Issues Management Public Relations Manager

The Issues Management and Thought Leadership Public Relations Manager works across the organization to proactively address mission-critical issues with external audiences. The successful candidate will develop and implement impactful strategic communications plans and messaging that help bring WellStar's mission, vision and values to life. This motivated team player will work in a highly collaborative environment to ensure that their work is successfully deployed across Communications, other departments and outside partner organizations.

As a strong writer, this individual will work with C-suite executives and other subject matter experts to help shape thought leadership work that drives forward-looking narratives across the external, internal and clinical communications teams. Topical areas include but are not limited to public health issues and trends, development and adoption of innovation and technology, federal and state policies, urgent and crisis communications for issues including cybersecurity, and general challenges and opportunities concerning how health systems can make a positive impact in the communities they serve.

Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

Public and Media Relations, including:

• Strong writing capabilities for a variety of channels and audiences
• Strategic communications planning
• Issues Management planning and implementation for short and long-term situations
• Thought Leadership for C-suite and subject matter experts across all aspects of organizational strategy and communications
• Urgent and Crisis Communications planning and management
• Proactive and reactive organizational communications
• Reputation management
• Data-driven measurement and reporting
• Strong cross-functional collaboration
• Develop and/or conduct media and communications training for C-suite, subject matter experts and other spokespersons.
• Develop, ideate, and execute best-in-class corporate communications strategies utilizing earned, owned and social media channels.
• Work with senior leaders across the organization to develop POVs and short and long-term communications plans that advance key organizational and industry narratives.
• Actively engage, cultivate and manage press relationships to secure media coverage that promote key initiatives tied to our organizations strategic direction and imperatives.
• Monitors the effectiveness of campaigns and tactics and provides recommendations for continual improvement.
• Helps develop and maintain crisis communications plans.
• Attend educational and professional meetings and events.
• Manages relationships with media outlets.
• Promote best practice use of digital, social media strategies.
• Special Projects Management Anticipate reputational risk issues and develop and implement appropriate communication actions. Track and analyze media results.

Required Minimum Education:

• Bachelors Public Relations or Bachelors Journalism or Bachelors Communications Studies/Speech Communication and Rhetoric

Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

Required Minimum Experience:

• Minimum 7 years of corporate/organizational communications experience in developing and managing communication strategies Required and
• Proven success in engaging media outlets and key influencers. Demonstrated success in external audience messaging in a way that directly engages the traditional and new media outlets Required and
• Success in creating effective messaging for external audiences and translating complex information into compelling consumer-focused stories. Required and
• Expertise in highly successful external audience/media messaging. Required and
• Ability to function with ease in a complex system/company. Success with creating and implementing digital engagement tools Required

Required Minimum Skills:

• Skill and experience successfully working with local and national media to drive positive, consistent media coverage.
• Experience building and leading media and external communications programs, and working collaboratively with a broad range of internal partners in a global organization.
• Proven ability to significantly influence stakeholders using a thoughtful communication plan to align people or groups.
• Strong interpersonal/written communication skills aligned to the company's tone and messaging.
• Skilled relationship-builder and problem-solver.
• Ability to independently structure and manage workflow and priorities, and experience handling multiple competing priorities in a professional manner; go-getter with initiative and drive, combined with professionalism.
• Effective, detail-oriented, proactive project manager and leader. Outstanding oral and written communication and editing skills with a proven talent for storytelling and shaping perception.
• Demonstrated ability to understand multiple, diverse stakeholders, anticipate impact of company actions on corporate reputation, and translate complex issues into clear, simple and consistent messages and themes.
• Strong ability to develop accurate and detailed messaging with sensitivity and adaptability to varying tone, positioning, and leadership styles.
• Experience advising corporate leaders and collaborating with internal and external resources to drive.
• Demonstrated business acumen and skills in translating business strategies to communication strategies.