External Communications Director

City of Hope•Duarte, CA

About The Position

Join the transformative team at City of Hope, where we're changing lives and making a real difference in the fight against cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening illnesses. City of Hope’s growing national system includes its Los Angeles campus, a network of clinical care locations across Southern California, a new cancer center in Orange County, California, and treatment facilities in Atlanta, Chicago and Phoenix. Our dedicated and compassionate employees are driven by a common mission: To deliver the cures of tomorrow to the people who need them today. Position Summary: The External Communications Director provides the strategic direction and implementation of local external communications and public relations initiatives for City of Hope key client/stakeholder groups, including the National Medical Center and the more than 20 outpatient clinical network locations. The Director oversees design and implementation of all local (the broader Los Angeles region) external communications programs and initiatives to enable the client/stakeholder groups to achieve their strategic objectives. This individual will also be responsible for developing and writing compelling messaging and storytelling that enhances brand awareness and reputation. Reporting to the Vice President, Marketing & Communications, this position serves as a senior communications advisor to stakeholder leadership teams and directs the development and delivery of external communications through assigned staff, cross-functional partners and external agencies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree (preferably in Communications, Journalism or similar field).
8+ years relevant experience in all aspects of communications, including minimum of 3 years in the health care arena.
Experience in an academic medical center or nonprofit hospital required.
3 years of experience in leadership capacity.

Responsibilities

Lead and own the external communications and public relations strategy for assigned stakeholder groups. Establish priorities and integrated campaigns that advance scientific exchange, comprehensive cancer care, patient and program stories, and other strategic initiatives while strengthening City of Hope's brand awareness and reputation.
Serve as a senior communications advisor to stakeholder and executive leadership. Establish strategic direction for messaging, executive visibility, thought leadership, publications and external positioning, and provide recommendations on communications opportunities, risks and business implications.
Direct the external communications portfolio, including annual and long-range planning, budget management, resource allocation and performance measurement. Establish success metrics, evaluate outcomes and adjust strategies and investments to achieve business and reputational objectives.
Direct integrated channel and media strategy in partnership with strategic communications leadership, media relations, content teams and public relations agencies. Approve key story priorities and communications approaches across traditional, social and digital channels to ensure consistent, timely and effective external positioning.