Director Strategic Communications & Digital Content

College of American Pathologists•Washington, DC

1d•$138,000 - $176,000•Hybrid

About The Position

As the world's largest organization of board-certified pathologists and leading provider of laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) serves patients, pathologists, and the public by fostering and advocating excellence in the practice of pathology and laboratory medicine worldwide. CAP provides its employees with an energetic and collaborative work environment and encourage opportunities to further develop their skills—offering reimbursement for educational programs and participation in events that enhance your skills. We offer a generous compensation and benefits package, 401K, and more. Reporting to the Senior Director, Strategic Communications and Periodicals, the Director, Strategic Communications and Digital Content leads the development, implementation, and continuous improvement of integrated communications and digital strategies that advance the CAP’s mission and organizational priorities. The Director provides enterprise leadership for the CAP’s digital communications ecosystem, including website content strategy and governance, email, social media, search, analytics, audience development, multimedia, and emerging digital platforms. The position establishes standards, facilitates integrated planning, and uses audience insights and performance data to improve engagement, strengthen the CAP brand, and demonstrate measurable organizational impact. The Director leads the digital communications team and serves as a strategic advisor to colleagues and cross-functional partners.

Requirements

A bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field is required.
A minimum of 10 years of progressively responsible experience in strategic communications, digital communications, content strategy, digital marketing, or a related field, including experience leading teams and enterprise-level digital initiatives.
Expertise in enterprise digital communications strategy across web, email, social media, search, podcast, and multimedia channels.
Demonstrated experience establishing digital governance, content standards, workflows, and shared accountability.
Strong understanding of audience-centered content strategy, user experience, accessibility, SEO/AEO/GEO, analytics, and digital measurement.
Ability to translate analytics and digital trends into clear strategic recommendations for senior leadership.
Experience leading cross-functional initiatives through influence, consultation, and relationship-building.
Understanding of audience segmentation, testing, personalization, content distribution, and channel optimization.
Familiarity with content management systems, email platforms, social media management tools, analytics platforms, and digital collaboration tools.
Knowledge of emerging artificial intelligence applications and their implications for content development, search, governance, and communications.
Experience overseeing vendors, agencies, and contracts.
Strong editorial judgment and the ability to communicate complex medical, scientific, or organizational subjects clearly.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills.
Strong leadership and team management abilities.
Proficiency in digital media tools, analytics platforms, and content management systems.
Crisis management experience and a proven ability to communicate effectively under pressure.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a medical association, health care organization, professional society, or similarly complex, mission-driven organization is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead the development and execution of integrated communications strategies supporting the CAP’s mission, enterprise priorities, member engagement, customer engagement, advocacy, and reputation.
Translate organizational priorities into audience-centered communications objectives, channel strategies, messaging frameworks, and measurable outcomes.
Advise senior leaders and internal partners on digital communications opportunities, risks, audience needs, and emerging trends.
Ensure coordination across strategic communications, marketing, creative services, advocacy, membership, education, and business units.
Establish and lead the CAP’s enterprise digital communications strategy across web, email, social media, search, multimedia, podcasts, and emerging channels.
Develop governance standards, publishing practices, editorial workflows, and accountability measures that promote consistent, accessible, accurate, and high-quality digital communications.
Lead a website distributed content model by providing strategic direction, consultation, standards, training, and oversight to content contributors across the organization.
Define channel roles and audience journeys to ensure that digital platforms work together as an integrated ecosystem.
Provide strategic oversight for CAP.org content, including governance, information architecture, content quality, user experience, accessibility, search optimization, and continuous improvement.
Partner with technology, user experience, product, marketing, and business teams to identify and prioritize enhancements to digital functionality and audience experience.
Ensure digital content is current, accurate, audience-centered, accessible, and aligned with CAP brand and editorial standards.
Lead the communications approach to search visibility, including SEO and evolving answer-engine and generative-engine optimization practices.
Establish goals, KPIs, measurement frameworks, and reporting practices for the CAP’s digital communications channels and campaigns.
Use quantitative and qualitative audience insights to evaluate performance, identify opportunities, and improve content, channels, campaigns, and user journeys.
Present performance metrics, findings, and actionable recommendations to communications leadership, senior executives, and cross-functional stakeholders.
Guide audience segmentation, testing, personalization, and channel optimization strategies to improve engagement and organizational impact.
Connect digital communications performance to organizational objectives rather than reporting channel activity alone.
Lead, coach, and develop digital communications staff while establishing clear priorities, roles, workflows, and performance expectations.
Manage digital communications resources, vendors, agencies, contracts, and provide input on budgets.
Promote collaboration, experimentation, and responsible adoption of new technologies.
Monitor developments in artificial intelligence, search, content distribution, platform algorithms, privacy, and audience behavior, recommending appropriate responses for the CAP.
Ensure digital communications practices comply with applicable accessibility, privacy, copyright, brand, and organizational policies.