Strategic Communications Director

Who We Are

North Sound ACH is a nonprofit created by the community to serve our community. We bring partners and communities together, share and organize resources, and support our partners in boosting the health of all people across our region. Our goal is for everyone to be as healthy as possible, no matter who they are or where they live.

Essential Functions

The Strategic Communications Director is a senior leadership position reporting to the Chief Executive Officer. Primary responsibilities are to:

• – Develop and manage communications and marketing strategies that advance North Sound ACH’s vision, informed by collaboration with leaders and peers across the organization.
• – Plan, lead, and direct integrated communications strategies and tactics, including internal communications, owned media, earned media, paid media, partner communications, and community engagement.
• – Provide high-level strategic counsel, new ideas, and best practices to senior leaders and executives, including the CEO, on key initiatives and organizational priorities.
• – Supervise, mentor, and coach the organization’s communications team; train team members in key areas of communications practice.
• – Guide the communications team through strategy, design, creative development, and implementation of communication tactics.
• – Lead team to develop compelling, engaging, community-informed content for owned, earned, and paid channels.
• – Act as a bridge between internal and external experts, with responsibility to oversee event descriptions and direct messaging campaigns as part of managing the organization’s overall image and relationships’.
• – Oversee strategic planning with communications team to capture stories about community partners, develop impact stories, and produce evaluation reports.
• – Lead the development of annual and multi-year marketing and communications plans, including budgets, goals, performance metrics, and evaluation.
• – Develop strategies for brand positioning and messaging for North Sound ACH and its initiatives, balancing cohesion across the organizational umbrella with tailored strategies for distinct brands (e.g., Collaborative Action Network, Community Hub).
• – Lead market research, campaign design, and evaluation of outreach and partner engagement in coordination with the Marketing Manager.
• – Strengthen team infrastructure and workfl ows to create a collaborative environment between departments.
• – Develop and maintain crisis communications plans and procedures, and ensure they are communicated to all employees across the organization.

Qualifications, Knowledge & Expectations

Required Qualifications:

• – 7 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or marketing, including at least 5 years in a leadership or supervisory role.
• – Advanced degree(s) from an accredited college or university in communications, marketing, public relations, or a related field directly related to the essential job functions listed may be considered in lieu of years of experience.
• – Demonstrated experience developing and implementing integrated communications strategies across multiple channels.
• – Proven ability to advise senior leaders and provide strategic communications counsel.
• – Strong writing, editing, and storytelling skills, with experience producing content for diverse audiences and platforms.
• – Experience managing staff, fostering professional growth, and leading collaborative teams.
• – Familiarity with crisis communications, media relations, and brand management.
• – Ability to build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders and partners.

Demonstration of North Sound ACH Team Values:

• – Commitment to work to advance equity, racial and social justice.
• – Lead by example, maintain professionalism, and leverage communication strategies to promote effective organizational change and culture development.
• – Work effectively and respectfully with staff, stakeholders, and community.
• – Manage and prioritize multiple projects and tasks, and execute deliverables on time, within scope and budget.
• – Demonstrate responsive and responsible behavior in a fast-paced setting.
• – Earn the trust, respect, and confidence of co-workers, stakeholders, and community through honest, forthright, and professional interactions and respect.

Expectations of all North Sound ACH Staff:

• – Serve as an ambassador for the North Sound ACH: Act as spokesperson and public presence for North Sound ACH and its community initiatives.
• – Commitment to racial equity and social justice: Recognize the role of race, income, age, immigration status, and other identities in shaping health disparities. Recognize how your own identities show up in the work, and welcome, reflect on, and act on feedback with an eye toward continuous learning about race, ability, and other lines of difference.
• – Self-awareness and self-management: Demonstrated commitment to continuous self-learning, reflection and growth, especially related to the development of strong equity, diverse teams, and modeling this approach with others.
• – Proactive problem solving: Proactively develop solutions to challenges, including by constantly looking at big-picture progress on the programs team, and by flagging any potential upcoming challenges in the organization overall.
• – Change management competency: Experience in change management best practices and implementation required, to include competence around human behavioral change required for long lasting organizational change. Ready to take advantage of unexpected opportunities and adapt quickly as things change.
• – Competency in technology and online collaboration tools: Advanced experience with MS Office suite (including Word, Excel, PowerPoint), Google Suite (including Google Docs, Spreadsheets, and Drive), Zoom and other online virtual meeting tools along with ability and desire to learn new applications.

Working Conditions

• – The majority of the work associated with this position will be conducted from remote locations (i.e., your home location) within the North Sound region of Washington.
• – Employees are required to maintain a remote workspace with reliable internet connection where they can maintain performance standards and ensure job responsibilities are met, and to remain accessible and responsive during agreed-upon work hours.
• – Remote work also requires the use of computers, monitors, and audio and video conferencing through the majority of the work day.
• – Transportation and the ability to attend occasional in-person and regional meetings (within the five-county service area) is required (approximately four per month).
• – Position requires hand manipulative skills for working with electronic equipment and systems. May occasionally lift and carry work equipment weighing up to 15 pounds.
• – Must be able to effectively collaborate and communicate in-person and over various devices (computer, phone, etc.)

What Else You Should Know

North Sound ACH is an equal opportunity employer, and we value having staff who come from communities that are most impacted by our issue. We especially encourage people of color, LGBTQIA+ people, transgender and gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities to apply. Applicants fluent in languages other than English are preferred.

The statements contained herein reflect general details as necessary to describe the principal functions of this job, the level of knowledge and skill typically required and the scope of responsibility but should not be considered an all-inclusive listing of work requirements. Individuals may perform other duties as assigned, including work in other functional areas to cover absences or relief, equalize peak work periods or otherwise balance the workload. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.