Communications Specialist

Sutter Health•Sacramento, CA

2d•$94,848 - $142,272•Hybrid

About The Position

Helps the assigned area take a proactive, research-based approach to earning awareness, understanding, acceptance and/or preference for Sutter Health. Assists in effectively informing, influencing, and engaging key audiences through high-quality strategic communications plans and activities, online platforms, digital media, print materials and other outreach strategies that build Sutter Health’s brand and reputation. Implements all phases of editorial planning, research, writing, editing and implementation for long-term and large-scale programs, as well as smaller projects. Seeks new opportunities to tell the Sutter Health story—continually engaging with subject-matter experts and exploring emerging print, online and digital media trends to identify, plan and implement creative strategies. May oversee the work of freelance writers and other professionals.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Public Relations (PR) or related field, or equivalent experience.
2 years recent relevant experience.
Professional writing and editing skills with the ability to interpret corporate goals and translate them into an effective communications/constituent relations plan.
Proficient skills in negotiation, project management, consensus building, conflict resolution, and risk management, in addition to being an effective decision maker and delegator.
Organizational skills required, including demonstrated ability to maintain production schedules and strictly adhere to multiple timelines and budgets.
Current knowledge of regional, state and national health care and medicine issues, Northern California current events, and cultural and health care trends.
Functional knowledge of selecting/hiring third-party talent for creative services, graphic design and production, publication development and management, market research and advertising.
Competency in Microsoft Office suite, with advanced user capabilities in PowerPoint and Excel, as well as, basic HTML, Adobe Photoshop, WordPress and SharePoint knowledge.
Synthesize information and ideas to create communications that generate an engaging and positive audience experience.
Assess and understand targeted audience's attitudes, opinions and preferences.
Adapt to evolving communications techniques (e.g., writing for multimedia, infographics and social media).
Manage, prioritize, adapt, and drive multiple projects in an ever-changing environment to deliver quality products and services on-time and on-budget.
Work independently, as well as part of a multidisciplinary team, while demonstrating organization skills.
Analyze possible solutions using precedents, existing departmental guidelines and policies, experience and good judgment to identify and solve standard problems.
Build collaborative relationships with peers, other departments, stakeholders, agencies, and vendors to achieve marketing goals and corporate objectives.

Nice To Haves

General knowledge of strategic communications planning, social networking, graphic standards and design principles, corporate identity/brand management, news/feature/speech/online/script writing, proofreading and editing techniques, publications development/production/management, principles of photography and audio/video production, audience list maintenance and marketing engagement research.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create compelling content tailored for diverse media outlets, including traditional, owned, broadcast/radio, and social media platforms.
Proactively manage the organization's reputation by closely monitoring media coverage, identifying potential issues, and developing strategies to effectively counter negative impact.
Research and write press releases, pitch angles, and compelling brand-journalism style content for Sutter’s newsroom and other channels.
Draft media/press statements that convey the organization's position accurately and effectively in response to unfolding events or issues.
Pitch stories and experts to traditional and non-traditional news media and inserts Sutter Health into local, state, and national stories.
Seamlessly support video conferencing, phone, and live interviews, ensuring accurate and consistent message delivery.
Provide active support during public relations events, which may include taking video and photos for social media usage.
Participate in the rotating media on-call schedule (after hours & weekends), responding promptly to events or issues as they emerge.
Coordinate and facilitate media training for designated spokespeople, preparing them with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively engage with the media. This includes providing a comprehensive message preparation document for subject matter experts, ensuring consistent and strategic messaging across all interactions.
Possesses a clear understanding of the news cycle and focus areas of various media outlets (traditional, digital and influencers) to strategically position Sutter Health within relevant stories.
Understands and utilizes media monitoring and social media platforms as a tool for reputation management, competitor analysis and media engagement opportunities.
Collaborate closely with the workforce & labor relations (WFLR) team to implement strategic communications plans aimed at positioning Sutter Health as an employer of choice.
Craft and deliver compelling, provocative communications to support the organization's stance during labor actions, strikes, and negotiations.
Develop key messaging and communication materials that align with the organization's values while addressing concerns raised during labor actions.
Collaborate with internal teams to ensure consistent messaging across all communication channels and materials related to WFLR efforts.
Monitor public sentiment and media coverage related to labor actions, providing insights and recommendations to adapt communication strategies.