Program Communications Strategist - Justice & Public Health Initiatives

The Institute for Intergovernmental Research (IIR) is a Florida-based, nonprofit corporation specializing in criminal justice (law enforcement focus), homeland security, and Public Health/behavioral health issues.
America's substance use crisis is a public safety and Public Health emergency that threatens the well-being of individuals who use and misuse drugs as well as their families, communities, and, ultimately, the nation. The Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Use Program (COSSUP) assists jurisdictions across the nation battling the persistence or reemergence of stimulants and other substances while emphasizing the force-multiplying power of partnership and collaboration across the Public Health, behavioral health, and public safety sectors. The goals of COSSUP are to promote public safety and support access to treatment and recovery services in the criminal justice system, strengthen the collection and sharing of data across systems to understand and address the impact of illicit substance use and misuse, align and maximize resources across systems and leverage diverse program funding, and prevent illicit substance use and misuse. Overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) are being used by a growing number of communities to prevent overdoses. OFR framework brings a multidisciplinary approach to reviewing and understanding aggregate and individual case data to understand the missed opportunities for prevention and intervention to develop strategies to improve system communication and coordination to prevent future overdoses.
FLSA Status: Exempt
Position Description
The Program Communications Strategist within the Justice and Public Health Initiatives (JPHI) group possesses extensive knowledge and experience in developing communication plans and delivering communication products for the JPHI Overdose Fatality Review (OFR) program. This position provides primary support to all areas of program communication and requires significant knowledge and awareness of current communication strategies and trends and the needs and perspectives of key stakeholders, including the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , and the law enforcement and Public Health fields. The Program Communications Strategist will serve as the primary point of contact for the OFR program and IIR's Information Technology (IT) and Quality Control and Content Management (QCCM) teams to ensure that programmatic products, websites, and applications consistently articulate the program's mission, messages, voice, and brand and to create the best possible product for the end user that meets the needs and expectations of the client.
Responsibilities

• Serve as lead coordinator for program communication
• Develop and implement communication plans; author and edit templates, resources, website content, presentations, and guidance documents
• Develop, coordinate, and review documents and outreach products
• Review program content for uniformity of message, clarity, logo usage, and proper disclaimer usage
• Recommend to whom, where, and when program content and promotional materials should be disseminated
• Coordinate efforts among the OFR, IT, and QCCM teams to maintain and update, as needed, all publications and resources and the programmatic website
• Conduct advanced communication-related research, issue identification, analysis, and resolution, and may provide a briefing on results
• Coordinate and facilitate on-site technical assistance and training events
• Facilitate group discussions and conduct training and informational presentations
• Work with key stakeholders, including government agencies, to plan and coordinate criminal justice services to the field
• Effectively communicate, orally and in writing, with agency executives, senior officials, coworkers, and others
• Collaborate and/or coordinate with subject-matter experts (SMEs), OFR professionals, and/or multimedia personnel to gather information (interviews, testimonials, and demonstrations) with the goal of producing focused content within the prescribed style
• Develop project plans and serve as lead to oversee task teams or short- and long-term specialized projects
• Other duties, as assigned

Knowledge and Skills

• Bachelor's degree in a related field required (communications professional)
• Master's degree or doctoral degree in criminal justice, Public Health, communications, or related field preferred
• Minimum eight years of directly related experience or a combination of education and professional experience
• Understanding of health literacy, readability, stigmatizing language, social determinants of health, Public Health, and the criminal justice system
• Commitment to Public Health and public safety principles to improve community health and safety, with an emphasis on the field of substance use and drug overdose prevention and mental health promotion
• Ability to analyze complex issues from various stakeholder perspectives at both the macro and micro levels and develop strategies to ensure successful outcomes
• Strong interpersonal skills and business acumen to interact with many different departments and decision-makers within and outside the organization, including SMEs, Public Health professionals, and law enforcement officers
• Detail-oriented
• Strong analytical and customer-support skills
• Strong facilitation and interpersonal skills
• Strong personal and professional values
• Strong organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills
• Ability to effectively manage multiple projects and tasks
• Ability to clearly, professionally, and effectively convey information and concepts, orally and in writing
• Ability to work independently and in a team-oriented environment
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite

Physical Demands and Work Environment
Most work is performed in a fast-paced virtual office environment. Some assignments may require travel.
This job description is intended to provide guidelines for job expectations and the employee's ability to perform the position described. It is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all functions, responsibilities, skills, and abilities. Additional functions and requirements may be assigned by managers, as appropriate. This document does not represent a contract of employment, and IIR reserves the right to change this job description and/or assign tasks for the employee to perform, as appropriate.
Candidates who have accepted an offer will be required to submit to a background investigation, including criminal history, credit history, employment history, educational history, and personal and professional references.