Content and Communications Strategist

University of California, San Francisco • San Francisco, CA

4d

About The Position

The Content and Communications Strategist independently oversees a comprehensive communications program for a unit or school with moderately complex communications needs. The program typically includes written, visual, digital, and electronic communications. The strategist works with management to develop and execute organizational communications and marketing-branding strategies and designs and implements information campaigns.

In the UCSF Department of Surgery Office of Communications, the strategist supports day-to-day operations and production by drafting, preparing, organizing, and distributing materials across digital, print, social media, web, and multimedia platforms. Under the guidance of the Director of Communications, the role coordinates communications workflows, supports content development and publication, assists with event communications coverage, maintains archives and systems, and manages routine departmental communications requests. The strategist collaborates with faculty, trainees, administrators, and departmental staff to gather information and coordinate materials and projects. They exercise judgment on routine communications tasks and refer sensitive, reputational, media-related, or strategic matters to the Director of Communications.

The Department of Surgery provides surgical care, education, and research across 11 divisions and 12 clinical specialties. It supports approximately 155 faculty members, 287 staff, academic staff, and postdoctoral scholars, and 148 residents, fellows, and trainees. The department works across UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, the San Francisco VA Health Care System, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, and regional partner sites throughout the Bay Area.

The position develops and implements communications plans and projects; produces and edits departmental content; supports digital publishing and social media; coordinates administrative communications and workflows; provides event and multimedia support; and contributes to special projects and operational improvements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in a related area or equivalent experience or training.
• At least 3 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge of communications, including strategic planning for various media venues, technical requirements of those venues, and appropriate and effective applications.
• Knowledge of technical applications sufficient to direct technical staff or personally perform technical work, including design concepts, media, and applications.
• Knowledge of the organization, its achievements, mission, vision, goals, policies, practices, and infrastructure, and strong knowledge of current affairs and issues in higher education and/or health sciences.
• Skills to create, develop, and implement comprehensive long- and short-term strategic communications plans.
• Knowledge and skills to advise and consult with management to deliver the desired message to target or broad audiences.
• Strong written, verbal, interpersonal communication, active listening, and political acumen skills.
• Knowledge of location protocols and internal and external communication channels.
• Demonstrated experience with Drupal website development.
• Demonstrated experience with social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Strong organizational and project coordination skills, attention to detail, professionalism, and ability to manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced academic medical environment.

Responsibilities

• Work with Department of Surgery leadership and key stakeholders to create, develop, and implement long- and short-term strategic communications plans and projects.
• Draft and prepare announcements, newsletters, event coverage, presentations, web copy, and faculty-related content.
• Proofread, format, edit, and prepare materials for publication and distribution.
• Coordinate editorial timelines, content submissions, and approvals for communications projects.
• Ensure materials align with departmental formatting, messaging, UCSF brand, and editorial standards.
• Determine appropriate formatting, scheduling, and distribution methods for routine communications materials, and help resolve production workflow or scheduling conflicts.
• Assist with the development and distribution of written, visual, digital, and electronic communications supporting departmental initiatives, faculty activities, events, education, research, and institutional priorities.
• Coordinate communications workflows, support content development and publication, and manage routine departmental communications requests under the guidance of the Director of Communications.
• Maintain departmental social media platforms and schedule approved content; support website updates and digital publishing workflows.
• Monitor basic engagement metrics and help compile analytics reports; organize and maintain digital communications assets and archives.
• Advise and consult with departmental or college administration on communications strategies, policy interpretation, and problem resolution.
• Coordinate communications requests, deadlines, and project tracking; maintain communications calendars, contact lists, archives, and organizational files.
• Assist with distributing departmental communications and internal announcements and support day-to-day Office of Communications production needs.
• Collaborate with faculty, trainees, administrators, and staff to gather information, coordinate materials, and support communications projects.
• Help ensure high-quality communications products that deliver the intended message within budget and time constraints.
• Provide communications support for departmental events, lectures, ceremonies, and institutional programs.
• Coordinate photography, video, and multimedia needs as assigned; organize and maintain photo libraries, consent documentation, and media assets.
• Provide additional communications and project support for special projects, institutional initiatives, and departmental priorities.
• Identify communications needs and develop content and processes for organizational improvements; identify process inefficiencies and recommend operational improvements.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level