Senior Director, External & Financial Communications

Sunrise Senior Living; McLean (VA); On-site; USD 175,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan

Dental plan

Vision plan

Life insurance

Disability plan

Retirement plan

Employee assistance program

Discount program

Paid time off

Sick time and holiday pay

myFlexPay

Job summary

Sunrise Senior Living in McLean, VA, is seeking a Director of External Communications to lead corporate communications, media relations, thought leadership, and reputation management.

This strategic leader will shape Sunrise’s market narrative, support growth, M&A, and investor communications, and partner with senior leadership on financial communications.

The role manages agencies, budgets, and analytics to measure ROI, with a strong emphasis on executive positioning and category leadership.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or related field.
• 10+ years of progressive corporate communications, public relations, media relations, or strategic communications experience.
• Experience with financial and investor communications and communicating complex business and financial information.
• Strong storytelling, crisis management, and executive communications skills.
• Experience managing PR agencies, vendors, budgets, and programs.
• Ability to influence senior executives in a fast-paced corporate environment.

Responsibilities

• Support M&A, growth initiatives, and investor communications with strategic messaging.
• Develop and execute an integrated external communications strategy.
• Build corporate narratives and messaging differentiating Sunrise.
• Lead media relations, earned media, and executive positioning.
• Develop relationships with journalists, analysts, and influencers.
• Lead crisis and issues management in partnership with Legal and leadership.
• Collaborate with Finance on financial communications and announcements.
• Develop executive thought leadership and speaking opportunities.
• Manage PR agencies, vendors, budgets, and KPIs.
• Establish analytics to measure coverage, perception, and ROI.

Skills

Strategic communications

Media relations

Crisis communications

Executive communications

Writing & editing

Vendor management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Communications/PR

Tools

Cision

Meltwater

Job description

Sunrise Senior Living in McLean, VA, is seeking a Director of External Communications to lead corporate communications, media relations, thought leadership, and reputation management.

This strategic leader will shape Sunrise’s market narrative, support growth, M&A, and investor communications, and partner with senior leadership on financial communications.

The role manages agencies, budgets, and analytics to measure ROI, with a strong emphasis on executive positioning and category leadership.