RWJBarnabas Health

Corporate Communications Director

RWJBarnabas Health • $133K — $174K *
Healthcare
8 - 10 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field
  • 10+ years of experience in external communications, media relations, or public affairs, preferably in healthcare or large nonprofits
  • Proven success in managing high-stakes media relations and crisis communications
  • Experience collaborating with senior executives in fast-paced environments
  • Master's degree preferred

Responsibilities

  • Develop and execute external communications strategies aligned with system goals
  • Advise executive leadership on public positioning and reputational risk
  • Lead integrated communications planning for major announcements and milestones
  • Oversee awards and conferencing strategy to support system objectives
  • Manage visibility opportunities for senior executives and clinical leaders
  • Shape external profiles through speaking engagements and industry platforms
  • Create compelling narratives that highlight system achievements and community impact

Benefits

  • Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance
  • Dental and Vision Insurance
  • Retirement Plans
  • Short & Long Term Disability
  • Life & Accidental Death Insurance
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Wellness Programs
  • Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)
  • Discounts through partners like NJ Devils and Verizon
Full Job Description
Job Title: Director

Location: SBC Corporation

Department Name: Corporate Communications



Status: Salaried

Shift: Day

Pay Range: $133,800.00 - $174,100.00 per year

Pay Transparency:

The above reflects the anticipated annual salary range for this position if hired to work in New Jersey.

The compensation offered to the candidate selected for the position will depend on several factors, including the candidate's educational background, skills and professional experience.

A Typical Day

The Corporate Communications Director serves as a strategic leader responsible for shaping, protecting, and elevating the reputation of RWJBarnabas Health across all external audiences.This role drives high impact system positioning, executive visibility, and system wide storytelling that reinforces the organization s mission, clinical excellence, and community leadership.This position partners closely with system executives, hospital leadership, clinical service lines, marketing, government affairs, and digital teams to ensure consistent, proactive, and responsive communication that advances organizational priorities and strengthens public trust. Additionally, it also supports overall system media relations and issues management.

Strategic Communications Leadership
  • Develop and execute comprehensive external communications strategies that support system goals, brand reputation, and enterprise initiatives
  • Serve as advisor to the Vice President of Corporate Communications (External) and executive leadership on system strategy, public positioning, and reputational risk
  • Lead integrated communications planning for major announcements, clinical milestones, partnerships, and organizational priorities

Organizational and Executive Positioning
  • Oversee system awards and conferencing strategy in support of overarching system strategy
  • Manage high visibility elevation opportunities and thought leadership placements for senior executives, clinical leaders and system and service line operations
  • Ensure consistent messaging and alignment across all external channels
  • Ensure coverage and amplification of all opportunities and accolades

Executive Visibility & Thought Leadership
  • Shape and elevate the external profiles of system executives through speaking engagements, op eds, and industry platforms
  • Partner with the VP and AVP of Executive Communications to develop executive messaging, positioning strategies, and long term visibility plans

Content Strategy & Storytelling
  • Oversee creation of compelling narratives that highlight clinical innovation, patient stories, community impact, and system achievements
  • Ensure high quality press materials, statements, speeches, and digital content that reflect RWJBarnabas Health s voice and values

Team Leadership & Cross Functional Collaboration
  • Mentor PR specialist, fostering a culture of excellence, accountability, and creativity
  • Collaborate with all members of the Corporate Communications division, digital marketing, corporate affairs, regional and service line communications teams to ensure integrated, aligned communications
  • Serve as a system wide resource and for external communications best practices

Issues Management
  • Serve as a key member of rapid response, messaging development, and operations as a member of the corporate communications division
  • Support crisis playbooks, escalation protocols, and preparedness training for system and hospital leaders as needed


This Role Might Be For You If..
  • Exceptional writing, editing, and message development skills
  • Strong media relationships and deep understanding ogic insight
  • Leadership presence, executive maturity, and the ability to influence at all levels
  • Ability to manage multiple priorities and deliver under tight deadlines
  • Collaborative, proactive, and solutions oriented mindset
  • Increased positive media coverage and strengthened system reputation
  • Effective crisis response and mitigation of reputational risk
  • Strong executive visibility and thought leadership presence
  • High performing communications team and strong cross functional partnerships
  • Consistent, aligned messaging across all external channels


To Be Considered

Required
  • Bachelors degree in communications, public relations, journalism, marketing, or related field
  • 10+ years of progressive experience in external communications, media relations, or public affairs, ideally within healthcare, large nonprofits, or complex organizations
  • Proven success managing high stakes media relations and crisis communications
  • Experience working with senior executives and subject matter experts in a fast paced, high visibility environment

Preferred
  • Masters degree preferred


Other Duties: Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Benefits and Perks:

At RWJBarnabas Health, our market-competitive Total Rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and resources to support our employees' physical, emotional, social, and financial health.
  • Paid Time Off (PTO)
  • Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance
  • Dental and Vision Insurance
  • Retirement Plans
  • Short & Long Term Disability
  • Life & Accidental Death Insurance
  • Tuition Reimbursement
  • Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Wellness Programs
  • Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)
  • Discounts Through our Partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, Verizon, and more!

About RWJBarnabas Health

RWJBarnabas Health is the largest integrated healthcare delivery system in New Jersey, with hospitals, ambulatory care centers, and clinics throughout the state. The system includes eleven acute care hospitals, three children's hospitals, a pediatric rehabilitation hospital, a behavioral health center, and numerous other clinical facilities. RWJBarnabas Health is committed to providing high-quality, compassionate care to patients and their families, and to advancing medical research and education.
Learn more about RWJBarnabas Health
Size
35,000 employees
Industry

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