System Vice President - Marketing and Communications

Albany Medical Center•Albany, NY

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The System Vice President of Marketing and Communications is the senior executive responsible for developing and leading an integrated marketing, communications, and brand strategy across Albany Med Health System. Reporting to the EVP Strategy Transformation & Corporate Development and serving as a key member of the senior leadership team, this role sets the strategic direction for communications with patients, physicians, employees, donors, media, elected officials, and the broader community. The System Vice President builds and leads a high-performing team spanning marketing, digital and content strategy, public relations, internal communications, crisis and issues management, and executive communications. The role partners closely with service line leaders, philanthropy, physician leadership, and operating unit presidents throughout the System. The position is based at Albany Med Health System's System Office in Albany, New York, with regular travel to hospitals, practices, and affiliated sites across the System's service area. Availability outside standard business hours may be required for urgent communications, crisis response, or executive support needs. The role may involve access to sensitive information, including HIPAA Protected Health Information and other information regulated by federal and New York State statutes. Workforce members must limit access, use, and disclosure to the minimum necessary for assigned duties and make reasonable efforts to protect information from unauthorized access and modification.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, or a related field.
12–15 years of progressive marketing and communications leadership experience.
At least 5 years in a senior executive role (VP or above).
Demonstrated experience leading enterprise-level brand strategy, digital marketing, public relations, and crisis communications.
Prior experience building and leading high-performing teams and managing significant budgets and external agency relationships.
Executive presence and credibility to advise the CEO, Board, and physician leadership on sensitive, high-stakes matters.
Deep understanding of healthcare marketing, patient consumerism, physician relations, and academic medical center dynamics.
Strong strategic and analytical capabilities, including connecting marketing and communications investment to organizational outcomes.
Exceptional written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills, including experience as a media spokesperson.
Proven crisis and issues management skills, with sound judgment under pressure.
Skill in digital marketing, content strategy, marketing technology, and data-driven decision-making.
Collaborative leadership style and ability to influence across a complex, matrixed, multi-entity system.

Nice To Haves

Master's degree (MBA or related) strongly preferred.
Experience in healthcare, academic medicine, or a complex multi-site organization strongly preferred; health system experience highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Serve as the System's chief marketing and communications strategist, translating organizational goals into an integrated brand, marketing, and communications strategy across entities and service lines.
Advise the CEO, Board, and senior executive team on reputation, positioning, and stakeholder communications for major initiatives, including growth, partnership, and integration efforts.
Set annual and multi-year marketing and communications plans aligned with System priorities, including goals, budgets, and performance metrics.
Represent the brand and communications function to the Board of Directors, physician leadership, and external partners.
Own and steward the Albany Med Health System brand architecture and ensure consistency across entities, service lines, and sub-brands.
Lead consumer, physician, and employer marketing strategies to support patient volume growth, service line expansion, and talent recruitment.
Oversee digital marketing, web strategy, content strategy, social media, and marketing analytics to drive measurable engagement and growth.
Direct market research, competitive analysis, and consumer insights to inform strategy and demonstrate return on marketing investment.
Lead media relations, public relations, and issues and crisis communications; serve as senior counsel and, where appropriate, spokesperson for the System.
Oversee internal and employee communications to support alignment, transparency, and engagement across the workforce.
Direct executive and physician communications, including messaging support for the CEO, senior leaders, and clinical leadership.
Guide government and community relations communications in partnership with government affairs and community benefit teams.
Establish and lead crisis communications protocols to prepare the System to respond quickly and credibly to emergent issues.
Build, lead, mentor, and develop a System-wide marketing and communications team, including managers overseeing brand, digital, PR, and internal communications.
Manage the departmental budget, agency and vendor relationships, and marketing technology platforms.
Foster collaboration, accountability, and service across the marketing and communications function and its internal partners.
Establish and monitor key performance indicators to evaluate program effectiveness and adjust strategy based on data.