Sr. Communications Specialist - Hybrid Remote

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Pediatrics Chair

Job Summary:

The Sr. Communications Specialist will serves as communications liaison for the Department. This position will be responsible for serving as the sole communications liaison for the Department. In this capacity, the position will be responsible for raising awareness of programs and initiatives to internal and external audiences, tactics including but not limited to: independently developing, editing and distributing monthly newsletters to faculty, staff and trainees; designing and producing presentation materials and executive communications for Department Chair and other departmental leadership (Monroe Carell/VUMC Board presentations, State of the Department, etc.); planning, serving as project manager for, and executing departmental faculty meetings; and producing infographics and marketing collateral for a variety of departmental needs, as requested. This position will also serve in a training capacity by proactively identifying new communication tools and offering group and one-on-one training to departmental administrative staff.

Leads the development, implementation, and maintenance of online content: This position will be fully responsible for the management of our department website in partnership with Marketing & Engagement, which includes regular updates to the content and bi-yearly comprehensive reviews. The position will monitor and maintain the website, ensuring that key information is accurate and available to perspective faculty, staff, and trainees. This position will independently solicit content and make decisions about how to communicate this information on the website in line with institutional guidelines.

Manages departmental programs and events that support key missions of the Department. This position will also be responsible for planning and executing departmental and ad hoc events, including the annual Pediatric Research Retreat and additional scientific conferences as requested by the Chair.

Develops and manages marketing and/or communications strategy for Department in conjunction with departmental and organizational leadership: This position will work with departmental and organizational leadership to design, develop, and implement marketing and communication strategy. They will be responsible for writing executive communications for the Department Chair and Chief Business Officer.

This position will serve as a department liaison to Strategic Marketing and News & Communications and will work with these teams to develop and implement marketing and/or communications campaigns for the annual U.S. News and World Report Best Children’s Hospitals voting campaigns and marketing of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt/Vanderbilt University Medical Center at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting, travel may be required. As part of this responsibility, this position will serve as the Pediatrics representative on the Monroe Carell Conference Strategy Committee. This position will also pitch and write pediatric news stories for various publications across the institution, including the VUMC Reporter.

Manages various feedback sources for Chair’s Office: This position will serve as the primary departmental contact and will manage the facilitation of feedback sources for the Chair’s Office, including the department suggestion box and Paper of the Month nominations.

The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and this position may be responsible for additional duties. A full job description is attached.

This position does not directly supervise staff; however, the office does employ student support during the school year as needed. This position is responsible for delegating assignments and ensuring completion of projects. This position also has the opportunity of supervising an unpaid communications intern. This would be a part-time, 10-week summer internship program that would allow a student currently enrolled in undergraduate coursework in communications the chance to receive practical experience in healthcare communications. This position would directly oversee the intern.

REQUIRED:
- Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent experience)
- 5 years of relevant experience in communications
- Microsoft Office
- Experience Emma and/or REDCap is a plus

This position will work traditional, day-time business hours, Monday-Friday. While there will be some work that can be performed remotely, we are seeking a local candidate who can work in our Nashville, TN office routinely for meetings and team-building exercises.

.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY:

As one of the largest departments within the medical center, the Department of Pediatrics at VUMC is  proud to be home to some 460 primary faculty, 270 community-based volunteer faculty, 82 clinical fellows, 127 residents, and over 300 administrative and research staff. The Department is rooted in a rich history of commitment to excellence in research, education, and patient care. Our faculty, clinicians, fellows, and trainees represent the very best of academic medicine – extraordinary people doing incredible things to advance the care for children in Middle Tennessee, across the nation, and throughout the world. The result is a Department which reaches far beyond the walls of our hospital to provide high-quality patient care, to train the next generation of leaders in pediatric medicine, and to advance our knowledge of important conditions that affect vulnerable infants and children through world class research. For more information, please visit https://pediatrics.vumc.org/message-chair.

Key Responsibilities

Serves as communications liaison for Department: This position will be responsible for serving as the sole communications liaison for the Department. In this capacity, the position will be responsible for raising awareness of programs and initiatives to internal and external audiences, tactics including but not limited to: independently developing, editing and distributing monthly newsletters to faculty, staff and trainees; designing and producing presentation materials and executive communications for Department Chair and other departmental leadership (Monroe Carell/VUMC Board presentations, State of the Department, etc.); planning, serving as project manager for, and executing departmental faculty meetings; and producing infographics and marketing collateral for a variety of departmental needs, as requested. This position will also serve in a training capacity by proactively identifying new communication tools and offering group and one-on-one training to departmental administrative staff.

