Director External Communications

Primary Purpose

Responsible for strategy recommendations, directing and executing our Advocate Health enterprise-wide communications strategy through earned and owned media elements.

This position will lead the communications team that develops communications strategies and tactics that identify Advocate Health as a leader in the health care industry.

This position leads a team that will find, hone and share compelling stories, bringing to life impactful and integrated communications campaigns from across the entire organization.

This role will support, maintain and enhance the public perception of Advocate Health by identifying and targeting key audiences through various forms of communication.

Major Responsibilities

• Recommend and execute measurable proactive and reactive external communications strategies in collaboration with rest of the external communications leadership team and others across the department.
• Identify and implement strategies and tactics to identify and cultivate meaningful recognition opportunities that will reaffirm Advocate Health’s leadership role in areas of differentiation within the health industry, driving the influence of Advocate Health as a key national voice in the industry.
• Create communications plans, often as part of integrated marketing campaigns, that support organization and business goals but also protect and enhance the reputation of the Advocate Health and related brands.
• Track and provide recommendations to leadership around emerging trends, potential industry issues and/or brand reputation risks, developing reactive action plans and responses as needed.
• Oversee content creation strategies, including but not limited to, consumer communications, press releases, pitches, blogs, opinion editorials, talking points, annual reports, thought leadership articles, etc.  
• Identify critical relationships with trade reporters, key local, regional, national media outlets and influencers to facilitate relationship building resulting in positive earned media coverage.
• Keep abreast of media related to customers, competitors and the industry.
• Work cross-functionally to craft communications plans that influence the thinking and behavior of key audiences and thoughtfully promote Advocate Health and its family of brands.  
• Effectively manage the people and budget for the organizational excellence communications team, working closely with the rest of the communications and divisional leadership team.

Minimum Job Requirements

Education

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, advertising or other business-related field, or bachelor’s degree combined with relevant experience.

Work Experience

10+ years of experience in Communications, Marketing, Journalism or other business-related field, including experience with people leadership, overseeing budgets and formulating and executing comprehensive communications strategies.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities

• Proven ability to develop and lead communications and public relations strategies and effectively communicate recommendations to executive leadership.
• A flair for creating persuasive content and communicating effectively (and differently) depending on the medium.
• Experience with proactive and crisis communications planning.
• Proactive, independent and takes initiative with consistent follow through.
• Superb communication skills, verbal and written, conducted in a timely manner.
• Superior time management skills, with capability of working with and meeting deadlines.
• Ability to think critically, understand complex concepts, synthesize information, create clarity to support sound decision-making. 
• Specific experience and strong record of success in understanding the environment, identifying opportunities, designing solutions and aligning action to drive performance. 
• Highly strategic with a demonstrated track record in assessing complex, competitive issues and situations and in developing related initiatives in partnership with other stakeholders to drive business results.
• Thrives in a fast-paced environment, having a change mindset and comfortable navigating ambiguity. 
• Strong leadership and communications skills, including presentation creation and delivery, with the ability to inspire and influence others. 
• Excellent oral and written communications, executive presence and relationship development skills.
• Manage budget, vendors, resources and timelines, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness of marketing activities. 
• Ability to develop and lead communications and public relations strategies and effectively communicate recommendations to executive leadership.
• Ability to develop and lead strong teams and build effective operating models to drive results.
• Ability to assess, retain, grow and attract strong, diverse talent to meet business objectives. 
• Ability to empower team members and hold team accountable.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

Position requires some work on weekends and outside of normal business hours. Position requires some local, regional and market travel.

Organization Overview

Advocate Health is the third-largest nonprofit, integrated health system in the United States, created from the combination of Advocate Aurora Health and Atrium Health.

Providing care under the names Advocate Health Care in Illinois; Atrium Health in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama; and Aurora Health Care in Wisconsin, Advocate Health is a national leader in clinical innovation, health outcomes, consumer experience and value-based care.

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Advocate Health services nearly 6 million patients and is engaged in hundreds of clinical trials and research studies, with Wake Forest University School of Medicine serving as the academic core of the enterprise. Advocate Health is nationally recognized for its expertise in heart and vascular, neurosciences, oncology, pediatrics and rehabilitation, as well as organ transplants, burn treatments and specialized musculoskeletal programs.

Advocate Health employs more than 160,000 teammates across 69 hospitals and over 1,000 care locations, and offers one of the nation’s largest graduate medical education programs with over 2,000 residents and fellows across more than 200 programs. Committed to redefining care for all, Advocate Health provides more than $6 billion in annual community benefits. 

Apply for this job