Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and inspire the communications and content team by setting priorities, establishing standards of excellence, coaching team members, and partnering with the CMCO to shape department strategy
• Shape and advance the LRH narrative and reputation strategy across media, PR, content, social, internal, and executive communications, ensuring a consistent voice aligned with strategic priorities.
• Lead earned media strategy and serve as the primary media contact — developing and placing stories that highlight clinical excellence, innovation, and community impact, and building strong relationships with journalists and relevant influencers across local, regional, and national outlets
• Lead crisis and issues communications and serve as Public Information Officer when needed, participating in emergency preparedness.
• Serve as a strategic communications partner to executive leadership, providing counsel on organizational priorities, sensitive issues, change initiatives, and opportunities to strengthen trust and engagement
• Set content and social strategy across LRH’s owned ecosystem — including digital and nontraditional channels such as podcasts — directing multimedia storytelling, press materials, and campaign content that ladders up to brand positioning
• Establish communications standards, editorial governance, and messaging frameworks that ensure consistency, quality, and alignment across all organizational communications.
• Lead internal and executive communications that inform, align, and engage the workforce while providing leaders with a consistent and credible voice.
• Develop and execute communications strategies that support organizational priorities, culture, change initiatives, and executive visibility
• Partner with the Director of Brand & Consumer Strategy to ensure communications and marketing strategies reinforce the Lakeland Regional Health brand, strengthen trust, and deliver a consistent customer experience across all touchpoints

Requirements

• Proven people leader who can lead and mentor a team
• Internal and executive communications acumen — able to align a workforce and give leaders a credible, consistent voice
• Experience coaching executives and physician leaders for media interviews, presentations, and public speaking
• Brand stewardship mindset — able to protect trust, reinforce consistency, and connect communications strategies to organizational outcomes
• Strong analytical skills; able to turn data on sentiment, engagement, and conversion into action
• Collaborative, cross-functional leader with strong partnership skills across the organization
• Highly organized, able to lead multiple priorities and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment
• Track record developing and executing communications strategies — earned, owned, internal and executive — that generate meaningful coverage and measurable engagement
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence and advise senior leaders
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling; strong command of AP style

Preferred

• Master’s degree or advanced certification in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field preferred
• Healthcare industry experience strongly preferred