Vice President, Public Relations

BHC is seeking a seasoned, strategic, and media-savvy Vice President of Public Relations to lead all external storytelling, communications strategy, and media engagement across the portfolio. This senior role is responsible for protecting and elevating BHC’s reputation locally, nationally, and globally through disciplined narrative control, high-impact storytelling, and decisive leadership under pressure.

The VP, Public Relations, serves as the enterprise owner of BHC’s external narrative and reputation, combining strategic vision with hands-on editorial judgment. This role acts as the senior strategic partner to BHC’s national and local PR agencies, while maintaining direct authority over messaging, response posture, and spokesperson alignment. The VP is hands-on when it matters most, leading high-stakes communications, crisis response, and marquee moments while leveraging agencies and partners for execution at scale.

Duties & Responsibilities

PR, Reputation & Media Relations

• Serve as the steward of BHC’s external narrative and reputation across all properties and platforms.
• Act as the senior liaison and strategic lead for all PR agencies, setting direction, priorities, and performance expectations.
• Cultivate and maintain executive-level relationships with national and local media, influencers, and industry stakeholders.
• Serve as a primary authorized spokesperson for BHC and determine appropriate spokespersons by situation, audience, and risk.
• Personally lead or co-lead top-tier media interviews, sensitive inquiries, and high-profile press engagements.
• Oversee all press activity including press trips, media briefings, interviews, and FAM programs.
  
  

Editorial Leadership & Copywriting

• Serve as an exceptional writer and editor, personally drafting or substantially shaping high-stakes external communications.
• Maintain final editorial authority over all critical external-facing copy, including press releases, public statements, executive talking points, and crisis communications.
• Approve or decline external-facing messaging based on tone, accuracy, brand alignment, and reputational risk.
• Ensure consistency of voice, framing, and narrative discipline across all earned, shared, and partnered media.
  
  

Communications Strategy & Brand Storytelling

• Develop and implement enterprise-wide external communications strategies that position BHC as a leader in luxury hospitality and cultural stewardship.
• Translate business priorities, development milestones, culinary leadership, and community impact into compelling media narratives.
• Identify, evaluate, and activate strategic partnerships and collaborations that enhance brand visibility and influence.
• Lead award submissions, industry recognition programs, and reputation-building initiatives.
• Strategically assess community engagement and event participation opportunities, making executive recommendations to maximize impact.
  
  

Reputational Risk & Crisis Communications

• Serve as the central leader for reputational risk assessment and crisis communications strategy.
• Determine if, when, and how BHC responds publicly to issues, including the authority to recommend silence as a strategic response.
• Coordinate closely with Operations, Legal (as applicable), and executive leadership to gather facts and align response strategy.
• Escalate reputational tradeoffs directly to the EVP, Sales & Marketing as appropriate.
  
  

Measurement, Governance & Performance

• Monitor, analyze, and report on media coverage, share of voice, and PR ROI using industry standards such as the Barcelona Principles.
• Establish clear agency governance, workflows, and approval structures to eliminate overlap and ensure efficiency.
• Regularly evaluate PR investment effectiveness and recommend optimization aligned with enterprise priorities.
  
  

Required Skills & Experience

• 10 years of progressive public relations, communications, or reputation management experience, including senior leadership or agency experience.
• Demonstrated success leading national and local media strategy for complex, high-visibility brands.
• Exceptional executive-level writing, editing, storytelling, and editorial judgment.
• Proven experience managing reputational risk, crisis communications, and sensitive issues.
• Established network of national and Charleston-based media, influencers, and industry leaders.
• Strategic thinker with the ability to operate at both executive altitude and hands-on execution when required.
  
  

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a colleague to successfully perform the essential functions of this job:

• Willingness to travel up to 25% of the time, including overnight stays and occasional international trips.
• Ability to attend and actively participate in property visits, industry events, press previews, and media activations.
• Occasional lifting or handling of materials, marketing collateral, or promotional assets up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume executive environment with competing priorities.
  
  

_______________________________________________________________________________

BHC is an equal employment opportunity employer.  Employment decisions are based on merit and business needs, and are not based on race, color, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, and related medical conditions), citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, marital status, veteran status, uniformed service, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other factor or characteristic protected by applicable law. BHC participates in E-Verify.