Public Relations & External Communications Lead

How is This Role Important to Our Work?

Reports to the Director of Public Relations & Internal Communications and serves as primary lead for the development and implementation of external communications plans that increase and elevate the visibility, clarity and value of organizational priorities with key stakeholder groups. The role will focus on core health offerings of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota, with supplementary support of additional businesses under the same parent company. This role leads and oversees highly matrixed communications work that requires strong collaboration with peers as well as business partners. Additionally, this role manages the work and budgets of agencies and other vendors and has responsibilities as a primary communications representative with senior level stakeholders. Position also serves as a subject-matter expert on numerous products and programs across the core Blue Cross health insurance business.

Responsibilities:

• Develops external communications and content plans that focus on advancing goals and building awareness around key issues and prioritized business activities 
• Provides direct communications counsel and support to assigned senior leader clients, including message development, meeting presentations, issues management 
• Ensures that all objectives are achieved and that communications are consistent, well executed and evaluated 
• Establishes and maintains strong working relationships with internal and external partners to collaborate on points of constructive collaboration and alignment 
• Effectively builds and manages relationships within the organization to achieve business objectives with internal communications support 
• Manages time and resources accurately and independently 
• Provides business and consumer focused internal communications.

Nice to Have:

• Bachelor's degree
• Knowledge of health industry preferred

Requirements:

• 7+ years of related public relations and/or internal communications experience. All relevant experience including work, education, transferable skills, and military experience will be considered. 
• 1+ years of staff, team lead, or project leadership experience 
• Strong writing/content creation experience utilizing brand journalism style 
• Proven abilities in developing and implementing proactive plans for critical business issues and crisis management 
• Strong writing and storytelling abilities for shaping executive engagements/presentations, press releases, website and company blog content 
• Proven experience in effectively communicating with top-level executives and external stakeholders. 
• Exceptional collaboration skills with the ability to partner effectively within a matrixed organization, and to work well across teams 
• Demonstrable skills in writing strategic narratives. 
• Proven ability to present complex business ideas, strategies and results succinctly and persuasively at a senior executive level. 
• Highly effective writing skills and verbal presentation skills that drive impactful stakeholder action