Director Community Engagement & Public Affairs - Wilmington, NC

Become part of an inclusive organization with over 40,000 teammates, whose mission is to improve the health and well‑being of the unique communities we serve.

Summary

The HCS Director Community Engagement & Public Affairs leads the strategy and execution of community relationships, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement to support the successful introduction and growth of a new healthcare provider within the region. This role builds trust with community leaders, residents, healthcare partners, and local organizations while aligning outreach efforts with organizational priorities, access to care initiatives, and long‑term community health outcomes.

The Director serves as a visible representative of the organization, ensuring the community understands the provider’s mission, services, and value while fostering partnerships that improve health access, equity, and collaboration.

This role is based onsite in Wilmington, NC.

Responsibilities

• Community Engagement & Relationship Building: Develop and implement a comprehensive community engagement strategy to introduce and establish the healthcare provider within the community. Build and maintain relationships with local elected leaders, civic organizations, business leaders, and community organizations. Establish a regional community engagement network that provides insight into local needs, concerns, and opportunities. Represent the organization at community meetings, forums, events, and partnerships. Ensure community feedback informs organizational planning and service development.
• Stakeholder & Public Affairs Strategy: Cultivate relationships with local and regional stakeholders including elected officials, public health agencies, healthcare partners, and business leaders. Monitor community and policy developments that may impact healthcare access, organizational reputation, or operations. Support leadership engagement with key stakeholders and community influencers. Align community outreach with broader communications, advocacy, and strategic priorities.
• Market Entry & Community Trust Building: Lead outreach efforts related to the introduction or expansion of healthcare services in the community. Identify potential barriers to trust or adoption and develop strategies to address them. Promote awareness of services, health programs, and community benefits. Facilitate partnerships that enhance access to care and community health outcomes.
• Strategic Partnerships & Programs: Develop partnerships with employers, community leaders and local institutions. Support community health initiatives, educational programs, and outreach campaigns. Identify opportunities for collaboration that strengthen the organization’s presence and reputation.
• Internal Collaboration: Work closely with communications, marketing, philanthropy, clinical leadership, and operations teams. Ensure consistent messaging and coordinated engagement across departments. Provide leadership with insights into community sentiment, opportunities, and risks.
• Measurement & Impact: Establish metrics to measure community engagement effectiveness and stakeholder support. Track partnership outcomes, community participation, and reputation indicators. Prepare reports and dashboards for senior leadership.

Education Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required. Master’s degree in Public Administration, Public Health, Communications, or related field preferred.

Licensure/Certification Requirements

• None required.

Professional Experience Requirements

• Requires seven (7) years of related work experience in community engagement, public affairs, government relations, healthcare outreach, or related leadership roles.

Knowledge/Skills/and Abilities Requirements

• Strong network development and relationship management skills.
• Experience working with diverse communities and stakeholders.
• Understanding of healthcare systems, community health, and regional dynamics preferred.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and strategic planning abilities.

Job Details

Legal Employer: NCHEALTH
Entity: Shared Services
Organization Unit: Governance and Ext Affairs
Work Type: Full Time
Standard Hours Per Week: 40.00
Pay offers are determined by experience and internal equity
Work Assignment Type: Hybrid
Work Schedule: Day Job
Location of Job: US:NC:Wilmington
Exempt From Overtime: Exempt: Yes
This position is employed by NC Health (Rex Healthcare, Inc., d/b/a NC Health), a private, fully‑owned subsidiary of UNC Health Care System, in a department that provides shared services to operations across UNC Health Care; except that, if you are currently a UNCHCS State employee already working in a designated shared services department, you may remain a UNCHCS State employee if selected for this job.

Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, genetic information, disability, status as a protected veteran or political affiliation.

UNC Health makes reasonable accommodations for applicants' and employees' religious practices and beliefs, as well as applicants and employees with disabilities. All interested applicants are invited to apply for career opportunities. Please email View email address on click.appcast.io if you need a reasonable accommodation to search and/or to apply for a career opportunity.