Senior Director Communication

The Role

The Senior Director of Communications leads strategic communication for a large and complex service area, serving as a trusted advisor and strategic partner to executive and senior leaders. This role is responsible for developing and executing comprehensive internal and external communication strategies that advance organizational priorities, support major initiatives and ensure consistent, clear and timely messaging for caregivers, physicians and external stakeholders.

The Senior Director provides leadership across all aspects of service area communications, including organizational messaging, executive communications, issues management, coordination of external communications and collaboration with marketing, while ensuring alignment with system-wide strategy, narrative and standards.

Working closely with the Division Chief Communication Officer, executive leadership and members of the communication team, the Senior Director translates system and division priorities into locally relevant communication strategies and ensures seamless coordination across ministries, facilities and business partners.

What you’ll do

Advise Leaders

• Serve as a trusted communications partner to executive and operational leaders.

• Provide strategic counsel on high-visibility issues, major decisions, and organizational priorities.

• Help leaders communicate with clarity, credibility, and consistency.

Lead Organizational Change Communications

• Develop communication strategy, planning and execution for internal and external messaging for organizational changes, restructures, workforce actions, service transitions, and other complex initiatives, ensuring alignment with systemwide priorities, narrative and standards.

• Help leaders navigate difficult conversations and stakeholder concerns.

• Ensure caregivers receive timely, transparent communication during periods of change.

Protect and Strengthen Reputation

• Oversee media relations, external communications, and reputation management efforts.

• Provide counsel on sensitive issues and emerging risks.

• Work closely with government affairs/advocacy to ensure consistent messaging on a variety of initiatives.

• Support major announcements, community partnerships, and executive visibility opportunities.

• Ensure all communications are reflective of Providence’s Catholic identity and grounded in our Mission, Vision and Values, partnering as appropriate with Mission leaders and other key stakeholders.

Drive Caregiver Communications and Engagement

• Oversee internal communication channels and communication planning across the division.

• Ensure caregivers receive clear information about organizational priorities, operational changes, benefits, safety initiatives, and workplace programs.

• Champion storytelling that reinforces culture, Mission, and caregiver recognition.

Lead Crisis and Issues Communications

• Direct communication response during emergencies, labor activity, disruptive events, and other high-profile situations.

• Work closely with operational, legal, HR, security, and executive leaders to ensure coordinated communications.

• Anticipate communication risks and develop response strategies.

Oversee Labor and Workforce Communications

• Support communication planning related to labor relations and workforce issues.

• Advise leaders on messaging during negotiations, workforce transitions, and other sensitive employee matters.

• Help maintain trust and transparency during challenging situations.

Support Marketing and Consumer Communication Efforts

• Partner with marketing and operational leaders on campaigns that support patient access, growth, and brand reputation.

• Ensure communications and marketing efforts are aligned and mutually reinforcing.

• Provide oversight for major patient-facing communications initiatives.

Build Relationships Across the Organization

• Work with leaders, caregivers, physicians, community partners, and external stakeholders to advance organizational priorities.

• Represent communications on key operational and strategic initiatives.

• Work collaboratively with communication leadership across the system.

• Help connect organizational strategy to the people affected by it.

Lead the Local Communications Team

• Provide leadership, coaching, and direction to the team of communications professionals through servant leadership, mentoring, coaching and professional development, fostering accountability, collaboration and excellence.

• Manage resources and operate within assigned budget parameters, contributing to financial stewardship and sustainability goals.

• Set priorities, allocate resources, and ensure work aligns with organizational goals.

• Translate system and division priorities into locally relevant or functionally appropriate communication strategies, ensuring clarity, consistency and alignment across ministries, facilities, teams and business partners.

• Develop people to create and maintain a high-performing team focused on collaboration, service, accountability, and results.

Measures of Success

• Leaders view communications as a trusted strategic partner.

• Caregivers receive timely, meaningful, and effective communications.

• Organizational changes are supported by thoughtful communication strategies.

• Providence's reputation is protected and strengthened.

• Communication teams are aligned, effective, and focused on the highest priorities.

• Communications help advance business objectives while supporting Providence's Mission and culture.

What You'll Bring

Education & Credentials

• Bachelor’s Degree in Communication, Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, or related field.

• Master’s Degree (preferred).

Experience & Expertise

• 10 or more years of communication experience (health care experience preferred).

• Deep knowledge of integrated health care, complex organizations and best in class communications practices, with the ability to apply that expertise in dynamic, highly visible environments.

• Proven ability to develop and drive proactive, compelling messaging in support of enterprise brand positioning, reputation management and strategic priorities.

Professional & Leadership Capabilities

• Ability to lead and collaborate across a diverse, matrixed communications team to ensure messaging and programs are delivered quickly, consistently and powerfully across multiple channels, markets and service areas.

• Demonstrated strength in strategic planning, prioritization and project management, with the ability to manage multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.

• Exercises sound judgment in high risk, high visibility and ambiguous situations, including issues and crisis scenarios.

• Consistently goes out of the way to listen, understand and support the needs of others in a thoughtful and respectful manner.

• Anticipates challenges and opportunities, takes initiative and adjusts course as needed to achieve desired outcomes.

• Sets high standards of excellence for self and others and drives continuous improvement in quality, effectiveness and impact.

• Strong attention to detail paired with the ability to think critically, synthesize information and translate complexity into clear, actionable communication.

• Demonstrated ability to adapt quickly and respond effectively in a constantly changing internal and external environment.

• Actively seeks constructive feedback, remains open and receptive and models a growth mindset for the team.

• Anticipates the information needs of leaders, stakeholders and partners and ensures timely, relevant and coordinated communication.

• Effectively manages and influences stakeholder relationships at multiple levels of the organization, including senior executives and enterprise partners.

• Demonstrated people leadership and management skills, including the ability to build, develop and retain high-performing teams and foster strong relationships through trust, collaboration and accountability.

Why Join Us?

• Strategic Communication Leadership: Lead complex internal and external communication initiatives for a large service area or enterprise function.

• Executive Partnership: Serve as a trusted advisor to executive and senior leaders on communication strategy, positioning, issues management and change-related initiatives.

• System-Wide Alignment: Translate system and division priorities into locally relevant strategies while coordinating messaging across ministries, facilities, teams and business partners.

• Mission-Driven Impact: Advance communication that reflects Providence’s Catholic identity and remains grounded in its Mission, Vision and Values.

Ready to Shape the Future of Healthcare?

If you are an experienced communications leader with expertise in strategic counsel, executive communications, organizational messaging, issues management and team leadership, we encourage you to apply and help advance clear, coordinated and impactful communication across Providence.

The full pay range is listed in accordance with applicable law. Final compensation will be determined based on qualifications, experience, organizational compensation alignment, and the approved hiring department budget for the position. This position may also be eligible for incentive compensation and benefits.

At Providence we believe in the importance of human connection and the impact of in-person collaboration towards team cohesion and caregiver engagement. Further, we want our leaders to live in or near the communities we serve. Therefore, leaders applying for this role will be required to work a hybrid schedule, which consists of four days onsite, one day remote and live within a reasonable commuting distance to the ministry or service area they support and lead.