Vice President, Communications & Public Affairs

Baylor Scott & White Health is seeking a senior communications executive to lead enterprise communications, media relations, public affairs, executive communications, and institutional reputation strategy across a complex healthcare organization.

This position will work closely with the CEO and senior leadership team to shape external communications around major organizational initiatives, healthcare issues, public policy, executive visibility, community engagement, and reputation-sensitive matters. The successful leader will bring strong judgment, extensive media experience, and the ability to translate complex institutional issues into clear, credible, and compelling public communications.

The role is particularly suited to a communications leader with a strong background in journalism, editorial leadership, media relations, government affairs, and executive-level institutional communications.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the enterprise media relations and external communications strategy.
• Advise the CEO and senior leadership team on communications strategy, media positioning, public messaging, and reputation management.
• Build and maintain relationships with national, regional, business, healthcare, political, and broadcast media.
• Oversee communications surrounding major organizational announcements, strategic initiatives, public issues, and reputation-sensitive matters.
• Lead communications professionals responsible for media relations, editorial content, executive communications, and external messaging.
• Develop executive thought-leadership opportunities through interviews, speeches, opinion content, media appearances, and public forums.
• Partner with government affairs and senior leadership on communications involving public policy, healthcare issues, regulatory developments, and community stakeholders.
• Establish effective communications protocols for emerging issues and high-profile public situations.
• Measure media impact, stakeholder engagement, reputation indicators, and overall communications effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Extensive senior-level experience in communications, journalism, media relations, public affairs, or institutional communications.
• Proven experience managing writers, editors, reporters, communications professionals, or multidisciplinary media teams.
• Strong relationships and working knowledge of national, regional, broadcast, business, and political media.
• Demonstrated experience advising senior executives on public communications and reputation matters.
• Strong understanding of government, public policy, political affairs, and complex public-facing issues.
• Exceptional writing, editorial judgment, storytelling, and communication skills.
• Ability to operate effectively in a highly visible, complex, and fast-moving institutional environment.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE

• Experience in healthcare, higher education, public institutions, or another highly visible and complex organization.
• Experience working directly with elected officials, government stakeholders, and senior institutional leaders.
• Experience leading televised discussions, executive interviews, public forums, or major institutional events.
• Experience developing communications strategies around public policy or government affairs.
• Experience managing communications during significant organizational or reputational events.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Base Salary: $285,000 – $365,000 annually.
• Annual performance bonus based on strategic and organizational objectives.
• Long-term incentive participation aligned with executive leadership performance.
• Executive healthcare and wellness benefits.
• Enhanced paid time off and executive leadership benefits.
• 401(k) with company contribution.

Executive deferred compensation options.

• Hybrid work arrangement based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area.
• Executive-level travel as required for institutional and stakeholder engagements.
• Relocation assistance available where applicable.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP
Reports to the Chief Executive Officer.

WORK ENVIRONMENT
Hybrid executive leadership position based in the Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas market, with regular interaction with senior leadership, media organizations, government stakeholders, community leaders, and institutional partners.