VP - Communications, Marketing, Public Affairs

Hennepin Healthcare; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Hennepin Healthcare is seeking a seasoned Communications, Public Relations and Marketing leader to direct enterprise messaging, brand strategy, and public affairs. The role focuses on strengthening reputation, coordinating across clinical and executive functions, and guiding crisis and issues management for the health system and its programs.

The position serves as a senior advisor to leadership, partnering with Government Relations and external stakeholders, including elected officials, media,

Qualifications

• 4-year degree with a major concentration in Liberal Arts, Business, Communications or related areas
• 10 plus years of experience in communications, marketing, public policy, public affairs -OR- An approved equivalent combination of education and experience
• Mastery of enterprise messaging, media relations, and crisis communications

Responsibilities

• Direct the work of the Communications, Public Relations and Marketing teams to inform the public, patients, employees, and elected officials.
• Establish enterprise messaging architecture and align channels across clinical areas and executive functions.
• Oversee department budget and fiscal management.
• Lead communications strategy to gain support from opinion leaders for the system and programs.
• Counsel executives and departments on communications strategies to meet goals.
• Oversee media relations and internal communications programs.

Skills

Public relations

Marketing strategy

Crisis communications

Executive communications

Media relations

Stakeholder engagement

Strategic planning

Team leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Communications/PR/Marketing

Job description

JOB DETAILS Department: Public Relations FTE: 1.0 (80 hours per pay period) Location: In-Person Purpose of this position: Leads the organization communications and marketing strategy, strengthening the organization’s reputation, brand, and community trust. Develops and executes integrated communication, marketing, and public affairs initiatives that advance organization priorities, support stakeholder engagement, guide reputation and issues management, and foster a culture of transparency. Serves as a key advisor to senior leadership, and a strategic partner to Government Relations.

RESPONSIBILITIES

- Administration - Direct the work of the organization’s Communications, Public Relations and Marketing teams to create and produce materials to inform the public, patients, employees, and elected officials about programs, policies and actions - Establishes enterprise messaging architecture and ensures alignment across all communication channels, clinical areas, and executive functions - Responsible for the fiscal management of department; assures proper utilization of organization’s financial resources, including preparing and managing department budget - Builds, sustains, and demonstrates knowledge of system and healthcare public relations, communications, and marketing industries Support strategic communications and government components of clinical redesign and campus redevelopment - Counsels’ executives, physicians, and departments on communications strategies most appropriate to achieve organizational or program-specific goals - Leads communications, marketing and public relations strategy that garners the support of opinion leaders (legislative, media, community) for the healthcare system, its physicians, and programs - Supports engagement of grassroots community partnerships around specific interests or involvement Communication and Reputation Management - Directs the development of strategic and tactical public relations and marketing plans, including crisis plans - Leads enterprise issues management and crisis communications, ensuring readiness, coordinated response, and protection of organizational reputation - Leads in an issues anticipation process that advances the healthcare system’s mission with external audiences - Supports internal and external reputation management by supporting strategic proactive messaging efforts to government, elected audiences, and community. - Oversees a news media relations program, determining the appropriateness of media requests for information. Advises on the content, timing and manner of media releases in conformance with organizational and medical codes of ethics - Oversees an internal communications program for the organization and effectively communicates departmental, organization, and industry information to team members - Oversees the writing and editing of executive communications, news releases, and other materials and major creative projects - In partnership with the Chief, Government Relations, supports advocacy team in crafting the system’s public policy initiatives and legislative program at the state and federal level and monitoring the environment to identify and assess the impact of public policy decisions that may impact our system - Serves as an official spokesperson for the organization to media including oversight of requests for information about healthcare system programs Relationship building/maintaining - Cultivates strategic relationships with elected officials, media, community leaders, policy organizations, and industry associations to advance the organization’s mission and influence public understanding of key issues - Plans and establishes strategic leadership role(s) for the system in government and industry organizations and other appropriate advocacy entities in community and region and contributes to system’s visibility and influence within these constituencies - Supports team to develop marketing approaches, policies and programs to promote audience understanding of healthcare system services - Oversees marketing programs and market research, advertising, and printed and electronic publication creation, development and distribution - Supports the engagement and integration of the senior and clinical leadership in development of the public persona, brand, and marketing of the organization - Represents the marketing discipline in service line and/or facility leadership teams. Actively partner with operational leadership in the development and implementation of marketing plans - Partners with leaders of government relations, strategy, philanthropy, and health equity teams to ensure cohesive, measurable annual marketing communication plans that are consistent across each communication channel - May serve as America’s Essential Hospitals and the Minnesota Hospital Association’s representative for communications

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Qualifications

• 4-year degree with a major concentration in Liberal Arts, Business, Communications or related areas
• 10 plus years of experience in communications, marketing, public policy, public affairs -OR-
• An approved equivalent combination of education and experience

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 10 years of experience in media/communications/marketing, including four years in management
• Master’s degree in communication, marketing, public administration, public affairs or another closely related field

Knowledge/ Skills/ Abilities

• Experience leading communications within complex or publicly accountable environments (e.g., safety-net, academic medical centers, government or policy-influenced systems)
• Exhibits a strong presence of command
• Proven, successful, progressively responsible leadership, management and execution experience
• Skilled and experienced in directing a full business unit and ability to effectively allocate resources (i.e. budget and personnel)
• Capable of assisting executives in defining organizational goals, critical issues, and strategic plans
• Experience modeling and upholding organizational norms and values, particularly with regards to health and safety
• Exceptional problem solving and critical thinking when addressing organizational issues
• Demonstrated ability to think strategically and innovatively while supporting company-wide initiatives
• Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate and negotiate with people at all levels
• Proven experience and ability influencing at Board level