Communications Associate

We are seeking a Communications Associate who will serve as the communications and marketing lead for the Department of Mental Health, overseeing communications and marketing strategies and tactics in support of the strategic priorities and initiatives of the Department and in line with the school's overarching communications and marketing strategy. TheCommunications Associate will liaise with The Office of External Affairs, which oversees the school's strategies, with a focus on the Department's individual needs and opportunities.

The Communications Associate will design, implement, and evaluate creative, broad, tactical annual strategic communication and marketing plans and approaches to increase the visibility of the department, its programs, and initiatives. This individual will work with Department leadership to set priorities and to deliver on opportunities to showcase the Department's work, offerings, and community. This work spans multiple channels and formats (e.g., websites, social media, media relations, research promotion, events, and internal communications) and various skill sets (e.g., writing, editing, design, and digital production).

This position reports directly to the Chair of the Department of Mental Health and works closely with communications and marketing leadership and colleagues in the School's Office of External Affairs.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

Strategy & Prioritization

• Collaborate closely with the department Chair, Administrator, faculty, leadership team, finance team, academic program directors, and staff to define strategic marketing and communication strategies as defined by the Chair and other leaders in the department.
• Coordinate with the School's Communications and Marketing team to align the Department's strategies and tactics with School-level communications and marketing goals, channels, and best practices.
• Develop an integrated strategic communications and marketing plan and prioritize incoming requests, based on overarching goals and priorities. Provide oversight of the marketing and digital strategy.
• Educate internal and external stakeholders about communications and marketing strategies, tactics, practices, and results.

Execution

• Create and/or coordinate content for the Department, including but not limited to articles, social media posts, videos, event materials, and web pages, to showcase the Department's work and to help recruit prospective students.
• Write, design, edit and produce announcements, campaigns, reports, graphics, and other documents that share the Department's work across internal and external platforms.
• Oversee media relations strategy and execution about activities within Department, including pitching to media and coordinating interviews, drafting news releases, media advisories, op-eds, talking points, and key messages, in partnership with the School media relations team.
• Maintain and optimize the Department's website in Drupal, including copy and design and updates to faculty and alumni pages and Center content as needed.
• Help to organize and promote events in which the Department participates.
• Manage the Department's social media accounts and content across agreed upon platforms (e.g., Twitter, Facebook, YouTube).
• Create and place paid advertising placements, print and digital, on behalf of the Department.
• Create content for Department newsletter(s) as agreed upon, including story selection, writing, editing, design, and project management.
• Create and submit internal communications on behalf of the Department.
• Contribute to and manage the Department's intranet content on SharePoint as needed.
• Draft communications materials for the Department Chair as requested.
• Ensure all communications for the Department adhere to the school's editorial and visual style guidelines, and Use of Name rules.
• Set, track, and report on key performance indicators for communications and marketing work, capture insights and best practices, and act on lessons learned.
• Maintain updated subscriber, partner, and stakeholder lists relevant to internal and external communications outreach.
• Proactively liaise and correspond with project teams, the Office of External Affairs and other communications colleagues at the Bloomberg School, and other related personnel & partners.

Coordination & Collaboration

• Create and adhere to project plans and timelines to guide communication and marketing projects and strategies and collaboration with others as needed.
• Work with consultants and vendors on projects as needed and agreed upon, sourcing appropriate vendors, managing RFP, procurement and contract processes.
• Advise Communications Associates in the Department's affiliated Centers and Institutes on the above tasks.
• Stay up to date with communications and marketing best practices and technologies from external and internal experts including attending quarterly communications schoolwide Communications Associate's meetings led by the Office of External Affairs.
• Represent the Department on University and School communications and marketing committees and projects as necessary.

• Bachelor's Degree in related field.
• Four years related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Strong interest in strategic health communication.
• Interest in mental health research, advocacy, and policy.
• Excellent technical communications skills, both written and verbal, and ability to communicate to a range of audiences.
• Excellent organization skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to understand and synthesize and distill large amounts of information, and generate key messages and calls to action.
• Ability to appropriately communicate with external partners.
• Experience with social media and website content generation and management.
• Experience leading/managing projects and ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously.
• Ability to work well under pressure with demanding and/or shifting deadlines.
• Excellent work attitude and habits including strong interpersonal skills, reliability, flexibility, self-motivated and the ability to think and work independently and as a team.
• Demonstrated ability to think creatively and critically in problem-solving and project implementation.
• Stays abreast of relevant mental health news, developments and events and keep the department of mental health faculty and staff up to date and proactively engaged as needed.

Classified Title: Communications Associate 
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PD  
Starting Salary Range: Min $62,300 - Max $109,000 Annually ($90,000 targeted; Commensurate with experience) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday to Friday 8:30 am - 5 pm 
Exempt Status: Exempt 
Location: Hybrid/School of Public Health 
Department name: Mental Health Administration  
Personnel area: School of Public Health 

Total Rewards
The referenced salary range is based on Johns Hopkins University's good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level. Johns Hopkins offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement. More information can be found here: https://hr.jhu.edu/benefits-worklife/

Please refer to the job description above to see which forms of equivalency are permitted for this position. If permitted, equivalencies will follow these guidelines:
JHU Equivalency Formula: 30 undergraduate degree credits (semester hours) or 18 graduate degree credits may substitute for one year of experience. Additional related experience may substitute for required education on the same basis. For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.
**Applicants who do not meet the posted requirements but are completing their final academic semester/quarter will be considered eligible for employment and may be asked to provide additional information confirming their academic completion date.

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check. Johns Hopkins is committed to hiring individuals with a justice-involved background, consistent with applicable policies and current practice. A prior criminal history does not automatically preclude candidates from employment at Johns Hopkins University. In accordance with applicable law, the university will review, on an individual basis, the date of a candidate's conviction, the nature of the conviction and how the conviction relates to an essential job-related qualification or function.

The Johns Hopkins University values diversity, equity and inclusion and advances these through our key strategic framework, the JHU Roadmap on Diversity and Inclusion.

Equal Opportunity Employer

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

EEO is the Law
Learn more:
https://www.eeoc.gov/sites/default/files/migrated_files/employers/poster_screen_reader_optimized.pdf

Accommodation Information

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the Talent Acquisition Office at jhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711. For more information about workplace accommodations or accessibility at Johns Hopkins University, please visit accessibility.jhu.edu.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. The COVID-19 vaccine does not apply to positions located in the State of Florida. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/ and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply, depending on campus. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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