Area Relations Manager

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints seeks an Area Relations Manager to serve as a trusted advisor and liaison between Church headquarters and Area leadership. You will help Area teams develop effective communication strategies and coordinate efforts that align with prophetic priorities and global strategy.

This role requires guiding local communication professionals, mentoring staff, and strengthening collaboration across Church Areas while upholding professional standards in media

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communication, marketing, public relations, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 6–7 years in strategic communication, public affairs, media relations, or related fields.
• Experience developing and executing communication strategies.
• Experience supporting organizational change and cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary CCD contact and trusted advisor for assigned Church Areas.
• Collaborate with CPDs, PA managers, and area leaders on planning and staff development.
• Counsel Area leadership on opportunities, challenges, and emerging needs.
• Build relationships with Area Presidencies and Church leaders across areas.
• Connect Area teams with Church HQ resources for collaboration.
• Advise on media relations, crisis planning, and reputation management.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Relationship-building

Storytelling & AP writing

Executive-facing advisory

Media relations & reputation mgmt

Crisis communication

Project management

Education

Bachelor's degree in comms/PR/marketing

6–7 years strategic comms/public affairs experience

Job description

Job Description

The Area Relations Division helps Area Presidencies and their Communication Councils create understanding, build relationships, and extend the reach of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints across the world.

We accomplish this by connecting Church headquarters with Area leadership and communication teams, supporting locally relevant communication strategies, sharing best practices, and strengthening the Church's ability to communicate the gospel of Jesus Christ to diverse audiences around the world.

We are seeking an experienced, collaborative, and strategically minded Area Relations Manager who can serve as a trusted advisor, relationship builder, and key liaison between the Church Communication Department (CCD) and assigned Church Areas. This individual will support Area leaders and communication professionals and help them develop effective strategies, strengthen communication capabilities, and coordinate efforts that support the priorities of Area Presidencies and the worldwide Church.

Responsibilities

Area Leadership Support and Relationship Management

• Serve as the primary Church Communication Department contact and trusted advisor for assigned Church Areas, supporting communication efforts.
• Partner closely with Area Directors of Communication and Publishing (CPDs), Area Managers of Public Affairs, and other Area communication leaders to support strategic planning, staff development, and day-to-day communication needs.
• Counsel Area leadership and communication teams on emerging needs, opportunities, and challenges.
• Build strong relationships with Area Presidencies, Directors for Temporal Affairs, communication committees, and other Church leaders.
• Connect Area teams with Church headquarters resources, subject matter experts, and other Areas to facilitate collaboration and effective solutions.

Strategic Communication and Planning

• Support the development and execution of integrated, Area-wide communication strategies that align with prophetic priorities, Area objectives, and the Church's global communication strategy.
• Support strategic planning, annual planning, and coordinated communication initiatives that strengthen the Church's influence and relationships.
• Support the development of government relations and opinion leader engagement strategies in coordination with appropriate Church partners.

Public Affairs and Reputation Management

• Advise and support Area communication teams in developing media relations strategies, public affairs initiatives, and reputation management efforts.
• Provide or coordinate training in media engagement.
• Counsel Area leaders and communication professionals on crisis communication planning, issue management, and appropriate responses to sensitive situations.
• Strengthen the effective use of digital, social, print, broadcast, and other communication channels.
• Help develop communication capabilities that support Area initiatives, Church leader visits, and significant events.

Communication Capability and Team Development

• Mentor and support Area communication professionals in strengthening their leadership, strategic planning, and communication skills.
• Facilitate training and development opportunities for full-time employees and volunteer communication leaders.
• Support the development of National, Coordinating Council, and Stake Communication Directors and Councils.
• Help Area teams identify staffing needs and support the development of effective communication organizations.
• Encourage collaboration, knowledge sharing, and adoption of proven communication practices across Church Areas.

Cross-Department Collaboration and Global Best Practices

• Act as a connector between Church Areas, Church headquarters, and other departments to coordinate communication priorities and resolve challenges.
• Advocate for Area needs and perspectives in headquarters planning, campaigns, products, and initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Temple Department, Area leadership, and volunteer teams to support communication planning and execution for temple open houses, dedications, and related events.

Qualifications

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in communication, marketing, public relations, or a related field, or equivalent significant demonstrated professional experience.
• Six to seven years of relevant professional experience in strategic communication, public affairs, media relations, reputation management, institutional messaging, government relations, or related fields.
• Demonstrated experience developing and executing communication strategies.
• Experience supporting organizational change, leadership development, and cross-functional initiatives.

Skills And Competencies

• Strong strategic thinking, sound judgment, and ability to translate organizational objectives into actionable communication plans.
• Excellent relationship-building, consulting, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Exceptional storytelling, grammar, editing, and AP-style writing skills.
• Demonstrated ability to advise senior leaders, influence without direct authority, and collaborate across teams and organizational boundaries.
• Strong understanding of media relations, crisis communication, audience engagement, and reputation management.
• Ability to navigate complex organizational structures, cultural differences, and sensitive communication issues with professionalism and discretion.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to manage competing priorities across multiple geographic Areas.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in communication, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
• Second-language proficiency and/or international or global experience.
• Experience in working closely with senior Church leadership.

About Us

Church employees find joy and satisfaction in using their unique talents and abilities to further the Lord’s work. From the IT professional who develops an app that sends the gospel message worldwide, to the facilities manager who maintains our buildings- giving Church members places to worship, teach, learn, and receive sacred ordinances—our employees seek innovative ways to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the world. They are literally working in His kingdom.

Only members of the Church who are worthy of a temple recommend qualify for employment. Apart from this, the Church is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in its employment decisions on any basis that would violate U.S. or local law.

Qualified applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, national origin, color, gender, pregnancy, marital status, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or other legally protected categories that apply to the Church. The Church will make reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with known disabilities.