Communications Manager

Association Overview

The Association of Academic Health Centers (AAHC) is the association representing the nation’s academic health centers.  Academic health centers are a unique blend of business and academia – and they have an enormous impact.  They are essential to the nation’s higher education system as they educate tomorrow’s health care providers and pioneers.  These institutions are vital providers of patient care and offer comprehensive as well as cutting-edge treatment.  Their large portfolios of research generate new ideas, leading to novel concepts and therapies.  Academic health centers also serve as economic engines.  Locally, they employ thousands of professionals and staff, and their research creates original products and technologies that benefit millions of people worldwide.  Together, their impact is felt in nearly every sector of the global economy.  They are also deeply imbedded in their communities, often serving as safety net providers and standing on the country’s frontline of defense in response to public health outbreaks, natural disasters, local crises, and potential terrorist attacks.

AAHC represents the interests of 100 U.S. academic health centers; its newly founded international subsidiary, AAHC International™ (founded in 2008), represents 31 international academic health centers (and is posed for substantial growth in the next three to five years).  With a combined annual budget of approximately 3.5MM and a staff of 10, AAHC/AAHCI is financially strong and growing.

Executive Overview

In this newly-created role of Communications Manager, you will be the person responsible for increasing our visibility, increasing member engagement, and enhancing our brand.  You will be a communications “department of one” and will be the key developer and driver of a comprehensive and cohesive communications plan.  You will work directly with AAHC leadership and member executives to understand their needs and then implement a communications strategy that increases member communications and engagement.  You will work closely with your colleagues across the organization as well as with outside partners, related industry leaders and think tanks and stay informed about key issues impacting our members.  Ultimately, you will ensure that members view AAHC/AAHCI as a go-to resource and public affairs leader.

In this role, you will manage our internal and external communications strategy.  You will ensure that messaging is cohesive and strategically repurposed.  We will look to you to ensure that communications are integrated across departments (e.g., membership, advocacy) and that everyone is properly informed.  You will spend about 30-40 percent of your time writing and developing content (white papers, fact sheets, overviews, press releases, web content).  You will assess the landscape and develop campaigns that are consistent, cohesive, and implement the use of both traditional campaign strategies (e.g., mailings, newsletters and e-mail) and new media (virtual meetings, social media).  You will keep our members connected and informed.

You will evaluate our website and implement a content management strategy that drives members to our website (e.g., member engagement programs that encourage members to profile their publication on industry-specific issues on our website).  You will track and manage web content to ensure that information is both relevant and current.  

You will work with the media and develop, implement and manage our PR plan/strategy.  You will also support the development of meetings and conference materials.

You will report to the Chief Operating Officer and have access to shared resources as needed.  

Responsibilities of the Communications Manager

In this role, you will: 

• Increase AAHC/AAHCI visibility to its members. Ultimately, increase member engagement.
• Research, gather data, and maintain updated industry information (regarding both national and international academic health centers).
• Develop information needed to support key messages.
• Develop written materials across a variety of media.
• Manage and oversee the work of outside vendors (e.g. for the production of brochures, publications, and other marketing materials).
• Identify key messaging needs to support our members, support our policy and advocacy initiatives, and increase public awareness.
• Track current political issues.  Recognize and understand the subsequent impact on academic health centers. 
• Review existing templates and written materials.  Refresh materials and/or recreate templates. 
• Ensure consistent formatting and branding presentation across all materials.
• Coordinate message development and dissemination.
• Maximize our resources (e.g., repurpose messaging across multiple activities).
• Track communications projects and manage deliverables to deadline.
• Support other teams within AAHC/AAHCI with information for their projects. 
• Stay connected to members and keep abreast of ongoing needs and concerns.
• Manage ongoing departmental budgetary duties as assigned. 

Experience and Requirements 

• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in a communications-related field.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills.  A strong background in reporting/writing, along with experience in media/communications plans. 
• Record of working independently and efficiently on multiple projects. 
• Ability to prioritize and manage successfully to deadline.
• Excellent analytical skills.  Able to take data (surveys, publications, articles, charts, numbers, graphs) and produce meaningful, accurate information.
• Ability to be creative and to develop (and effectively repurpose) strategic messaging.
• Exposure to academic health centers, associations, or not-for-profits preferred.
• Ability to develop solid working relationships with internal team and members, executive leaders, advisory councils, and the media.
• Ability to travel as needed (at minimum, at least once a year for the annual meeting). 

Attributes of the Communications Manager

• Strategic and analytical.  You know how to effectively take data and create messaging that is engaging and drives action.  You see the big picture.  You are able to identify and implement multiple ways to take full strategic advantage of each messaging opportunity. 
• Works collaboratively.  You seek out relevant information, decide the appropriate steps, share information, and work cooperatively.  You communicate and coordinate effectively at every level. 
• Service-oriented.  Along with a keen ability to relate to members, you understand their business and the issues impacting their health centers.  You know how to identify messaging that provides members the appropriate resources to support their immediate and long-term strategic goals.   
• Organized. You take pride in managing your “to do” list and feel a sense of accomplishment with each task marked off.  You smartly manage all the moving pieces.  You are able to juggle multiple tasks, allocate and optimize resources, and manage timelines.  You bring order to competing priorities and keep things running smoothly. 
• Service-driven.  You take delight in exceeding others’ expectations.  You can be trusted to do your job well.
• Attention to detail. You are deadline-focused and understand the need for a quality product, delivered on time.  Your work style sets the standard.
• Skilled project manager.  You take full responsibility from start to finish.  
• Flexible.  You easily shift gears and reprioritize as needed.  

What’s Attractive to the Right Candidate 

• This is yours to build.  You will have the ability to spread your professional wings – your projects are yours to create and manage, from start to finish.
• You have an active voice as a key contributor.  We work together and win together, and your ideas and input are an integral part of our success.
• This is a fairly autonomous role.  We won’t micromanage, and we’ll trust you to do your job well. 
• With an ever-changing landscape in the healthcare industry, your work is significant to keeping our members informed with accurate industry information that enables them to make important business decisions and stay abreast of industry trends.
• This is interesting and stimulating work.  You will have direct access to decision makers and executive leaders throughout the world.  
• We are financially stable, and we offer a highly competitive benefits package.  

To Apply for the Communications Manager position at the Association of Academic Health Centers:

Email a Word version of your resume and cover letter to Jennie Kinsfather at resumes@staffingadvisors.com with “AAHC – Communications Manager/2012-1478” in the Subject line of the email.