Associate Director, Executive Thought Leadership & Special Projects

Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations; Oakbrook Terrace (IL); On-site; USD 96,000 - 128,000; Full time

Job summary

The Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations seeks an Associate Director, Executive Thought Leadership & Special Projects to shape high‑level communications for our executive team. You will translate enterprise priorities into speeches, presentations, social content, and speaking opportunities, ensuring a strategic, authentic voice.

Collaborating with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer, you will manage select strategic initiatives, coordinate cross‑functional

Qualifications

• Experience in executive communications and thought leadership.
• Ability to develop executive presentations, speeches and talking points.
• Experience collaborating with C-suite or senior leaders in complex organizations.
• Strong strategic thinking and project-management skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop thought leadership strategies for executive team and translate priorities into differentiated platforms.
• Translate organizational priorities into speeches, presentations, social content and briefings.
• Plan and coordinate speaking engagements and opportunities; manage enterprise-wide speakers program when needed.
• Develop and implement executive social media strategies aligned with enterprise goals.
• Lead select strategic projects with cross-functional coordination and executive judgment.

Skills

Executive communications

Speechwriting

Public relations

Storytelling

C-suite collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in communications

Job description

Position Summary

The Associate Director, Executive Thought Leadership & Special Projects is a senior communications leader responsible for developing and advancing thought leadership platforms for members of the executive team while leading select strategic projects for the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer. This role will translate enterprise priorities, industry issues and executive perspectives into compelling speeches, presentations, social content, speaking opportunities and other high-impact communications. The Associate Director will work closely with senior leaders to develop distinctive, authentic voices and ensure their internal and external presence is strategic, coordinated and aligned with the organization’s mission and priorities. The Associate Director will also serve as a close partner to the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer on discrete, high-priority initiatives requiring strong judgment, strategic thinking, writing and cross-functional coordination. This may include helping develop a more coordinated enterprise-wide approach to speaking engagements and speaker opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

Executive Thought Leadership & Content

Partner with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer to develop and evolve thought leadership strategies for members of the executive team. Translate organizational priorities, healthcare trends and executive perspectives into clear, differentiated thought leadership platforms. Develop executive speeches, presentations, keynote remarks, talking points, panel and fireside-chat preparation, social content, employee communications and strategic briefings. Capture the individual voice and perspective of senior executives while connecting their communications to broader enterprise priorities. Identify timely opportunities for senior leaders to engage in important healthcare and industry conversations. Partner with creative and communications colleagues to ensure executive content is polished, compelling and appropriate for the audience and channel.

Speaking & Executive Engagement Strategy

Develop a coordinated approach to executive speaking engagements, conferences and other high-value external opportunities. Proactively identify and evaluate opportunities based on audience, relevance, visibility and strategic value. Maintain an integrated planning process and calendar to ensure executive engagement opportunities are identified and developed well in advance. As needed, help develop and coordinate a broader enterprise-wide speakers program, including identifying organizational experts, priority topics and high-value speaking opportunities.

Executive Social Media

Develop and support social media strategies for designated senior executives, including editorial planning and content development. Connect executive social activity to speeches, conferences, enterprise priorities, industry developments and other thought leadership opportunities. Monitor performance and refine approaches based on engagement, executive priorities and organizational goals.

Special Projects & Strategic Support

Work closely with the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer on select strategic projects and high-priority initiatives, from initial concept through execution. Lead discrete projects requiring executive-level judgment, research, writing, problem-solving and cross-functional coordination. Quickly synthesize complex issues, develop recommendations and drive work forward with limited oversight. Anticipate needs, identify opportunities and bring forward ideas rather than simply responding to assigned work. Manage multiple high-visibility priorities with discretion, urgency and exceptional attention to detail.

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, marketing, public relations, healthcare, business or a related field. Significant experience in executive communications, thought leadership, corporate communications, speechwriting, journalism, public affairs or a related discipline. Exceptional writer and storyteller with demonstrated ability to capture the voice and perspective of senior executives. Experience developing executive presentations, speeches, talking points, social content and other high-level communications. Demonstrated experience and gravitas working directly with C-suite or other senior leaders in a complex organization. Strong strategic and project-management skills, with the ability to take ambiguous or complex assignments and independently move them forward. Ability to synthesize complex issues quickly and translate them into clear, compelling communications for different audiences and channels. Strong understanding of social media as an executive thought leadership and reputation-building channel. Healthcare experience strongly preferred.

The Successful Candidate

The ideal candidate is strategic but highly hands-on, equally comfortable thinking ahead, developing an executive narrative, drafting a keynote, managing a conference submission or ensuring that a complex project stays on track. This person is proactive, exceptionally organized, intellectually curious and comfortable working directly with senior leaders. Most importantly, they are someone who can take an idea or priority from the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and drive it through development, coordination and execution with minimal hand-holding.

Benefits

Joint Commission offers a comprehensive benefits package. For an overview of our benefits package, please visit our Joint Commission Career Page.

Legal Requirements and Policies

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by an employee assigned to this position. The description is not an exhaustive list of all duties, responsibilities, knowledge, skills and abilities, and working conditions associated with this position. All requirements are subject to possible modification due to business needs and/or reasonable accommodations for individuals with disabilities.

MIN $96,000.00 MAX $128,000.00

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

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