product sourcing, healthcare, wages, community involvement and diversity, can be found in the text of a recent speech -- 21st Century Leadership -- given by Wal-Mart's CEO Lee Scott. www.walmartstores.com/Files/21st%20Century%20Leadership.pdf
The Senior Director of Stakeholder Engagement will play a critical role in helping the company take the next step and create a new model of business engagement that uses market-based changes to create societal value. The position will report to Wal-Mart's Vice President of Corporate Strategy. The position will have frequent and informal interactions with many senior Company Officers, up to and including the Chief Executive Officer.
Position Summary
The Senior Director will be responsible for leading and developing the company's proactive engagement with external stakeholders globally including non profits, non-governmental organizations, academics and government agencies. This job is about creating change and there is an expectation of bold and significant results. Everything will be on the table for discussion.
The primary responsibilities include:
* Strategy and Leadership. Understand Wal-Mart's competitive advantages in order to find innovative and strategic ways for the company to create positive change for its Associates, communities, the environment and future generations.
* Best Practices. Identify global "best" practices in corporate responsibility by tracking and analyzing those that are most relevant and linked to Wal-Mart's goal of being as competitive and innovative as possible. Initial focus will be on issues related to the company's approach to the environment, product sourcing, healthcare, wages, community involvement and diversity, and other issues as identified.
* Stakeholder Mapping. Map complex set of stakeholders across global markets and functions (e.g., in the areas of sourcing, environment, ethics, and healthcare).
* Stakeholder Engagement. Lead stakeholder engagement for the company by developing approaches to engagement, collaboration, and innovation that create new value for the company and society. Lead stakeholder outreach initiatives, dialogue, and other forms of engagement to understand key concerns and interests. Proactively build strategic alliances and coalitions with key constituency groups whose work and missions are aligned with Wal-Mart's priorities.
* Business Integration. Develop engagement capabilities within the organization to improve business practices and help drive business unit strategy. Educate and link different groups and functions in company. Build stakeholder engagement capacity internally. Ensure the implementation of policies, strategies and programs globally.
* Risk/Benefit Analysis. Frame the societal and business risks and opportunities the stakeholder landscape represents for Wal-Mart so that it informs corporate strategy. Assess, prioritize, proactively monitor and address potential challenges and risks. Elevate emerging issues where necessary.
* Strategic Counsel. Provide Wal-Mart leadership with advice and counsel regarding "best" practices and strategies for stakeholder engagement.
* Communications. Represent the company in diverse, complex, and high profile situations globally.
* Management. Provide direct supervision to subordinate staff. Manage contracts with consultants and contractors that support the stakeholder engagement work.
* Travel. 25-50% travel in U.S. and internationally. Minimum 50% time in Bentonville, AK.
Qualifications
The ideal candidate will have progressive and significant experience in stakeholder engagement and be an innovative, out-of-the-box thinker able to translate new ideas into action in a corporate setting. Critical to success will be a broad proactive mindset, exceptional listening, framing and strategic abilities, and superb skills at creating new possibilities. Strong preference for a business background.
Core Qualifications
* Progressive and significant experience in and previous responsibility for stakeholder engagement (7-10 years).
* Progressive experience in representing a company to and coalition-building with a wide variety of domestic and international constituencies. Proven ability to forge unique partnerships and initiatives with diverse internal and external constituents.
* Strong existing networks of stakeholder relationships a must.
* Sophisticated knowledge and understanding of the corporate social responsibility and stakeholder landscape globally, e.g., government, non-governmental, research/think tank, community stakeholders, etc., and in issue areas of importance to Wal-Mart, e.g., employment, healthcare, community involvement, product sourcing, diversity, environmental impact, etc.
* Exceptional strategic thinking capabilities specifically around societal issues. Highly developed ability to think strategically about opportunities and challenges at the intersection of business and society. This includes bringing a broad perspective and using whole systems thinking.
* Ability to create context for collaboration and innovation including excellent listening skills.
* Demonstrated ability to lead initiatives and project teams.
* Ability to motivate and mentor others within work groups.
* A thorough foundation in business and a solid understanding of how corporations operate.
Personal Qualifications/Attributes
* Energetic, committed and results-oriented. A self-starter with a very strong work ethic.
* A team player with outstanding leadership skills and the willingness to mentor and motivate others. Willingness and track record of a contributor.
* Innovative thinker who can constructively challenge conventional ways of thinking.
* Excellent written communications skills; excellent verbal skills including public speaking, meeting facilitation and presentations.
* Ability to understand challenges or underlying concerns, share ideas and develop effective responses or elevate to higher management.
* Excellent interpersonal skills.
* Excellent advocacy and political skills.
* Ability to establish and meet deadlines; ability to establish clear priorities quickly.
* Excellent reputation for integrity and judgment.
* Creative and level-headed approach to leveraging corporate resources.
* Readiness to accept significant challenges; not daunted by setbacks and defeats; resilient.
Application Process
Interested applicants should send resume, cover letter and salary information by email.