Associate Director for Marketing and Strategic Partnerships

Associate Director for Marketing and Strategic Partnerships

The Feinberg Cardiovascular and Renal Research Institute (FCVRRI) is one of Northwestern University’s premier translational research institutes and home to 3 centers: the O’Brien Kidney Center, the Developmental Vascular Biology and Molecular Cardiology Centers. The highly collaborative and transdisciplinary investigative teams are focused on translating high impact biomedical innovations to improve health. The Associate Director for Marketing and Strategic Partnerships promotes the groundbreaking scientific discoveries and internationally renowned expertise of our faculty and staff.

The Institute seeks an accomplished communications professional with a demonstrated record of success. We are looking for a highly-motivated and creative communicator – ideally with a background in science or health-related communications – to help promote the work and activities of FCVRRI and its centers to diverse audiences.

Reporting to the Institute’s Director and serving as an integral member of the senior management team, this position will be responsible for bringing greater visibility to the Institute, its NIH-affiliated O’Brien Kidney Center, 2 affiliated university research centers and core facilities. The incumbent will have primary responsibility for building a brand identity around the FCVRRI in cooperation with the FCVRRI director, program leadership and other faculty and staff.

This responsibility is critical to enhancing our ability to attract and maintain philanthropic and industry partnerships, enhance local and regional program development, build engagement, elevate the reputation of our scientists, enhance personnel recruiting and retention, inspire donations, and increase funding support by national agencies and foundations.

Working Conditions:

This position will require occasional after hours work and travel.

• Lead FCVRRI and Center Communications Strategy and Vision
• Design and implement an integrated strategic communications plan to advance FCVRRI’s brand identity;
• Broaden awareness of FCVRRI and the O’Brien Kidney Center’s programs and priorities;
• Increase the visibility of FCVRRI programs and accomplishments across key stakeholder audiences;
• Identify challenges and emerging issues faced by the Institute;
• Work with leadership team and staff to recognize internal and external communications opportunities and solutions, and define and execute appropriate strategies to support them;
• Identify resources from other administrative units as necessary;
• Define time frames, key activities/ deliverables and budget, as well as outcomes and metrics that will be used to measure results.
• Provide strategic communication counsel and support to senior leaders including, but not limited to FCVRRI and center directors.
• Work in partnership with leaders to ensure communications achieve desired outcomes.
• Establish an authentic and sustainable brand for FCVRRI and engage members of internal and external communities to help bring the brand to life;
• Build out local and regional community relations programs in order to further elevate brand and FCVRRI awareness;
• Develop messages, content and materials to support overall communications strategy, as well as key Institute and affiliated centers’ projects and programs.
• Tailor messages and select channels for use across audiences and to promote message consistency.
• Connect the mission, goals, priorities, products, programs courses and accomplishments of FCVRRI to the Northwestern University brand as well as both internal and external audiences using various methods of print and/or electronic media.
• Manage related budgets.
• Implement and Oversee Communications Operations to Achieve Strategic Objectives
• Manage the creation, production and distribution of FCVRRI marketing/ communications collateral for FCVRRI and its Centers and programs (web/landing pages, social media sites, direct mail, email, annual reports, and other distribution channels) from planning and budgeting through design and printing to public release.
• Manage relationships with associated vendors.
• Work in collaboration with…