Leads the development, implementation, and maintenance of online content: This position will be fully responsible for the management of our department website in partnership with Marketing & Engagement, which includes regular updates to the content and bi-yearly comprehensive reviews. The position will monitor and maintain the website, ensuring that key information is accurate and available to perspective faculty, staff, and trainees. This position will independently solicit content and make decisions about how to communicate this information on the website in line with institutional guidelines.

Manages departmental programs and events that support key missions of the Department: This position will serve as administrative manager for the Turner-Hazinski. The position will be responsible for developing all communication strategies for these programs, as well as managing award applications, REDCap databases, This position will also be responsible for planning and executing departmental and ad hoc events, including the annual Pediatric Research Retreat and additional scientific conferences as requested by the Chair.

Develops and manages marketing and/or communications strategy for Department in conjunction with departmental and organizational leadership: This position will work with departmental and organizational leadership to design, develop, and implement marketing and communication strategy. They will be responsible for writing executive communications for the Department Chair and Chief Business Officer. This position will serve as a department liaison to Strategic Marketing and News & Communications and will work with these teams to develop and implement marketing and/or communications campaigns for the annual U.S. News and World Report Best Children’s Hospitals voting campaigns and marketing of Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt/Vanderbilt University Medical Center at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting. As part of this responsibility, this position will serve as the Pediatrics representative on the Monroe Carell Conference Strategy Committee. This position will also pitch and write pediatric news stories for various publications across the institution, including the VUMC Reporter.

Manages various feedback sources for Chair’s Office: This position will serve as the primary departmental contact and will manage the facilitation of feedback sources for the Chair’s Office, including the department suggestion box and Paper of the Month nominations.

This position does not directly supervise staff; however, the office does employ student support during the school year as needed. This position is responsible for delegating assignments and ensuring completion of projects. This position also has the opportunity of supervising an unpaid communications intern. This would be a part-time, 10-week summer internship program that would allow a student currently enrolled in undergraduate coursework in communications the chance to receive practical experience in healthcare communications. This position would directly oversee the intern.

The responsibilities listed are a general overview of the position and this position may be responsible for additional duties.

TECHNICAL CAPABILITIES
• Communication (Advanced): Clearly, effectively and respectfully communicates to employees or customers.
• Networking (Intermediate): Build relationships through industry contacts, professional organizations and individuals.
• Customer Service (Advanced): Demonstrates a high level of customer sensitivity and has shown insight into customer business issues. Demonstrates a work ethic where customers display confidence and trust in the service provided. Anticipates, plans for and meets increases in customer needs and service levels. Removes barriers and establishes procedures to improve organizational customer service activities.
• Documentation & Writing Skills (Advanced): Demonstrates the uppermost levels of expertise in applying patient relations documentation in challenging and complex situations. Often takes a lead role in highly pressurized situations when there is a need to achieve results. Consistently delivers documentation services in a creative and imaginative manner while setting a standard for others. Actively participates in outside professional organizations and forums. Contributes in the development of documentation best practices for the organization.

Our professional administrative functions include critical supporting roles in information technology and informatics, finance, administration, legal and community affairs, human resources, communications and marketing, development, facilities, and many more.

At our growing health system, we support each other and encourage excellence among all who are part of our workforce. High-achieving employees stay at Vanderbilt Health for professional growth, appreciation of benefits, and a sense of community and purpose.

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Independently delivers on objectives with understanding of how they impact the results of own area/team and other related teams. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Utilizes multiple sources of data to analyze and resolve complex problems; may take a new perspective on existing solution. Breadth of Knowledge: Has advanced knowledge within a professional area and basic knowledge across related areas. Team Interaction: Acts as a "go-to" resource for colleagues with less experience; may lead small project teams.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues: - Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas. - Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships. - Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services: - Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them. - Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions. - Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly. - Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure. - Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area. - Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation: - Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches. - Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges. - Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level:

5 years

Education:

Bachelor's

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity.  EOE/Vets/Disabled.