Media Relations Director

Agency

Dept of Health and Human Services

Division

Secretary's Office

Job Classification Title

Public Information Director I (NS)

Position Number

60037832

Grade

• NC21
• About Us

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is one of the largest, most complex agencies in the state, and has approximately 17,000 employees. It is responsible for ensuring the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians, providing human service needs for special populations including individuals who are deaf, blind, developmentally disabled, and mentally ill, and helping poor North Carolinians achieve economic independence.

Description of Work

The Media Relations Director leads the department’s press response, public records compliance, and public engagement strategies to advance the mission of improving the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians. The Director manages a complex, fast-paced public information program for a large State agency that averages more than 2,300 media requests each year.

The Director serves as a primary media communications advisor and key spokesperson for department leadership, coordinating closely with the Governor's Office, other state agencies, and diverse stakeholders. This position operates with significant independence in partnership with the Director of Strategic Communications and reporting to the Senior Director of Communications.

Team Leadership & Management: Supervise and direct the Media Relations Team, including the press and public records teams. Oversee professional communications specialists, events manager, media relations personnel, and support staff.

Media Strategy & Response: Plan, design, and execute comprehensive media relations strategies. Act as the primary agency spokesperson when necessary, coordinating both proactive public relations campaigns and crisis messaging. Anticipate emerging issues, risks, and shifts in the media and political landscape.

Advanced Writing & Storytelling: Craft press releases, media advisories, and stakeholder letters, developing high-quality content for a variety of audiences under tight deadlines. Ensure public materials and media responses are vetted and align with department strategy.

Executive Advising: Work closely with leadership and department experts to create public communication plans, write clear talking points, and share the best ways to connect with the public.

Relationship Management: Build and sustain strong working relationships with local, state, and national news media representatives, community advocacy groups, and the general public.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities/Management Preferences

Salary Grade Range: $70,627.00 - $137,724.00

Recruitment Range: $90,000.00 - $120,000.00

Candidates now meet the minimum qualifications of a position if they meet the minimum education and experience listed on the vacancy announcement.

The Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)/ Management Preferences are not required. Applicants who possess the following skills are preferred:

• •Thorough knowledge of the principles, methods, and modern practices of planning and executing large-scale public relations and media engagement strategies.
• •Thorough knowledge of journalistic standards, AP style, publication layout, digital media tracking, and multimedia production techniques.
• •Proven ability to supervise, mentor, and evaluate a staff of communications professionals in drafting press releases, handling complex media inquiries, and managing high-volume public records requests.
• •Demonstrated ability to exercise mature judgment, analyze high-stakes situations rapidly, and make sound decisions under tight deadlines.
• •Experience planning and executing in-person and virtual events, including press conferences, media briefings, stakeholder roundtables, community forums, and executive events.
• •Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with a proven ability to translate complex health and technical data into clear, accessible public information.

The Posting Will Close At 11:59 P.M. The Night Before The End Date

This Position Is Funded In Part Through Federal Funds

This Role Is Eligible To Be Hybrid And Requires Onsite Reporting Located Within Raleigh, NC

About the Office of the Secretary

The Office of the Secretary serves as the executive leadership arm of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), guiding the Department’s mission to improve the health, safety, and well-being of all North Carolinians. Through strategic oversight and collaborative leadership, the Secretary’s Office supports the effective coordination of over a dozen core divisions, ensuring that agency-wide priorities are aligned, resources are used responsibly, and services are delivered with equity and impact.

About DHHS Office of Communications

The Office of Communications is the central press, public relations, marketing and communications section for DHHS. Through outreach materials, news releases, interviews, fact sheets, web pages, and other publications, the staff in this unit helps the public understand programs and issues. This office is the liaison with the news media and assists department staff with development of media and communications strategies to handle special events and crises and other communication to citizens and key stakeholder groups. The Office of Communications supports the department's three priority areas: Children and Family Well-Being, Behavioral Health and Resilience and Strong and Inclusive Workforce.

Compensation and Benefits

The State of North Carolina offers excellent comprehensive benefits. Employees can participate in health insurance options, standard and supplemental retirement plans, and the NCFlex program (numerous high-quality, low-cost benefits on a pre-tax basis). Employees also receive paid vacation, sick, and community service leave. In addition, paid parental leave is available to eligible employees. Visit website for State Benefits .

Supplemental Contact Information

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) is an Equal Opportunity Employer that embraces an Employment First philosophy, which consists of complying with all federal laws, state laws, and Executive Orders. We are committed to reviewing requests for reasonable accommodation at any time during the hiring process or while on the job. For more information about DHHS: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/ .

DHHS uses the Merit-Based Recruitment and Selection Plan to fill positions subject to the State Human Resources Act with the most qualified individuals. Hiring salary will be based on relevant qualifications, internal equity, and budgetary considerations pertinent to the advertised position.

In accordance with the Governor’s Executive Order 303 , our agency supports second-chance employment for individuals who were previously incarcerated or justice-involved. We invite all potential applicants to apply for positions for which they may be qualified.

Application Process

Be sure to complete the application in its entirety. Resumes will not be accepted in lieu of completing this application.

• •Information should be provided in the appropriate areas, to include the following: Education, including high school and all degrees obtained, Work Experience, and Certificates & Licenses. It is critical to our screening and salary determination process that applications contain comprehensive candidate information.
• •Answers to Supplemental Questions are not a substitute for providing all relevant information within the body of your application. To receive credit for the supplemental questions, you must provide supporting information within the "Work Experience" section of the application, to support your answers.
• •If multiple applications are submitted to an individual posting, only the most recent application received prior to the closing date will be accepted. Applications must be submitted by 5:00 PM