Communications Specialist, Full time, Days

Socket.dev; Lynchburg (VA); Hybrid; USD 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Centra's Marketing Team is seeking a Communications Specialist to develop clear, engaging, and timely communications that help employees stay informed, connected, and aligned with organizational priorities. The ideal candidate is an excellent writer and collaborator who can translate complex information into accessible messages.

This role will lead internal communications efforts, including newsletters, intranet content, meeting communications, and project messaging, while also supporting media

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or related discipline.
• Minimum of three years of relevant experience in communications, public relations, internal communications, corporate communications, or a related field.
• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and storytelling skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear, audience-centered messages.
• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with multiple teams, disciplines, departments, and levels of leadership.
• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships with subject matter experts, leaders, and project partners.
• Experience developing communication plans, newsletters, intranet content, presentations, talking points, FAQs, and multi-channel messages.
• Strong project management, organization, time management, and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, work within tight timeframes, and adapt to changing needs.
• Self-motivated and able to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment.
• Flexibility to attend meetings, events, or functions outside standard business hours as needed.

Responsibilities

• Develop, write, edit, and coordinate internal communications that support organizational initiatives, operational updates, leadership messages, employee engagement efforts, and project-specific communication needs.
• Plan, produce, and manage recurring internal newsletters, including story development, writing, editing, approvals, distribution, and performance review.
• Support communication planning and execution for projects and initiatives by identifying audiences, objectives, key messages, channels, timelines, risks, stakeholders, and measures of success.
• Manage and maintain intranet content, working collaboratively with Information Technology and content owners to ensure pages are accurate, current, searchable, user-friendly, and aligned with organizational standards.
• Develop message frameworks, talking points, FAQs, leader toolkits, meeting materials, presentations, and other communication assets that help leaders and teams deliver consistent information.
• Support internal meetings, town halls, leader updates, work groups, and project teams by preparing agendas, presentation content, scripts, summaries, follow-up messages, and related materials.
• Collaborate regularly with Human Resources, Operations, Information Technology, Marketing, Legal, clinical leaders, service lines, and other departments to gather information, clarify needs, coordinate approvals, and ensure message alignment.
• Assist with media relations and external communication needs, including press event planning, media materials, background information, message coordination, and logistical support as needed.
• Support community engagement activities, including local chambers, regional expos, community-based events, groundbreakings, grand openings, and other organizational visibility opportunities.
• Ensure communications reflect the organization’s voice, brand, values, and priorities while tailoring messages for the appropriate audience and channel.
• Monitor communication trends, employee feedback, channel performance, and best practices to recommend improvements to communication content, timing, format, and delivery.
• Maintain strong project management practices, including tracking deadlines, approvals, deliverables, stakeholder input, and competing priorities across multiple communication projects.
• Create and present materials for a variety of audiences, including departments, project teams, service line leaders, executive leaders, and community partners as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned or requested; responsibilities may be modified or updated based on organizational needs.

Skills

Strong writing

Cross-functional collaboration

Project management

Editing

Storytelling

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications or related discipline

Job description

Centra's Marketing Team is seeking a Communications Specialist to develop clear, engaging, and timely communications that help employees stay informed, connected, and aligned with organizational priorities. This role will lead key internal communication efforts, including newsletters, intranet content, meeting communications, project communication plans, messaging, and channel development, while also supporting media relations, external communication, and community engagement. The ideal candidate is an excellent writer and collaborator who can manage multiple projects, build strong relationships with partners across Information Technology, Human Resources, Operations, Marketing, Legal, clinical teams, and service line leadership, and translate complex information into messages that are accurate, accessible, and aligned with our brand and values.

This role will work full time, day shift hours (8 am-5 pm) and will work a hybrid schedule (3 days).

Responsibilities

• Develop, write, edit, and coordinate internal communications that support organizational initiatives, operational updates, leadership messages, employee engagement efforts, and project-specific communication needs.

• Plan, produce, and manage recurring internal newsletters, including story development, writing, editing, approvals, distribution, and performance review.

• Support communication planning and execution for projects and initiatives by identifying audiences, objectives, key messages, channels, timelines, risks, stakeholders, and measures of success.

• Manage and maintain intranet content, working collaboratively with Information Technology and content owners to ensure pages are accurate, current, searchable, user-friendly, and aligned with organizational standards.

• Develop message frameworks, talking points, FAQs, leader toolkits, meeting materials, presentations, and other communication assets that help leaders and teams deliver consistent information.

• Support internal meetings, town halls, leader updates, work groups, and project teams by preparing agendas, presentation content, scripts, summaries, follow-up messages, and related materials.

• Collaborate regularly with Human Resources, Operations, Information Technology, Marketing, Legal, clinical leaders, service lines, and other departments to gather information, clarify needs, coordinate approvals, and ensure message alignment.

• Assist with media relations and external communication needs, including press event planning, media materials, background information, message coordination, and logistical support as needed.

• Support community engagement activities, including local chambers, regional expos, community-based events, groundbreakings, grand openings, and other organizational visibility opportunities.

• Ensure communications reflect the organization’s voice, brand, values, and priorities while tailoring messages for the appropriate audience and channel.

• Monitor communication trends, employee feedback, channel performance, and best practices to recommend improvements to communication content, timing, format, and delivery.

• Maintain strong project management practices, including tracking deadlines, approvals, deliverables, stakeholder input, and competing priorities across multiple communication projects.

• Create and present materials for a variety of audiences, including departments, project teams, service line leaders, executive leaders, and community partners as needed.

• Perform other duties as assigned or requested; responsibilities may be modified or updated based on organizational needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, or a related discipline.

• Minimum of three years of relevant experience in communications, public relations, internal communications, corporate communications, or a related field.

• Strong writing, editing, proofreading, and storytelling skills with the ability to translate complex information into clear, audience-centered messages.

• Demonstrated ability to work cross-functionally with multiple teams, disciplines, departments, and levels of leadership.

• Strong interpersonal communication skills and the ability to build collaborative relationships with subject matter experts, leaders, and project partners.

• Experience developing communication plans, newsletters, intranet content, presentations, talking points, FAQs, and multi-channel messages.

• Strong project management, organization, time management, and attention to detail.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, work within tight timeframes, and adapt to changing needs.

• Self-motivated and able to work independently while contributing effectively within a team environment.

• Flexibility to attend meetings, events, or functions outside standard business hours as needed.