The Executive Director of Marketing/Communication and Strategic Advisor is responsible for creating and implementing integrated marketing and communications plans to promote the varied services provided to students by USC Student Health and Campus Health, through the development of branding campaigns, media distribution, management of budget and implementation of an evaluation plan. Complexity of duties due to the expansion of the role of the Chief Health Officer to include health communications for faculty, staff, and students. The communications unit is also responsible for the development of periodic and consistent communication and health education campaigns, which require content development, editing and distribution to all enrolled students, faculty and staff. The position will participate in various coalitions, committees, and work groups to represent USC Student Health and USC Campus health to promote standardized health messaging. The Executive Director aligns and coordinates USC Student Health and Campus Health strategic positioning and communications with central university, Keck Medicine, and other university units. The Executive Director serves as an advisor to the Chief Health Officer on strategic communications and represents USC Student Health, Campus Health and the CHO throughout the university and Keck Medicine.
Essential Duties:
- Health Promotion Campaign Development: Health promotion campaigns may be developed at the campus level using assessment data or driven by national-level initiatives. Write editorials and letters to various campus and external media outlets to shape public opinion. Develops university wide health related content and health care information on key issues.
- Media Relations: Management of all health-related media relations for USC Student and Campus Health is a key role that consists of strategy, messaging, and talking point development. The incumbent will need to work closely with key health system and university campus partners to promote initiatives and will need to identify and coach spokespersons as well as represent USC Student Health as a media spokesperson. Provide training to prevention staff and USC Student and Campus Health administration regarding media relations.
- Health Marketing: Oversee production and distribution of publications, promotional items, and complex web-based information including web development, web management, quality control, and evaluation. The incumbent serves as the USC Student and Campus Health webmaster and is responsible for designing, organizing, managing and evaluating the internal and external websites.
- Staff Supervision: Hire, train, supervise, discipline, and evaluate employees. Provide ongoing coaching to staff to meet the needs of USC Student and Campus Health and the campus community.
- Budget Management: Draft, review and manage the Marketing unit budget.
- Collaboration with Campus and Community Partners: Collaborate with other campus groups to share resources and promote outreach and coordination of complex health and social issues. Collaborate with campus partners such as Recreational Sports, Housing, Residential Education, Human Resources, WorkWell, Environment Health and Safetyand the Office of Crisis and Campus Wellness. Represent USC Student Health and Campus Health and the CHO in these forums
- Drive Program Evaluation and Quality Improvement Initiatives: Collaborate with other campus groups and leaders to develop process, impact, and outcome measures to evaluate the communications unit. Utilize data to increase efficiency of the unit. Embrace quality improvement to balance unit logistics and health promotion initiatives.
- Collaborate with respective stakeholders to create communications strategies that support marketing campaigns and lead organizational objectives
- Oversee the development of marketing communications and strategic marketing plans
- Responsible for alignment and coordination of USC Student Health and Campus Health strategic positioning and communications
- Monitor and analyze the performance of marketing programs in order to guide current and future strategies
- Executes other duties as assigned or requested. The organization reserves the right to add or change duties at any time.
Required Qualifications:
- Req Bachelor’s degree Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field.
- Req 8 years Experience in communications or related field. *Health Communications background preferred. Specific health areas preferred include: alcohol, tobacco, other drugs, wellness, violence prevention including suicide and injury prevention, health equity, sexual health, and access to care.
- Req Experience with online and social media tools including, but not limited to website writing, editing, and development.
- Req Demonstrated ability to work with media and political stakeholders.
- Req Experience in managing crisis communications.
- Req Thorough knowledge and / or experience with communication, marketing, advertising, promotional and public relations practices.
- Req Demonstrated ability to strategically develop and evaluate social marketing campaigns.
- Req Strong knowledge and expertise with HTML, CSS, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Microsoft Office Suite products.
- Req Ability to work with diverse groups and organizations required. Excellent interpersonal, verbal and written skills required. Attention to detail.
- Req Strong project management, organization, and planning skills.
- Req Effective leadership skills as well as the ability to be a team player.
- Req High-level of professionalism.
- Req Ability to exercise sound judgment under pressure.
- Req Must be accessible after hours in the event of crisis/ emergency situations.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Pref Master’s degree Master’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations or a related field.
- Pref 5 years Staff supervision experience.
Required Licenses/Certifications:
- Req Fire Life Safety Training (LA City) If no card upon hire, one must be obtained within 30 days of hire and maintained by renewal before expiration date. (Required within LA City only)
The annual base salary range for this position is $158,080.00 – $260,832.00. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.