Content and Communications Strategist

UCSF • San Francisco, CA

6d • $81,300 - $172,300

About The Position

The Content and Communications Strategist supports the day-to-day operations and production needs of the UCSF Department of Surgery Office of Communications. The role assists with drafting, preparing, organizing, and distributing communications materials across digital, print, social media, web, and multimedia platforms in support of departmental priorities and initiatives. Under the guidance of the Director of Communications, the strategist coordinates workflows, supports content development and publication, assists with event communications coverage, maintains communications archives and systems, and manages routine departmental communications requests. The position collaborates with faculty, trainees, administrators, and staff to gather information, coordinate materials, and support communications projects. It requires strong writing, organizational, and project coordination skills, attention to detail, professionalism, and the ability to manage multiple assignments in a fast-paced academic medical environment. The strategist uses sound judgment on routine communications tasks and refers 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 through UCSF Health, Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center, the San Francisco VA Health Care System, UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals, and regional Bay Area partner sites. The department supports approximately 155 faculty members, 287 staff, academic staff, and postdoctoral scholars, and 148 residents, fellows, and trainees.

The role develops and implements communications plans and projects; prepares, edits, formats, and distributes departmental materials; supports social media and website publishing; coordinates requests, deadlines, calendars, and archives; provides communications support for events and multimedia needs; and identifies opportunities to improve communications processes. It ensures materials are accurate, timely, organized, and consistent with UCSF brand and editorial standards.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in a related area and/or equivalent experience or training.
• Minimum 3 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge of communications, including strategic planning for different media venues, technical requirements, and effective applications.
• Knowledge of technical applications sufficient to direct technical staff or perform technical work, including design concepts, media, and applications.
• Knowledge of the organization, its achievements, mission, vision, goals, policies, practices, and infrastructure, as well as 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 ensure delivery of the desired message to target and/or general audiences.
• Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication, active listening, and political acumen skills.
• Knowledge of location protocols and channels for internal and external communications.
• Demonstrated experience with Drupal website development.
• Demonstrated experience with social media platforms such as Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
• Strong writing, 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 stakeholders to create, develop, and implement long- and short-term strategic communications plans and projects.
• Draft and prepare departmental communications materials, including 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 communications materials align with departmental formatting, messaging, UCSF brand, and editorial standards.
• Determine appropriate formatting, scheduling, and distribution methods for routine communications materials.
• Help resolve workflow or scheduling conflicts related to production timelines and departmental requests.
• Assist with 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.
• Coordinate communications requests, deadlines, and project tracking.
• Maintain communications calendars, contact lists, archives, and organizational files.
• Assist with distribution of departmental communications and internal announcements.
• Support day-to-day operational and production needs of the Office of Communications.
• Collaborate with faculty, trainees, administrators, and departmental staff to gather information, coordinate materials, and support communications projects.
• 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, including support for special projects, institutional initiatives, and departmental priorities.
• Identify process inefficiencies in communications organization, asset management, or content coordination and recommend operational improvements.
• Ensure high-quality communications products deliver the intended message within budget and time constraints.
• Advise and consult with departmental or college administration on communications, including strategy, message delivery, policy interpretation, and problem resolution.

What This Job Offers

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