Harm Reduction Communications Specialist, Los Angeles County

Vital Strategies, headquartered in New York City, is an international public health organization. Our programs strengthen public health systems and address the world’s leading causes of illness, injury, and death. We currently work in 73 countries, supporting data-driven decision-making in government, advancing evidence-based public health policies, and mounting strategic communication campaigns. Vital Strategies’ priorities are driven by the greatest potential to improve and save lives. They include non-communicable disease prevention, cardiovascular health promotion, tobacco control, road safety, obesity prevention, epidemic prevention, environmental health, vital statistics systems building, and multi-drug resistant tuberculosis treatment research. Our programs are concentrated in low- and middle-income countries and cities in Africa, Latin America, Asia, and the Pacific. Please visit our website at www.vitalstrategies.org to find out more about our work.

Vital Strategies is committed to building a diverse, equitable and inclusive (DEI) organization. We believe our programs are strengthened when they are developed and supported by individuals with diverse life experiences, whose understanding of social and cultural issues can help make our work and workforce more inclusive. We welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or creed, gender, national origin, ancestry, actual or perceived age, physical or mental disability, veteran or military status, marital status, sexual orientation, predisposing genetic characteristics, alienage or citizenship status, gender (including gender identity or expression), partnership status, arrest or conviction record, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

Read about Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and Vital Strategies: https://www.vitalstrategies.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-at-vital-strategies/

Job Purpose:

Based on the strength of its experience in communications and social marketing and its expertise in harm reduction, Vital Strategies has been contracted by the government of Los Angeles County to support communications, marketing, and advertising efforts to build support for the roll-out of harm reduction services across the county. This position will be responsible for implementing, coordinating, and managing community mobilization efforts as part of the multi-tiered media and communications strategy and activities, on behalf of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LA County), to reduce stigma against people who use drugs and promote support and integration of harm reduction services.

Working with and reporting to the Harm Reduction Communications Lead, the team of two will use strategic communications such as generating earned media and mounting paid media campaigns to support and amplify the LA County harm reduction strategy. Their work will be integrated with departmental experts from LA Country who are executing a County-wide rollout of harm reduction services. The team will receive further support from communications and program content experts at Vital Strategies. This team will be responsible for managing all aspects of the five-year effort, including PR, research firms, local media, and community mobilization to further campaign objectives. Specifically, campaign objectives are focused on growing public support for harm reduction among people who use drugs, health professionals, and law enforcement in LA County. Of the two-person team, this position will focus primarily on communications at the community level and relationships with community partners.

This is a  full-time position, based in Los Angeles County (Alhambra, CA) where a hybrid work schedule is in place. This position is funded through March 2029, with the possibility of an extension.

Vital Strategies offers highly competitive compensation and comprehensive benefits. The salary range for this position is $95,000 USD – $105,000 USD. The candidate must have authorization to work legally in the US at the time of hire.

Duties and Responsibilities:

· Support the implementation of a multi-tiered communication strategy that grows public support and awareness of harm reduction services in LA County;

· Lead engagement with community partners to develop appropriate campaign marketing materials, identify opportunities to disseminate campaign materials, and align community efforts within the overall communications and marketing strategy;

· Monitor media and public discourse on news and social media to support reactive and proactive messaging within the campaign;

· Draft press releases, support media outreach, and create and adapt talking points for various audiences;

· Support departmental leadership with crisis communications in response to events, press, and other situations;

· Take the lead on community-level dissemination of campaign messages, including partnering with community members to co-develop messages and materials that are fit to purpose for target audiences such as people who use drugs, health care professionals, or law enforcement;

· Cultivate and maintain relationships with key actors in the county landscape, including in the healthcare, law enforcement, and community health/harm reduction sectors, respectively;

· Provide materials and messaging to community partners and allies to enforce key campaign themes and messages; Develop these materials in partnership with community members;

· Lead and coordinate the development, implementation, improvement, and evaluation of coordinated community mobilization strategies and activities, and broader integration with multi-media communications campaigns;

· Serve as a core team member of the Overdose Prevention Program, contracted for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health;

· Manage all data and reporting on community mobilization activities and milestones, and related areas of work, as assigned;

· Support project integration and alignment with county harm reduction strategy and activities, in coordination with the county Harm Reduction Director;

· Work closely with LA County DHS and DPH harm reduction and communications teams to ensure alignment, coordination, and integration;

· Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Education and Degree - 

· Bachelor’s degree, preferably in communications, journalism, public policy, public health, public relations, or marketing.

Skills and Abilities - 

· Ability to effectively communicate campaign objectives, messaging, and materials to diverse audiences including community partners, healthcare professionals, law enforcement, and people who use drugs;

· Experience in engaging with community partners to develop and disseminate campaign marketing materials, fostering relationships, and aligning community efforts with overall communications strategy;

· Strong writing skills to draft press releases, adapt talking points for various audiences, and develop campaign materials fit for purpose for target audiences;

· Experience building ownership and engagement across different types of stakeholders such as community groups, government agencies, other external;

· Superb written and interpersonal communication skills;

· Excellent organization and time management skills;

· Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively as well as autonomously;

· Ability to build strong, ongoing, impactful relationships at all organizational levels and across a diverse range of cultural, generational, ethnic, racial, educational, and social backgrounds;

· Demonstrated commitment to valuing diversity and contributing to an inclusive working and learning environment.

Experience:

Required - 

· Minimum 8 years in communications and/or advocacy working to build public support through media for public health or social justice issues;

· Experience in mobilization, community organizing, education, and/or coalition-building;

· Proficiency in Spanish with the ability to speak and write the language.

Preferred - 

· Experience working in harm reduction, homeless, or related community health services.

Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:

·  Travel to program or event sites throughout LA county at least 30% of the time. In addition, the position will require travel to Vital’s New York City headquarters approximately 10% of the time.