Senior Director, External Communications

Thank you for your interest in working for our Company. Recruiting the right talent is crucial to our goals. On April 1, 2024, 3M Healthcare underwent a corporate spin-off leading to the creation of a new company named Solventum. We are still in the process of updating our Careers Page and applicant documents, which currently have 3M branding. Please bear with us. In the interim, our Privacy Policy here: https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/legal/website-privacy-statement/applicant-privacy/ continues to apply to any personal information you submit, and the 3M-branded positions listed on our Careers Page are for Solventum positions. As it was with 3M, at Solventum all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Job Description:

Senior Director, External Communications (Solventum)

3M Health Care is now Solventum

At Solventum, we enable better, smarter, safer healthcare to improve lives. As a new company with a long legacy of creating breakthrough solutions for our customers’ toughest challenges, we pioneer game-changing innovations at the intersection of health, material and data science that change patients' lives for the better while enabling healthcare professionals to perform at their best. Because people, and their wellbeing, are at the heart of every scientific advancement we pursue.

We partner closely with the brightest minds in healthcare to ensure that every solution we create melds the latest technology with compassion and empathy. Because at Solventum, we never stop solving for you.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role
As a Senior Director, External Communications, you will have the opportunity to tap into your curiosity and collaborate with some of the most innovative and diverse people around the world. We are seeking an experienced, results-driven individual to lead our company’s PR, media relations, social media, sustainability communications and government affairs communications efforts. As a key member of the Communications & Brand leadership team, this role will be instrumental in helping to shape our external brand, protecting our reputation and driving our messaging to a variety of stakeholders, including media, regulators, customers and the public. This position will require a strategic thinker with hands-on expertise in executing external communications initiatives while navigating the complexities of a growing, global organization. The Senior Director will oversee the development and implementation of external communications strategies, working closely with executive leadership to ensure consistent, clear and impactful messaging. This position blends strategic oversight with day-to-day operational management, offering the opportunity to shape the external voice of a dynamic and evolving company. 

Here, you will make an impact by:

External Communications Strategy Development: 

• Lead the creation and execution of a comprehensive external communications strategy in collaboration with marketing and commercial teams that elevates the company’s brand, enhances its reputation and supports business objectives. 

• Develop key messaging frameworks for media relations, government affairs and sustainability, ensuring alignment with corporate goals and global messaging standards. 

• Create a unified external voice that resonates across different audiences, including media, regulators, customers and industry partners. 

• Partner with internal stakeholders, including marketing, legal, HR, investor relations and leadership, to align on key external communications initiatives and ensure consistency across all touchpoints. 

Media Relations & Public Relations: 

• Build and nurture relationships with key media outlets, journalists and influencers to secure positive media coverage and protect the company’s reputation. 

• Act as company spokesperson, delivering key messages through media interviews, press conferences and briefings. 

• Oversee the development and distribution of press releases, media statements and op-eds. 

• Proactively identify media opportunities, generate story ideas and manage media inquiries to drive positive coverage and mitigate reputational risk. 

• Partner closely with investor relations on corporate and financial communications strategy, financial media outreach and related activity.  

Social Media & Digital Communications: 

• Lead the company’s social media strategy across multiple platforms, ensuring that messaging is engaging, on-brand and aligned with business objectives. 

• Develop content and campaigns that resonate with target audiences, including thought leadership articles, blog posts, social media updates and videos. 

• Oversee community management, monitoring social media sentiment and responding to inquiries or concerns in a timely and professional manner. 

Sustainability Communications: 

• Partner with the company’s sustainability and investor relations teams to define the narrative, ensuring alignment with business goals and commitment to corporate social responsibility. 

• Highlight the company’s sustainability achievements through press releases, thought leadership opportunities, social media content and industry collaborations. 

• Work with cross-functional teams to develop external messaging around environmental impact, sustainable practices and community engagement efforts. 

Government Affairs Communications: 

• Develop communication strategies in partnership with government affairs to support the company’s relationships with policymakers, regulators and industry associations. 

• Collaborate with legal and government affairs teams to ensure the company’s positions are communicated clearly, accurately and consistently to the public and relevant stakeholders. 

