Chief Marketing, Communications & External Affairs Officer

Brown University Health; Providence (RI); On-site; USD 200,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Brown University Health seeks an executive to lead enterprise marketing, communications, government relations, public affairs, and reputation management. You will integrate these functions into a coordinated strategy advancing mission, brand, and transformation priorities, advising the CEO and senior leadership, and guiding crisis communications across a complex academic health system.

You will model the organization’s values and drive measurable impact through a collaborative team focused on

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, public affairs, business, or related field.
• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in marketing, communications, public affairs, government relations, or external affairs, including executive-level responsibility.
• Healthcare provider organization experience required; academic experience preferred.
• Experience leading integrated teams and advising CEOs, boards, or senior executives on complex, sensitive, or high-profile matters.
• Strong expertise in brand strategy, reputation management, crisis communications, public policy, stakeholder engagement, and change communications.
• Exceptional communication, relationship-building, leadership, judgment, and collaboration skills, with a commitment to Brown Health’s mission and values.
• Proven ability to build, integrate, and develop high-performing teams while fostering a collaborative, inclusive, accountable, and service-oriented culture.
• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into clear and compelling communications.
• All senior leaders are expected to have strong skills in interpersonal interaction, public speaking, knowledge of budgets and healthcare finance, and high integrity, good judgment, attention to detail, and teamwork.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise marketing strategy aligned with Brown Health’s mission, vision, and strategic priorities.
• Ensure consistent brand positioning across hospitals, physician groups, service lines, digital channels, and stakeholder touchpoints.
• Drive patient acquisition, retention, market growth, referral development, and service line promotion.
• Oversee market research, consumer insights, competitive intelligence, brand performance, and digital marketing capabilities.
• Develop and oversee enterprise communications strategies for employees, providers, patients, community partners, and external audiences.
• Direct media relations, executive communications, thought leadership, public relations, social media, and content development.
• Monitor and manage organizational reputation across internal and external channels.
• Lead crisis and change communications for major initiatives and enterprise transformation.
• Serve as senior communications counsel to the executive leadership team.
• Develop and lead Brown Health’s external affairs strategy, aligning public policy, reputation, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement priorities.
• Provide strategic oversight to Government Relations, Communications, and Marketing to ensure coordinated messaging and advocacy.
• Advise senior leaders on public policy, political, regulatory, reimbursement, workforce, community, and healthcare transformation issues.
• Ensure Brown Health presents a consistent voice with policymakers, business leaders, community organizations, academic partners, employers, and other stakeholders.
• Support executive-level relationship and engagement strategies for the CEO, physician leaders, and other senior executives.
• Lead and develop an integrated team across marketing, communications, government relations, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement.
• Set clear priorities, accountabilities, and performance expectations aligned with strategic objectives.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, service-oriented culture grounded in Brown Health’s Ways of Wowing: See the Whole Person, Lend a Hand, License to Learn, Own the Next, and Make Space for Joy.
• Recruit, coach, retain, and develop talent while supporting professional growth and succession planning.

Skills

Executive leadership

Brand strategy

Reputation management

Crisis communications

Stakeholder engagement

Public policy

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, public relations, public affairs, business, or related field

Advanced degree preferred

Job description

Brown University Health seeks an executive to lead enterprise marketing, communications, government relations, public affairs, and reputation management. You will integrate these functions into a coordinated strategy advancing mission, brand, and transformation priorities, advising the CEO and senior leadership, and guiding crisis communications across a complex academic health system.

You will model the organization’s values and drive measurable impact through a collaborative team focused on