POSITION DESCRIPTION DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS – THE SCAN FOUNDATION
Long Beach, CA – August 2015
The Opportunity
The SCAN Foundation is seeking an experienced, creative, strategic communications professional to serve as its new Director of Communications. The SCAN Foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) public charity devoted to transforming care for older adults in ways that preserve dignity and encourage independence. The Foundation envisions a future where high-‐quality, affordable health care and supports for daily living are delivered on each person’s own terms, according to that individual’s needs, values, and preferences. The Director of Communications will provide communications expertise in advancing a coordinated and easily navigated system of high-‐quality services for older adults that preserve dignity and independence. The Director of Communications is responsible for developing, implementing, and evaluating the Foundation’s communication efforts in a highly interactive and collaborative team environment. In these efforts, the Director will work effectively with the media, policymakers, internal and external stakeholders, and the public through online engagement, social media, and other appropriate communication channels. The position reports to the Vice President, Policy and Communications. For more information about the Foundation: http://www.thescanfoundation.org/ Responsibilities The Director of Communications is responsible for the following: • Develop, implement, and evaluate Foundation’s strategic communications plan.
Effectively communicate the Foundation’s vision, mission, strategic framework, and core activities to relevant and specified audiences by drafting, editing, finalizing and disseminating strong written materials including articles for placement in various media sources, editorials, blog posts, info graphics, social media content, interactive
presentations, and other associated materials. Work collaboratively with Foundation staff to effectively promote all Foundation-‐supported and funded activities and products to relevant audiences through appropriate communications channels. Develop, implement, supervise, and evaluate all aspects of an established online and social media operation, as well as the Foundation’s media and public relations.
• Lead innovative website presence. Direct, supervise, and evaluate all aspects of the
Foundation’s website to serve as a key multimedia resource on aging and long-‐term care issues for its core audiences by directing web development and maintenance activities, and creating novel design strategies to bolster the functional aspects of the Foundation’s website for maximum audience engagement.
• Increase visibility of aging/long-‐term care coverage and Foundation’s efforts through
effective media presence. Increase visibility of the Foundation’s activities by effectively working with national, regional, and trade media covering aging and long-‐term care issues through media pitching, social media engagement, and monitoring news coverage and external events in an effort to seek opportunities for promoting the Foundation’s efforts.
• Ensure internal/external communications alignment. Ensure consistency of
communication processes and branding of Foundation products by maintaining a comprehensive infrastructure for internal communication activities, including guidelines, protocols, and procedures for responding to and handling media inquiries, the creation and circulation of internal and external communication materials, style and formatting consistency for written materials, and approval processes.
• Creatively contribute to communications-‐related grantmaking. In collaboration with
the Foundation’s Program Officers, lead grant development efforts for a small portfolio of communications-‐related grants by identifying opportunities; implementing planning for grant development; working with potential grantees to prepare proposals, scopes of work, and budgets; reviewing budgets with relevant team members; preparing grant proposal summaries for presentation to the Board; and reviewing summaries and analyses prepared by other staff.
• Identify and coordinate external communications opportunities for Foundation
senior leadership. Increases the Foundation’s public presence by proactively seeking out and assisting in the development and preparation of opportunities for the President/CEO and appropriate Foundation staff to represent the Foundation externally through speaking engagements, press appearances, conferences, and others.
• Collaborate and support Foundation image and branding efforts. Supports the Executive team in managing the Foundation’s image and branding through building awareness of the Foundation, and ensuring a cohesive public perception of its vision, work, and activities, as well as maintaining its unique credibility as a balanced and neutral source of information.
• Build successful team and organizational culture. Contribute to successful team
functioning by accomplishing the above and other related results in a highly integrated team environment.
While this job description is intended to be an accurate reflection of the essential job results, management reserves the right to modify, add, or remove duties from particular jobs and to assign other duties as necessary. QUALIFICATIONS As the lead communications strategist and expert for the Foundation, the successful candidate must possess outstanding strategic thinking, planning and communications skills, and be an innovative thought and action leader. Additionally, this individual must possess excellent written and verbal skills; have substantive experience working on branding/positioning, media relations and public policy-‐related communications strategies. A passion for the mission of the Foundation is essential. • Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, Journalism, or related field required,
Master’s Degree preferred. • At least five years’ experience in planning, implementing, managing, and evaluating
strategic communication and media campaigns. • Ability and desire to work as a member of a highly interactive team, including
effectively supervising direct reports. • Excellent interpersonal communication skills and ability to build and facilitate good
working relationships with staff at all levels in the Foundation and external stakeholders.
• Expressed commitment to the vision, mission, and goals of the Foundation. • Exceptional writing, editing, and presentation skills with strong attention to detail
and focus on a message-‐oriented approach. • Extensive experience with media relations, including interactions with both
seasoned reporters covering complex health and/or aging-‐related issues and new reporters to the field.
• Ability to communicate about complex topics effectively, as well as programmatic activities commissioned by the Foundation.
• Demonstrated ability to establish strategy, develop work plans, multi-‐task, and deliver quality work on time and within budgetary guidelines.
• Strong sense of priorities and objectives and a conscientious approach to problem identification and resolution.
• Sound judgment and discretion when handling sensitive and confidential information.
• Demonstrated technology savvy with proficiency in Microsoft Office, social media applications and analytics, Internet research, and web development and management tools.
• Knowledge of Drupal content management system, InDesign, Adobe suite, email marketing, and webinar conferencing systems highly desirable.
• Understanding of the U.S. policy and practice environment, with experience in aging, health, disability, and/or long-‐term care policy highly desirable.
Application Process The SCAN Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, resume and salary information by email to: Martha Montag Brown & Associates, LLC www.marthamontagbrown.com Email: [email protected]