Executive Director, Public Affairs - Hawaii

Executive Director, Public Affairs - Hawaii

The Market Public Affairs Leader serves as the senior-most Public Affairs leader within the market and is responsible for advancing and protecting Kaiser Permanente's reputation, mission, strategic priorities, and business objectives through integrated communications, media relations, community affairs, stakeholder engagement, local government relations, executive positioning, and issues management. Reporting directly to the Chief Public Affairs Officer and maintaining a dotted-line relationship to the Regional President, this leader serves as the primary Public Affairs advisor to market leadership and operates at the intersection of enterprise strategy and market execution.

The Market Public Affairs Leader leads a market-based Public Affairs team responsible for communications, media relations, community affairs, stakeholder engagement, local government relations, executive positioning, reputation management, and issues management. The role works in close partnership with enterprise centers of excellence across External Communications, State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Internal Communications & Engagement, Community Affairs & Engagement, Advocacy, Marketing, Legal, Policy & Regulatory Affairs, and Community Health.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & Executive Counsel
• Serve as the senior Public Affairs advisor to market leadership.
• Serve as a member of the market leadership team and the Chief Public Affairs Leadership Table, representing market priorities, opportunities, stakeholder insights, and reputational considerations within enterprise Public Affairs planning and governance processes.
• Help shape enterprise Public Affairs strategies and priorities by providing market insights, stakeholder perspectives, competitive intelligence, community intelligence, and business context.
• Advise leaders on communications, stakeholder engagement, reputation management, labor dynamics, public policy implications, and emerging issues that may affect market performance.
• Support executive decision-making through strategic counsel, risk assessment, stakeholder insights, and communications planning.
• Public Affairs Leadership & Coordination
• Serve as the primary Public Affairs leader and point of contact for market leadership.
• Coordinate Public Affairs activities across Communications, Media Relations, Community Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement, Local Government Relations, State Affairs, Federal Government Relations, Advocacy, and enterprise centers of excellence to ensure alignment and effective execution of enterprise and market priorities.
• Ensure market leadership, including medical group and health plan leadership, has a clear, coordinated, and integrated Public Affairs strategy that reflects the full capabilities of the Public Affairs organization.
• Convene and lead regular market Public Affairs planning, prioritization, and coordination efforts to ensure alignment across functions and eliminate duplication.
• Ensure market Public Affairs strategies support enterprise priorities while reflecting local business objectives, stakeholder needs, and community realities.
• Market Reputation & Communications Leadership
• Lead market communications and reputation strategies in alignment with enterprise priorities and business objectives.
• Serve as the senior leader accountable for market reputation management, stakeholder trust, and coordinated execution of enterprise Public Affairs priorities.
• Develop and implement market communications strategies that strengthen Kaiser Permanente's reputation and support organizational goals.
• Ensure enterprise narratives are effectively localized and executed within the market while maintaining consistency with One KP priorities.
• Identify, elevate, and amplify market innovations, care delivery successes, community partnerships, thought leadership opportunities, and organizational achievements that strengthen Kaiser Permanente's reputation.
• Media Relations & External Visibility
• Oversee market media relations and earned media strategies in partnership with enterprise communications teams.
• Serve as a visible executive and spokesperson for Kaiser Permanente within the market, including participation in media interviews, public forums, community events, industry conferences, stakeholder meetings, and executive engagements.
• Support and prepare executives, physicians, and subject matter experts for media interviews, public-facing engagements, speaking opportunities, and stakeholder meetings.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with local, regional, and industry media.
• Ensure market media activities align with enterprise priorities and support a One KP Voice.
• Community Affairs, Stakeholder Engagement & Local Government Relations
• Lead market community affairs, stakeholder engagement, and local government relations strategies.
• Build and maintain trusted relationships across the market and the broader health care delivery system, including with community leaders,…