Crisis Communications & Issues Management: 

• Lead the external communications strategy during crises or reputational issues, ensuring timely, transparent and empathetic communication to the public, media, employees, regulators and other key stakeholders. This includes incidents affecting the company’s operations, reputation or public perception. 

• Partner with investor relations and participate in the review process for issues tied to financial health, investor confidence or governance, with target audiences of investors, analysts, shareholders, etc. 

• Partner with internal leadership, investor relations, legal and HR teams to develop crisis communication plans and protocols, ensuring that the company is prepared for potential issues. 

• Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing counsel on sensitive situations that could impact the company’s external image. 

Team Leadership & Development: 

• Lead and mentor a high-performing external communications team, providing guidance, professional development and fostering a collaborative and results-driven environment. 

• Oversee the development of external communications talent, ensuring team members have the tools and support they need to succeed in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment. 

Agency Oversight and Management: 

• Lead and manage relationships with external agencies, ensuring alignment with overall brand strategy, objectives and key messaging. 

• Oversee the selection, onboarding and performance evaluation of agencies, ensuring they deliver impactful media coverage, strategic counsel and measurable results. 

Stakeholder Engagement & Relationship Management: 

• Cultivate and manage relationships with key external stakeholders. 

• Ensure that the company’s external communications align with the interests of key stakeholders while advancing the company’s strategic goals. 

• Work with executives and executive communications team members to refine external messaging in preparation for media engagements, public speaking and external events. 

• Partner with investor relations on quarterly earnings, investor days, analyst meetings, financial communications, etc. 

Operational Excellence & Reporting: 

• Implement systems and processes to track and measure the effectiveness of external communications efforts, providing regular reports on media coverage, social media performance and other KPIs. 

• Ensure the company is leveraging the latest tools and technologies to optimize external communications efforts, including media monitoring, social media listening and analytics. 

Your Skills and Expertise

To set you up for success in this role from day one, Solventum requires (at a minimum) the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or higher in communications, public relations, journalism, business or a related field and 10 years of experience in corporate communications.

• 5 years of experience in a senior leadership role, ideally in PR, media relations, government affairs or corporate communications. 

In addition to the above requirements, the following are also required:

• Experience in managing external communications strategies for a global organization. 

• Demonstrated expertise in handling crisis communications and managing complex public relations challenges. 

• Experience in building and leading a high-performing external communications team in a fast-paced, evolving environment. 

Additional qualifications that could help you succeed even further in this role include:

• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to craft compelling messages that resonate with diverse audiences. 

• Strong media relations experience, with a track record of securing positive media coverage and managing relationships with key journalists. 

• Expertise in managing social media channels and developing content that drives engagement and builds the company’s brand. 

• Experience working in industries such as medtech, healthcare or highly regulated sectors is a plus. 

• Crisis management expertise, with a calm and professional demeanor in high-pressure situations. 

• Experience overseeing external agencies, ensuring timely execution and strong results. 

• Strong leadership skills, including team development, cross-functional collaboration, and influencing senior executives. 

• A global mindset, with the ability to adapt communications strategies to different cultural contexts and regions. 

• Excellent project management skills, with the ability to execute complex initiatives on time and on budget. 

• A proactive, solutions-oriented leader who thrives in a dynamic, evolving environment. 

Work location:

• Remote

Travel: May include up to 30%

Relocation Assistance: May be authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status).

Supporting Your Well-being 

Solventum offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, Solventum regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. 

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $259,007 - $316,564, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.solventum.com/en-us/home/our-company/careers/#Total-Rewards

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Solventum is committed to maintaining the highest standards of integrity and professionalism in our recruitment process.  Applicants must remain alert to fraudulent job postings and recruitment schemes that falsely claim to represent Solventum and seek to exploit job seekers.

Please note that all email communications from Solventum regarding job opportunities with the company will be from an email with a domain of @solventum.com. Be wary of unsolicited emails or messages regarding Solventum job opportunities from emails with other email domains.

Solventum is an equal opportunity employer.  Solventum  will not discriminate against any applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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