Reporting to the Executive Director and leading a team of 17, you will be a key member of the leadership of PCORI’s Engagement, Dissemination and Implementation, and Communications team. In this role, you will provide leadership and oversee strategic planning and deployment of all our communications activities. We will rely on your broad knowledge of organizational and strategic communications, message and campaign development, meeting and event organization and management, scientific communications and publishing, and substantial familiarity with health research.
Patients, their families, and clinicians face a wide range of complex and often confusing choices when it comes to addressing their health and healthcare concerns. They need trustworthy information to decide which option is best for them. The Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) was established to help address these challenges. Our job is to close the gaps in evidence needed to improve key health outcomes by funding research designed to improve patient care and outcomes through patient-centered comparative clinical effectiveness research (CER). The research we fund is guided by our five National Priorities for Research and Research Agenda. The work under these priorities is managed by our scientific programs, which track and evaluate effectiveness.
Working closely with the Executive Director and Directors of Public Policy and Government Relations, Public and Patient Engagement, Engagement Awards, Dissemination and Implementation, and with the Science department staff including directors and the Chief Science Officer, you will support and complement their work to promote PCORI, its work, and its mission. You will be responsible for supervising four teams led by associate directors or senior managers (Media Relations and Public Outreach, Digital Media, Content Development, and Communications Operations) as they establish and maintain innovative approaches to providing, facilitating, and creating opportunities to enhance the communication of PCORI activities.
Responsibilities of the Director of Communications
Provide leadership in developing and executing strategic and ongoing communications activities and programs.
Serve as a supervisor of and consultant to group leaders within the Communications team on activities to promote and extend awareness and understanding of PCORI’s mission, priorities, funding efforts, direction, and the impact of these and related activities.
Provide expertise to support the planning and execution of the PCORI Annual Meeting.
Function as part of the senior leadership team of the Engagement, Dissemination and Implementation, and Communications Department and help set strategic goals and outcomes consistent with the direction of the board of governors, the Executive Director, and PCORI’s authorizing law.
Provide strategic collaboration and advice across PCORI in the design and evaluation of communications activities designed to advance programmatic and organizational goals.
Collaborate and advise around digital media activities.
Collaborate and provide strategic advice around engagement with mass media, including print, radio, television, and web outlets.
Collaborate and provide strategic advice around content and development of PCORI collateral, including, but not limited to, drafting and editing blogs, fact sheets, web content, and op-eds.
Speak internally and externally to provide a broad perspective on PCORI’s mission, priorities, funding, and direction, as well as the activities of the Communications team.
Qualifications of the Director of Communications
Bachelor’s degree required, with a specialization in communications, marketing, journalism, or related field. An advanced degree is a plus.
Minimum 15+ years of progressive experience in corporate and/or strategic communications, including at least five years managing staff.
Demonstrated progressive experience working in complex organizations; familiarity with nonprofit organizations, especially in the health, health research or health policy sectors, preferred.
Demonstrated progressive experience working with researchers and end-users of research. Familiarity with research and evaluation methods.
Experience and familiarity with the dissemination of clinical evidence, public and patient engagement, scientific publishing, public policy, and government relations.
Understanding of extramural research funding agency processes.
Experience identifying, evaluating, employing, and managing independent contractors as needed to augment staff capacity.
Well-developed understanding of healthcare stakeholder contexts, including perspectives and preferred communications styles of clinicians, payers, purchasers, and patient communities (including consumers, patients’ family members, caregivers, and patient advocates).
Extensive experience in communication of sensitive and complex information.
Extensive experience engaging with lay and scientific media/journalists across a variety of formats (print, web, television).
Extensive experience planning, developing, and executing large organizational events, such as annual meetings or conferences.
Extensive experience with digital media, including website development, blogs, vlogs, video, audio, and social media.
Experience working with or managing governing boards and committees a plus.
Attributes of the Director of Communications
Gravitas. You have excellent negotiation, facilitation, mediation, and speaking skills. You can see the big picture, balance priorities, and remain confident and flexible in a high-visibility environment.
Leader. You are a facilitator and team builder. You have proven experience coaching, mentoring, and developing staff at all professional levels.
Strong business acumen. You set priorities wisely and know how to make tough resource allocation decisions, always finding a way to forward strategic initiatives. You know how to translate strategy into action. You have successfully structured priorities to meet organizational needs.
Results-driven. You smoothly manage through ambiguity and easily shift gears, reprioritize, and stay focused on outcomes. You consistently achieve results, even under tough circumstances.
Polished communicator. You understand the importance of tone and how to communicate clearly, whether it’s in an email, over the phone, or face-to-face. Your writing, speaking, and presentation skills are excellent.
Collaborative. You communicate and coordinate effectively at every level. You share information, work cooperatively, seek out relevant information, decide on the appropriate steps, and achieve the desired results.
What’s Attractive to the Right Director of Communications Candidate?
This is an opportunity of a lifetime to work with a key player in the national effort to improve patient-centered outcomes and to provide research evidence to assist patients, caregivers, clinicians, and others to make informed healthcare decisions.
Working here, you will have the opportunity to influence the quality of healthcare afforded to every American.
We offer an excellent compensation package including medical, dental, and vision insurance; long-term and short-term disability; 401(a) plan; life insurance, and more.
To Apply for the Director of Communications position:
Simply email your resume to Aileen Hedden at resumes@staffingadvisors.com with “PCORI – Director of Communications #2019-2528 ASAE” as the subject of the email. Please include your resume as a Word or PDF attachment to the email and paste your cover letter in the body of your email.
Staffing Advisors has been engaged to find the right candidate and is committed to helping create a diverse work environment for our client. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. This position may require pre-employment screening potentially including a criminal background check, verification of academic credentials, licenses, certifications, and/or verification of work history.
