Senior Communications Specialist

Overview:

Fairview is seeking a skilled strategic communications professional who greatly enjoys telling an organization’s story through writing, media relations and social media.

We’re looking for a strong writer and skilled media relations pro to join our Public Engagement team as a Senior Communications Specialist. Fairview Health Services is the largest health system in Minnesota – with 12 hospitals, 55+ clinics, 40+ pharmacies, a large senior living division, an insurance division, and many specialty services. We’re expanding the Public Engagement team in our Communications department as our growing organization seeks to build relationships across the many communities we serve.

The team tells uplifting stories, provides helpful health information, and engages with patients, reporters and other community stakeholders. At time of hire, a major part of this role is media relations while working in other areas, including social media, reputation management, research and project coordination. This person is very skilled at collaboration and working across departments.

You are adept at gauging news value and what captures people’s interest. You thrive on doing everything that goes into making a media story a reality, including developing a story idea, coordinating with subject matter experts, writing a compelling pitch, and working with the reporter and interviewee. You also have experience in telling stories via social media, building engagement, and contributing to customer service and organizational reputation.

You move on things quickly and thoughtfully, pride yourself on being a good researcher, and thrive on deadline. Your high level of curiosity and knack for asking meaningful questions helps you shape interesting stories. You are someone who values and demonstrates strong, clear, explanatory writing – making even the most complex information interesting and accessible. You have a strong eye for visuals, and perhaps a passion for photography or video, including photo editing.

You’ll get to work with great team members in public relations, media relations and social media as well as a talented bunch of other colleagues in communications, marketing and creative services. Expect rewarding work in helping advance an important mission, and a chance to grow and change with our growing and changing organization.

Responsibilities/Job Description:

The Senior Communications Specialist partners with departmental leaders and division/function leaders to develop and execute specific communication plans that build relationships with internal and external stakeholders that advance our mission of healing, discovery and education. The Senior Communication Specialist works on specific project assignments that may include public relations/media outreach, technology implementations, employee benefit changes, fundraising campaigns, patient or employee storytelling campaigns. The Senior Communications Specialist executes a variety of tactics including presentations, web content, electronic newsletters, print newsletters, events, videos and interactive/social media. Senior Communications Specialists must be highly skilled collaborators, able to work well both independently and as part of a team, enjoy managing complex projects, possess strong writing and editing skills for a variety of media, be able to develop highly effective relationships with colleagues from many disciplines and at all levels of the organization, and enjoy executing a wide range of communication tactics.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, organizational psychology or related field
• Five years’ experience in strategic/corporate communications, public affairs, human resources or related field

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s Degree 
• TOGAF

Desired Skills:

• Experience working in a highly diverse, 10,000+ employee organizations with multiple locations. 
• Corporate communications and health care experience