Director, External & Financial Communications

Sunrise Senior Living 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, strengthen brand awareness, position executives as industry authorities, and support strategic growth, business development, M&A, and investor communications.

Key Responsibilities

• Support Development, Growth, Marketing Communications, and M&A initiatives with strategic messaging and external communications.
• Develop and execute an integrated external communications and corporate communications strategy aligned with business and growth objectives.
• Build compelling corporate narratives and messaging that differentiate Sunrise and establish category leadership.
• Lead media relations, public relations, earned media, thought leadership, and executive positioning across business, industry, and financial media.
• Build relationships with journalists, analysts, industry influencers, and key external stakeholders.
• Lead crisis communications, issues management, reputation management, and rapid-response strategies in partnership with Legal and executive leadership.
• Partner with Finance and senior leadership on financial and investor communications, acquisitions, corporate announcements, and market-moving initiatives.
• Develop executive thought leadership, including op-eds, speaking opportunities, media appearances, and industry recognition.
• Manage PR agencies, communications vendors, budgets, KPIs, and program performance.
• Establish communications analytics and reporting to measure media coverage, brand perception, stakeholder engagement, investor sentiment, and ROI.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Marketing, Public Relations, or related field required.
• 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.
• Demonstrated success developing external communications strategies and shaping corporate narratives.
• Strong experience with media relations, thought leadership, crisis communications, executive communications, and reputation management.
• Exceptional writing, editing, presentation, and executive communication skills.
• Experience managing PR agencies, vendors, budgets, and strategic communications programs.
• Strong analytical and business acumen with experience measuring communications effectiveness and ROI.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, highly visible corporate environment and influence senior executives.