Sr. Director, Media Relations

Position Summary

This position is responsible for creating and telling the story of Catholic health care in the United States in a compelling manner. Reporting to the Vice President for Marketing and Communications, the Senior Director will support the development and implementation of a bold communications strategy that proactively advances the vision, mission, and values of CHA. The Senior Director will provide strategic counsel and guidance to CHA leaders and members that advance CHA’s advocacy, brand, and policy objectives in the media. The position will be primarily responsible for earned media relations and ensure that CHA’s crisis communication plan is in place and followed. The position will partner with Advocacy colleagues to advance federal policies important to CHA and its members and will work with external partners to advance CHA’s advocacy agenda. In addition, the position will provide critical contributions to achieving the association’s overall strategic plan. Periodic travel will be required (approximately 15%).

Essential Functions

• Reimagine and champion a bold, new media relations strategy to advance CHA’s mission with media outreach and coverage across all channels. Evaluate the strategy on a regular basis to ensure it remains highly effective within the environment in which CHA members operate.
• Develop new processes to identify difficult issues early and enable CHA members to act proactively to protect their brand and all of Catholic health care.
• Develop and maintain trusted and mutually beneficial relationships with key reporters, editors, bloggers, producers, influencers, and others who can advance the story of Catholic health care in the U.S.
• Build relationships with communications executives at CHA member organizations and others who are aligned with CHA, engaging them in initiatives that advance CHA’s shared mission.
• Provide counsel, strategic insight, and support for national campaigns that showcase the total value of Catholic care on community health, bring transparency to payers’ influence on pricing, and other initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for CHA to generate media coverage, whether proactively or in rapid response to external events. Provide response tools for CHA member organizations.
• Counsel the CHA CEO and senior executives on interviews, presentations, testimony, and other public forums.
• Work closely with the CHA Advocacy department to promote CHA policy positions and priorities in media outlets, with an emphasis on reaching reporters and editors that cover federal policy.
• Lead CHA’s social media team, maximizing AI to boost outreach and engagement.
• Provide editorial direction to CHA’s Catholic Health World team and demonstrate the value of this channel.
• Write, edit, and distribute opinion pieces, blogs, press releases, and other content – and collaborate with CHA member organizations to multiply impact.
• Track outreach with related metrics, setting tangible goals and reporting regularly on effectiveness and opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with the CHA director of creative services, director of communications, director of member engagement, and external consultants for specific projects throughout the year.
• Monitor budgets and oversee work to ensure quality outcomes and on-time delivery.

HOME OFFICE LOCATION

Washington, DC office with the ability to work from home subject to CHA’s policies on flexible work arrangements.

Qualifications

Experience :

At least 7 years of related experience. Political and / or public policy experience is preferred. Vision and aptitude for developing and executing thoughtful, proactive communications strategies. Proven track record of earning media with top-tier outlets. Experience managing media monitoring subscriptions / software tools. Experience in Catholic health ministry, non-profit organizations and / or health care industry desired. Knowledge of Catholic social teaching is desired.

Skills, Knowledge, and Ability :

Excellent interpersonal skills, political savvy, and sound judgment. Exceptional ability to communicate complex ideas to non-experts. Experience writing professional quality high-quality op-eds, blogs, and other publications. Professional and diplomatic demeanor. Excellent verbal and written communication skills. Superior organizational skills with thorough attention to detail. Ability to build internal and external relationships and networks. Critical thinking skills and ability to develop communications plans for achieving strategy. Strong sense of teamwork. Ability to develop communications in a variety of print and electronic media. Ability to influence others to act. Exhibits flexibility and ownership of work product. Successful history of working under pressure, meeting deadlines, and managing multiple tasks with competing priorities. Intermediate Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint skills. Basic Microsoft Excel skills.

Education / Certification :

Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, or a related field; master’s degree preferred.

LIVING OUR VALUES

Employees are expected to exemplify CHA's core values of : Respect (treating each other with reverence, honoring the uniqueness of each person and promoting the well-being, development and participation of each person); Integrity (being honest and truthful in our thoughts, words and deeds); Stewardship (producing quality products and services while meeting the needs of our members, using resources entrusted to us responsibly and spending appropriately); Excellence (a commitment to care about our work and the ministry in a manner to ensure high quality, adaptability, accountability, effort, diligence and respect. It is both a habit of behavior and a goal to be pursued).#J-18808-Ljbffr