Senior Communications & Public Affairs Specialist

A resume and cover letter is required when applying for this position.

Introduction

The mission of the Public Health Accreditation Board (PHAB) is to advance and transform public health practice by championing performance improvement, strong infrastructure, and innovation. PHAB is the accrediting body for Tribal, state, local, and territorial/freely associated states governmental public health departments in the U.S. Accreditation provides a means for a public health department to identify performance improvement opportunities, to improve management, develop leadership, and improve relationships with members of the community.

Position Summary

PHAB is seeking a dynamic and experienced Senior Communications Specialist to join our Communications and Public Affairs (CPA) unit. The Senior Specialist will be responsible for leading specific projects within CPA and support project management and implementation of workplans and contribute to all aspects of the Unit in support of PHAB’s strategic goals. The Senior Specialist will support marketing and communications as well as advocacy and will be directly involved in development and execution of all the organization’s communications, including, but not limited to, earned, digital, and social media; website content and management; writing and editing of issue papers, reports, blog posts, op-eds, press statements, and other materials. They will work within the CPA Unit and across PHAB Units and Teams to conceptualize communications and marketing efforts, identify process improvements for CPA Unit work and contribute to ‘telling the story’ of the impact that accreditation and transformation can have on public health. The Senior Specialist will have a leading role in managing PHAB’s CRM, Salesforce, and creating impactful marketing campaigns. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in communications, digital marketing and public relations and a proven track record of leveraging Salesforce for marketing and communications initiatives.

Position Responsibilities

Position responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Develop and implement comprehensive communication strategies to enhance PHAB’s visibility and public image and drive support for public health accreditation.
• Develop and manage editorial calendars and craft compelling content for various channels, including press releases, newsletters, social media, and the PHAB website.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure consistent messaging and branding across all communications.
• Lead PHAB efforts related to success stories and promising practices from the Public Health Infrastructure Grant.
• Write, edit, and proofread print and digital content including website content, blog posts, issue briefs, program overviews, case studies, and media materials, such as press statements and supporting documentation.
• Lead the development of annual reports and other publications.
• Define media goals and targets for proactive outreach (announcements, reports, promoting the leadership of accredited health departments, etc.) and reactive activities (responding to reporter inquiries, emerging issues, legislative developments, etc.). Cultivate relationships with media to help position PHAB as a go-to resource. Facilitate and garner earned media, including targeted media lists, story angles, and supporting media materials.
• Liaise with communications staff for partner organizations to disseminate PHAB materials.
• Oversee vendors and consultants, possibly including communications agencies, digital consultants, website developers, designers, printers, photographers, videographers, and others.
• Create or work with designers to create graphics for print, web, and social media.
• Oversee PHAB's branding guidelines (logo, colors, fonts, etc.).
• Support the management and optimization of the Salesforce platform to support PHAB’s communications and marketing efforts.
• Ensure data integrity and accuracy within Salesforce, including regular updates and maintenance.
• Train and support staff on Salesforce best practices and usage related to marketing, communications, and stakeholder engagement.
• Design and execute targeted marketing campaigns through Salesforce to promote PHAB’s programs, initiatives, and events.
• Analyze campaign performance and provide insights and recommendations for improvement.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop creative assets and content for campaigns.
• Support public affairs initiatives by developing strategic communication plans and materials.
• Monitor media coverage and public opinion related to PHAB and public health accreditation issues.
• Build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including media, partners, and the public.
• Other duties as assigned.

Knowledge and Skills Required

• Master’s degree in Communications, Public Relations, Marketing or closely related field and knowledge of public health practice.
• A minimum of five-seven years of experience in strategic communications, preferably including public relations/marketing/advocacy communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and proofreading skills. Ability to translate complex subject matter for a general audience.
• Experience with Customer Relationship Management Software (e.g., Salesforce).
• Demonstrated track record of implementing effective communications campaigns.
• Excellent interpersonal, writing and editing, content creation, , and project management skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively in a team environment and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of office standard operating procedures, culture and values
• Ability to work independently, take initiative, and be self-directed and self-motivated
• Excellent ability to handle multiple projects and organize materials and people to achieve outcomes within determined timelines
• Experience developing and implementing editorial plans, including social media content. Comfort and hands-on experience with digital systems and tools. These systems and tools may include WordPress/Squarespace, Google Analytics, Constant Contact and/or MailChimp, Photoshop and/or other photo-editing software, project management systems, and advertising (Google Adwords, SEO, social media marketing, etc.).
• Experience managing live and digital events.
• Demonstrated commitment to building PHAB’s aligned and healthy culture, including a commitment to inclusion, diversity, equity, and anti-racism (IDEA);
• Committed to professional growth and development to refine and develop skills and competencies related to adaptive leadership, program and grants management, innovation, creativity, flexibility, collaboration, strategic thinking, valuing inclusion, diversity, and anti-racism, and implementation of strategy through collaboration in teams and across teams.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office 365.
• Able to travel as required.
• Knowledge of public health and accreditation processes is a plus.

DISCLAIMER: The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.

PHAB is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism (IDEA) and is engaged in intentional efforts to advance IDEA as an organization. We are committed to creating inclusive and equitable spaces that reflect our values and culture as an organization and to ensure our employees have the most positive experience as a part of PHAB.

DISTRIBUTED EMPLOYER ENVIRONMENT: The Public Health Accreditation Board’s staff currently work in a remote office environment. Employees working from home must agree to maintain a professional working environment with a dedicated workspace, including high-speed internet access. All staff are required to participate in in-person staff meetings that occur currently on a semi-annual basis for up to 5 consecutive days. These in-person staff meetings may be increased to a quarterly basis, as determined by management. Travel and related expenses for these meetings will be paid for by the employer.

VACCINATION: PHAB recommends but does not require its staff, volunteers, interns, fellows, assignees, and meeting attendees be up to date with an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccination series, including boosters. Other risk-mitigation measures, such as wearing masks in our offices or in meeting settings are also optional.

EEO STATEMENT: PHAB is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, veteran status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, or disability (in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act) with respect to employment opportunities.