Director, Communications - Clinical

SSM Health

5d

About The Position

It's more than a career, it's a calling. MO-SSM Health Mission Hill Worker Type: Regular Job Highlights: Named 150 Top Places to Work in Healthcare 2025 - Becker's Healthcare Named One of the World’s Happiest Workplace 2025 – WorkL Named One of America's Best In-State Employers 2025 - Forbes Named One of America's Greatest Workplaces for Women 2025 – Newsweek Named One of America’s Greatest Workplaces for Culture, Belonging & Community 2026 – Newsweek SSM Health is a Catholic, not-for-profit health system serving the comprehensive health needs of communities across the Midwest through a robust and fully integrated health care delivery system. The organization’s 40,000 team members and more than 13,900+ providers are committed to providing exceptional health care services and revealing God’s healing presence to everyone they serve. With care delivery sites in Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma and Wisconsin, SSM Health includes 23 hospitals, more than 300 physician offices and other outpatient and virtual care services, 12 post-acute facilities, comprehensive home care and hospice services, a pharmacy benefit company, a health insurance company and an accountable care organization. It is one of the largest employers in every community it serves. We are seeking a strategic communications leader with 5-8 years of clinical health care experience, strong partnerships with physicians and front-line team members, proven success in clinical strategy and change management, and exceptional presentation skills. To request additional information, confidentially submit your interest, or nominate a fellow colleague, please contact: Jon Dirksen Executive Talent Partner [email protected] #LI-Hybrid Job Summary: Directs systemwide internal and external communications and public relations strategies and activities that support the achievement of organizational goals. Develops and ensures successful implementation of a comprehensive communications plan that enhances the brand, drives growth and supports a highly engaged, and well-informed workforce. Leads the strategic planning, budgeting and tracking to ensure success.

Requirements

• Eight years' experience, with two years in direct people management/leadership
• Bachelor's degree

Responsibilities

• Directs the work of the system communications team, including oversight of internal and external communications functions, ensuring strategic alignment, quality, timeliness, and effectiveness of all communications plans and strategies across the SSM Health system.
• Develops best practice tools, templates, training and other standard work to facilitate the successful deployment of strong consistent organizational messaging across the system.
• Manages translation of broad strategies into specific communications tactics and collaborates closely with a variety of stakeholders to manage project expectations, prioritize projects and deliverables.
• Builds and maintains relationships with key media as an advocate for SSM Health’s national, regional and local agendas; research and pitches stories and coordinates media coverage; directs crisis communication response.
• Develops and implements an annual systemwide media relations and social media plan and editorial calendar to ensure consistent and effective messaging that reflects the organization’s brand, thought leadership platform and marketing priorities.
• Works in close coordination with other functional areas to understand emerging issues and to develop communications that help to achieve organizational goals.
• Represents the marketing and communications functions in a variety of cross-functional committees.
• Lends subject matter expertise to other leaders/departments in developing communications.
• Manages the community relations strategy for SSM Health ensuring a consistent approach to organizational support in the community in alignment with CHNA priorities.
• Tracks the success of all communications activities and works from metrics to continually improve results.
• Tracks communications trends, ensuring best practices are adopted when appropriate.
• Selects, develops, motivates, trains, and retains exceptional staff, to ensure appropriate, skilled staffing resources; performs annual staff performance reviews.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• SSM Health values our exceptional employees by offering a comprehensive benefits package to fit their needs.
• Paid Parental Leave: we offer eligible team members one week of paid parental leave for newborns or newly adopted children (pro-rated based on FTE).
• Flexible Payment Options: our voluntary benefit offered through DailyPay offers eligible hourly team members instant access to their earned, unpaid base pay (fees may apply) before payday.
• Upfront Tuition Coverage: we provide upfront tuition coverage through FlexPath Funded for eligible team members.

What This Job Offers

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