Principal Communications Consultant
Employment Type: Contract – Hybrid in Bloomington, MN
Seeking a Principal Communications Consultant to lead strategic communications and marketing efforts supporting the Stillwater Lakeview Hospital opening. This is a high-impact, long-running freelance opportunity expected to continue through early 2028 in phased engagements, with the strongest communications needs at the outset and increasing marketing strategy responsibilities in later phases. The ideal consultant will bring senior-level communications and marketing expertise, executive presence, and the ability to work independently while guiding complex stakeholder engagement across a major hospital campus launch.
This consultant will serve as a key strategic partner to leadership, helping shape and execute communication and marketing plans tied to major milestones such as groundbreaking activities, community engagement, construction communications, public relations, and grand opening readiness. The role will be managed by senior leaders and is intended for someone who can maintain continuity, preserve institutional knowledge, and build strong working relationships over multiple project phases.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead communications and marketing strategy for the Stillwater Lakeview Hospital opening from groundbreaking through launch.
- Act as the primary communications lead for the project team, attending meetings and coordinating closely with internal stakeholders and project managers.
- Develop and execute strategic communications plans with guidance from senior communications and care delivery leadership.
- Create and oversee internal and external content across multiple channels, including executive messaging, community updates, media materials, web content, and social media.
- Support and advise on public-facing milestones such as groundbreaking events, open houses, focus groups, and other engagement initiatives.
- Drive marketing planning for later project phases, including hospital promotion and community visibility strategies.
- Build strong relationships with business partners, community stakeholders, leaders, and cross-functional teams to move initiatives forward effectively.
- Provide strategic counsel to leadership and influence decisions through clear recommendations, sound judgment, and strong communication.
- Manage priorities independently, ensuring work progresses on time, on strategy, and within budget parameters.
- Use insights and available data to refine communications and marketing strategies and improve outcomes over time.
Qualifications
- Senior-level communications professional with strong communications and marketing experience, ideally at the principal or lead consultant level.
- Demonstrated executive presence and the ability to work effectively with senior leaders, business partners, and cross-functional teams.
- Highly skilled in communications and marketing strategy, including media relations, community engagement, stakeholder outreach, web updates, and social media planning.
- Ability to operate in a self-directed manner, navigate ambiguity, and keep complex processes moving forward with minimal oversight.
- Experience supporting high-visibility, multi-phase initiatives or large-scale organizational projects.
- Healthcare industry experience preferred but not required.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
- At least 7 years of experience in marketing, communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field.
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences and leadership levels.
- Strong strategic thinking, organizational skills, and ability to manage multiple priorities under deadline.
- Experience using data and insights to inform planning, measure performance, and evolve strategy.
Preferred Attributes
- Strong judgment and decision-making skills grounded in facts, stakeholder input, and business objectives.
- Ability to influence without authority and build long-term partnerships internally and externally.
- Comfortable advising on sensitive or visible community-facing communications.
- Skilled at storytelling, issue anticipation, and adapting communications to changing project phases and audiences.
- Able to maintain continuity and intellectual capital across 6–9 month extension cycles, budget permitting.
Engagement Details
- Freelance engagement with anticipated phased extensions through early 2028. Assignment will be extended in 6-month increments to follow budgeting cycle.
- Early phases will focus heavily on communications execution and stakeholder engagement.
- Later phases will shift toward broader marketing strategy and community promotion.
About the Opportunity
This is an opportunity to play a leading role in shaping how a major new hospital campus is introduced to employees, leaders, community members, neighbors, media, and other stakeholders. The organization is looking for a trusted consultant who can combine strategic vision with hands-on execution, bringing both communications depth and marketing insight to a project of lasting significance.
