The American Heart Association (AHA) has an excellent opportunity for a Vice President of Communications in our DALLAS office. This position will be responsible for leading the affiliate level communications vision and program.
- Responsible for leading the affiliate level communications vision and program.
- Supervises affiliate communications staff, oversee the development and execute affiliate communications programs to support the overarching organizational strategic priorities.
- Responsible for local markets maintaining strong positive media relationships and partnerships.
- Assists and participates in local market strategic planning with the local market’s communications director, ensures the plan supports revenue and mission priorities.
- Supports national, affiliate and local sponsor activation and recognition.
- Manages AHA’s response to internal and external crises, sensitive information and issues professionally, effectively and calmly in a time-sensitive manner.
- Develops and manages communications content and drives the overall affiliate communications plan to engage the organization’s staff, volunteers and sponsors.
- Works collaboratively with all health strategies and development staff, with a special emphasis placed on collaboration with Senior Vice Presidents of Development and Metro Executive Directors, to determine the most efficient and effective communications support to get the greatest impact for the strategic goals of the AHA at the local/division level.
- Oversees the AHA’s advertising and public relations campaigns. Leads the affiliate’s use of digital media, including social media, to reach the association’s objectives.
- Works with the affiliate’s volunteers and staff leadership, staff, news media, outside organizations and the public to enhance the AHA’s image and disseminate the association’s key messages.
- Builds a network of meaningful volunteer partnerships to advance the mission of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association.
- Provides timely direction, framework and resources to volunteers while at the same time relying on their expertise, abilities and willingness to leverage their networks to drive the goals of the organization.
- Shares meaningful opportunities for volunteers so they can utilize their passion to further the mission of the organization.
- Gives recognition to volunteers for their efforts to help ensure their success and drive satisfaction. Hold each other accountable, both volunteers and staff, while being accessible and build collaborative and effective staff-volunteer partnerships that are based on mutual trust.
- Creates a collaborative environment where staff from various functions work together to achieve results across health, revenue and volunteerism goals for the organization.
ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES:
- Determines vision and direction for the affiliate communication’s business plan. Supervises staff and the overall planning for the communications function. Leads communications staff in the development of effective communications plans for key initiatives of the AHA/ASA.
- Responsible for communicating all activities for all functional areas across the affiliate and local market. This includes: media and public relations, media advocacy, issues and crisis management, development of appropriate culturally appropriate content and digital media.
- Works with affiliate staff to ensure knowledge of and adherence to branding guidelines and manage the AHA’s master brand and sub-brands to ensure successful implementation across the affiliate.
- Regularly anticipates and advises senior management and volunteer leadership on sensitive issues and management of potential crisis situations. Handles these issues professionally and in a timely manner. Manages development of crisis communications and issues content, including tools, statements, fact sheets, news releases and other materials.
- Builds a culturally competent and customer focused communications team. Leads the staff to identify, recruits, train, develop and manage volunteers to reach communications objectives. Serves as a strong role model and cultivates top talent through strategic leadership to enhance employee retention.
- Serves as the SWA Communications & Marketing liaison with National Center, as well as a member of the SWA Senior Leadership and Affiliate Management Teams, assisting with strategic planning and special assignments on an as-needed basis.
- In coordination with Affiliate staff, supports National, Affiliate and local sponsorship activation and sponsor recognition. Ensures staff are working with local sponsors on activation opportunities and implementing National sponsor commitments at the local market level.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position will spend approximately 60% of their time on the road in meetings and appointments and 40% of their time in the office, requiring the ability to travel within and outside of assigned territory to attend indoor/outdoor event-related activities, training sessions, and/or meetings/conferences, which may involve overnight stays and/or weekends. This position works in a typical office environment using a computer and telephone to perform the major duties of the position. Some lifting of heavy objects is required.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE INCLUDE:
- Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
- Facilitating interaction and communication with customers and staff to clearly and concisely exchange ideas, facts, and information.
- Ability to effectively plan and manage workflow, work on multiple projects simultaneously and manage project details with limited supervision.
- Capacity to conceptualize, reason through problems, makes effective decisions, and develops alternative solution and provides excellent customer service while ensuring compliance with the American Heart Association’s policies and procedures.
BUDGETARY AND/OR REVENUE RESPONSIBILITY:
- Operating Budget
COMMUNICATION:
- Internal Employees (i.e. own department members, internal AHA department or affiliates)
- External Employees (i.e. volunteers, customers, vendors, authorities)
- Position is responsible for convincing or influencing others without direct or formal authority
SUPERVISION:
Approximately 22 employees in total report up to this position, with 6 direct reports
HERE ARE SOME OF THE PREFERRED SKILLS WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
- 5-8 years excellent oral and written communication skills.
- 5-8 years staff supervision.
- 3-5 years understanding of and experience with social/digital media strategies.
- 5-8 years project management experience.
- 5-8 years media relations experience.
- 5-8 years minimum related work experience.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL REQUIREMENTS:
This position will spend approximately 60% of their time on the road in meetings and appointments and 40% of their time in the office, requiring the ability to travel within and outside of assigned territory to attend indoor/outdoor event-related activities, training sessions, and/or meetings/conferences, which may involve overnight stays and/or weekends. This position works in a typical office environment using a computer and telephone to perform the major duties of the position. Some lifting of heavy objects is required.
ESSENTIAL SKILLS FOR SUCCESS IN THIS ROLE INCLUDE:
- Ability to effectively communicate verbally and in writing.
- Facilitating interaction and communication with customers and staff to clearly and concisely exchange ideas, facts, and information.
- Ability to effectively plan and manage workflow, work on multiple projects simultaneously and manage project details with limited supervision.
- Capacity to conceptualize, reason through problems, makes effective decisions, and develops alternative solution and provides excellent customer service while ensuring compliance with the American Heart Association’s policies and procedures.
Attracting talented, committed employees means offering a competitive benefits package, ongoing professional development and training, and a diverse and inclusive environment in which to work and grow. And we do.