The American Heart Association (AHA) has an excellent opportunity for a Communications Director in our Midwest Affiliate office located in Chicago, IL. The Communication Director develops and implements communications plans that promote American Heart Association programs, cause initiatives, products and services and fundraising activities in Metro Chicago , through traditional, non-traditional and social media. Develops and implements media events. Develops media materials and other tools to inform key audiences about heart disease and stroke. Ensures branding compliance with the AHA/ASA brand and cause initiatives sub-brands. Provides communications counsel to local staff and volunteers. Assists with crisis communications and sensitive issues on an as-needed basis. Works through volunteers to maximize local communication efforts in the market. Interacts with volunteer leadership, senior management, local staff, news media, outside organizations and the general public for the purpose of enhancing the American Heart Association public image and increasing the flow of news and other information to the media. As applicable, develops, supports and implements limited cause initiatives activities in conjunction with market-level staff and volunteers.
Areas of Responsibility:
- Develop/implement communications plans that promote the AHA’s cause initiatives, programs, products, services and fundraising events to assist in reaching local objectives.
- Promote AHA’s involvement in community programs/initiatives that address social determinants of health. Serve as AHA representative for local coalitions and task groups focused on areas of need in Metro Chicago.
- Write/distribute news releases and other media materials as appropriate to local media.
- Develop relationships with local media, including relationships that reach diverse populations appropriate for the market.
- Promote national health and science news to local media.
- Pitch/place stories in traditional and non-traditional media.
- Develop and implement media events (such as national icon day/buzz events, survivor recognition events) and, where appropriate, develop and implement limited cause initiatives events.
- Secure media participation in American Heart Association events.
- Work in collaboration with advocacy staff to develop and implement appropriate media advocacy strategies.
- Develop and/or conduct awareness campaigns, such as American Heart Month and American Stroke Month.
- Build a culture of health by engaging the general population in social media. Establish and maintain local social media presence to build volunteer and supporter relationships.
- Work with staff leadership to manage local crisis communications or sensitive issues as needed.
- Responsible for overall brand management in the market, including the overall AHA/ASA brand and the four cause initiatives sub-brands.
- Recruit, cultivate, train and manage volunteers to achieve communications and, where appropriate, cause initiatives objectives.
- Identify, secure and provide media training for local AHA spokespersons and develop/maintain AHA/ASA spokesperson database.
- Work collaboratively with the metro executive director and other key market staff to develop integrated approaches to cause initiatives, including sponsor deliverables.
- In coordination with metro executive director and other key staff, actively identify local sponsor activation opportunities for top sponsors, and ensure that sponsors’ public relations benefits are met.
- Willingness to accept other duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Senior Director of Communications and Vice President of Communications.
Educational Background:
Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university in communications, public relations, journalism or related field preferred. College coursework combined with related experience may be substituted for a degree.
Skills/Experience:
- Must be at least 18 years old.
- Related experience may be substituted as follows: 1 ½ years experience equates to 1 full time year of higher education.
- Must have at least 2 years of experience in public relations communications, public relations, marketing, or journalism. This experience may also count towards satisfying this position’s educational requirement. Nonprofit experience preferred.
- Knowledge of media and communications principles, ethics, practices and techniques, including technical requirements.
- Exceptional skill in written and oral communications, including business writing, news writing/editing for print and broadcast, conversing by telephone and conducting presentations to large or small groups.
- Working knowledge of news media operations and news gathering.
- Knowledge of community organization, program, fundraising and marketing principles, practices and techniques is preferred. Voluntary health agency experience preferred.
- Ability to create and maintain key contacts within the media and favorably project the American Heart Association image.
- Ability to recruit, organize, train and manage volunteers. Ability to delegate and accomplish goals through volunteers.
- Skill in consultation, facilitation and training.
- Ability to develop long-term and short-term goals, follow them through, and develop performance objectives to support them.
- Working knowledge of news media operations, newsgathering and technology.
- Ability to travel approximately 30% of the time throughout the market and occasionally throughout the affiliate and to the national center as needed.
- Ability to understand and interpret scientific and medical information and rewrite for lay audiences is preferred.
- Ability to function independently with minimal supervision.
- Ability to maintain a rigorous, goal-oriented approach.
- Ability to work in a team environment and interact with all levels of American Heart Association staff, volunteers and the public.
- Proven background and willingness to work in atmosphere requiring flexibility and change.
- Ability to travel up to 10%.
- Access to reliable transportation and ability to maintain valid driver’s license and auto insurance.
- Must have at least intermediate knowledge and skill with Microsoft Office 2016 or higher used for word processing, email, presentations, and spreadsheets. Advanced knowledge and skill with these programs is preferred. These skills are subject to testing.
- Must pass background check.
Job Function:
Organization Info
Listing Stats
Post Date:
Jan 17 2018
Active Until:
Feb 18 2018
Hiring Organization:
American Heart Association | American Stroke Association
industry:
Nonprofit