Manager Public Relations - Communications

Manager Public Relations - Communications

The Manager Public Relations serves as a strategic, proactive and highly regarded communications leader responsible for advancing and protecting the reputation of CHRISTUS Health through strong media relations, story development, message counsel and integrated communications support. Reporting to the director of public relations, this role is entrusted with helping shape how CHRISTUS Health is seen, understood and valued across the communities it serves.

The manager works closely with ministry leaders, communications partners and other key stakeholders across the organization to identify meaningful stories, anticipate emerging issues, understand local and system priorities and translate those insights into strategic public relations opportunities that elevate the organization's mission, leaders, ministries and impact. This individual is expected to cultivate trusted relationships with ministry leaders and develop productive relationships with key media outlets and reporters to generate thoughtful, mission-aligned coverage that supports CHRISTUS Health's priorities and objectives.

This role also serves as the onsite communications lead for media visits, acting as a liaison between media and facility or ministry leaders, coordinating logistics, accompanying media while onsite, preparing leaders and subject matter experts for interviews, and supporting interviews and other media interactions to help ensure a professional, well-coordinated experience. As a people leader, the public relations manager provides day-to-day leadership, coaching and mentorship to direct reports, helping grow talent, strengthen confidence, deepen communications judgment and build a high-performing, proactive and service-oriented team culture.

The manager also brings a strong strategic lens to the role, offering recommendations that align communications activity with organizational priorities and position CHRISTUS Health for greater visibility, credibility and influence. In close partnership with colleagues in social media and internal communications, this leader helps ensure a coordinated and integrated approach to storytelling, message alignment and issue response across channels. In addition to supporting proactive media outreach and story pitching, this role helps monitor news coverage, track media activity and maintain accurate documentation of inquiries, responses and outcomes through the team's media log.

The manager is also called upon to support reputational issue management and media response efforts with sound judgment, strong writing, executive presence and a deep commitment to the mission, values and strategic direction of CHRISTUS Health.

Responsibilities:

• Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS
  
  Competencies:
  
  Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
• Lead, coach and mentor direct reports, fostering strong performance, professional growth, sound judgment and a proactive, service-oriented approach to public relations support across the system.
• Create an environment of accountability, collaboration and continuous development by setting clear expectations, providing meaningful feedback and helping team members grow in confidence, capability and leadership presence.
• Support the development and execution of strategic public relations plans that advance ministry and system priorities, strengthen reputation and align with the mission and objectives of CHRISTUS Health.
• Build and maintain strong, trust-based relationships with ministry leaders and key stakeholders to stay informed of local priorities, emerging opportunities, sensitive issues and stories that can be developed for external visibility.
• Identify, develop, write and pitch compelling stories that elevate CHRISTUS Health, its ministries, leaders, clinicians and mission in ways that are timely, strategic and relevant to target audiences.
• Develop and maintain productive relationships with key media outlets and reporters, with an emphasis on understanding the local and regional media landscape and identifying the right opportunities for engagement.
• Serve as the onsite communications lead for media visits, acting as a liaison between media and facility or ministry leaders, coordinating logistics, accompanying media while onsite, preparing leaders and subject matter experts for interviews, and supporting interviews and other media interactions to help ensure a professional, well-coordinated experience.
• Provide strategic…