Manager, External & Policy Communications

McKesson; Irving (TX); Hybrid; USD 79,000 - 131,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive compensation

Total Rewards program

Equal Employment Opportunity

Job summary

McKesson is seeking a Manager of External & Policy Communications to lead external storytelling, media relations, and policy-aligned messaging across multiple audiences. The role combines traditional press work with AI-powered tools to optimize content and engagement.

The position sits in a hybrid work model with locations in Dallas, TX and Washington, DC, requiring strong writing, project management, and cross-team collaboration to advance McKesson's corporate narrative.

Qualifications

• Bachelor-level degree in communications, journalism, business or related field.
• 4+ years in communications or PR with external focus.
• Experience crafting external messaging and media engagement.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute external communications campaigns with partners and stakeholders.
• Lead AI-enabled communications tools adoption and streamline content workflows.
• Coordinate media relations, spokespeople, and proactive/reactive press engagement.

Skills

AI tools adoption

External communications

Media relations

Campaign management

Social media strategy

Writing & proofreading

Policy landscape

Multi-project management

Education

4-year degree in communications/journalism/business

Job description

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve - we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow's health today, we want to hear from you.

Title: Manager, External & Policy Communications

Locations: Dallas, Texas and Washington, DC

Hybrid/Remote/Onsite: Hybrid role

Key Responsibilities

External Communications

Engage with key partners, including Government Affairs, business unit marketing teams, and other stakeholders, to identify and activate opportunities, including campaigns, thought leadership, events and earned media to share McKesson's corporate narrative with priority audiences and strengthen the company's brand image and reputation. Build and execute social media strategies that strengthen McKesson's reputation and reinforce its corporate narrative. Build and deliver communication materials for external audiences, using technology to streamline content creation and review. Provide proactive recommendations on media engagement and respond to media inquiries with approved statements in a timely and accurate fashion.

Operational Support

Strengthen McKesson's advanced AI-powered communications tools and platforms real-time. Identify opportunities to automate repetitive communications tasks and pilot new solutions to enhance team productivity. Optimize press releases to align with our corporate narrative and ensure they are easily discoverable through AI-powered search and Large Language Model (LLM) tools. Lead training and maintenance of AI-powered media intelligence and monitoring tools to enhance insights and responsiveness. Occasional availability outside normal working hours may be required.

Minimum Requirements

4+ years of broad communications experience across a wide range of disciplines.

Critical Skills

• Proficient with digital tools and emerging technologies, including AI and the creation of agents, to more swiftly complete communication deliverables and repeatable tasks.
• Demonstrated experience in external communications, including the ability to craft clear, accurate messaging for external audiences.
• Experienced in media relations, including developing newsworthy storylines, preparing spokespeople, building reporter relationships, and coordinating proactive and reactive press engagement.
• Skilled in organizing logistics, managing timelines, and ensuring successful execution of campaigns and activities.
• Outstanding writing and proofreading skills.
• Proficient in social media management, including developing strategies, creating content, engaging audiences, and analyzing performance across platforms.
• Understanding of the policy landscape to inform messaging and support strategic decision-making.
• Self-directed and able to prioritize workload to meet deadlines.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively across teams and build productive relationships.
• Strong interpersonal skills to work effectively across teams, build productive relationships, and champion AI adoption.

Education

4-year degree in communications, journalism, business, or a related field.

Minimum Education & Typical Experience or Equivalent Combination Degree or equivalent and typically requires 4+ years of relevant experience.

Must be authorized to work in the US. Sponsorship is not available for this position.

We are proud to offer a competitive compensation package at McKesson as part of our Total Rewards. This is determined by several factors, including performance, experience and skills, equity, regular job market evaluations, and geographical markets. The pay range shown below is aligned with McKesson's pay philosophy, and pay will always be compliant with any applicable regulations. In addition to base pay, other compensation, such as an annual bonus or long-term incentive opportunities may be offered. For more information regarding benefits at McKesson, please click here.

Our Base Pay Range for this position $78,800 - $131,300

McKesson is an Equal Opportunity Employer McKesson provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees, without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other legally protected category. For additional information on McKesson's full Equal Employment Opportunity policies, visit our Equal Employment Opportunity page. McKesson is committed to being an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer and offers opportunities to all job seekers including job seekers with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation to assist with your job search or application for employment, please contact us by sending an email to (United States) [e-mail] or (Canada) [e-mail]. Resumes or CVs submitted to this email box will not be accepted.

Join us at McKesson!

McKesson is an impact-driven, Fortune 10 company that touches virtually every aspect of healthcare. We are known for delivering insights, products, and services that make quality care more accessible and affordable. Here, we focus on the health, happiness, and well-being of you and those we serve - we care. What you do at McKesson matters. We foster a culture where you can grow, make an impact, and are empowered to bring new ideas. Together, we thrive as we shape the future of health for patients, our communities, and our people. If you want to be part of tomorrow's health today, we want to hear from you.