Head of Harborview Communications - UW Medicine, Strategic Communications

Job Description

UW Medicine Strategic Communications has an outstanding opportunity for a Head of Harborview Medical Center Communications to join their team.

UW Medicine Strategic Communications has an outstanding opportunity for a Head of Harborview Medical Center Communications to join their team.

Reporting to the Chief Communications Officer, the Head of Harborview Medical Center (HMC) Communications is the primary communications leader for Harborview Medical Center within UW Medicine’s systemwide Strategic Communications team. This new, highly visible role partners closely with the HMC CEO, executive team and other senior leaders to shape clear, timely and effective communications for one of the world’s foremost academic health centers.

The successful candidate will bring strategic judgment, collaborative leadership, change management expertise and a commitment to integrity, kindness, equity and the UW Medicine mission.

• Serve as a high-level communications strategist for HMC making key decisions, providing sound counsel to leadership, designing recommendations, proactively creating communication strategy and overseeing implementation.
• Partner closely with the HMC CEO as a communications chief of staff, managing executive communications priorities, preparing the CEO for key communications and representing the CEO’s communications interests in appropriate forums.
• Lead hospital wide communications planning and project intake, strengthen HMC’s reputation through strategic storytelling, and align communications with Strategic Communications peers, UW Medical Center Communications and other key partners.

• Provide skilled, swift and accurate editing of the work of writers and other content contributors.
• Perform dotted line supervision of senior writers – and occasionally social media specialists – producing content related to HMC.
• Work closely with the Director of Internal Communications in partnered supervision of the senior writers working on HMC content.

• Develop high quality messaging and materials to address communications needs.
• Play a key role in the design and creation of messaging and materials for the HMC Board, King County Council, HMC employees, community leaders and other high-impact audiences.

To be considered for this opportunity your application must demonstrate you meet both the minimum qualifications and additional qualifications listed below. Equivalent education and/or experience may substitute for minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license, certification, and/or registration.

• Bachelor's degree in communications or related field
• Five years of progressive responsibility in communications leadership, preferably serving as the communications head of an entire organization

• Supervisory experience, preferably of writers
• Experience in communications planning and project management for large-scale projects
• Experience editing and ensuring high-quality, accurate deliverables
• Experience performing the duties of a communications right hand/communications chief of staff to a high level executive leader of a medium-to-large organization
• Change management experience and expertise
• Internal communications experience and expertise
• Experience building and expanding an organization’s reputation within external communities
• Ability to work independently and with minimal supervision
• Sound judgement and the ability to exercise discretion
• An authentically and consistently good listener
• Exception…