Chief Communications Officer

Mat-Su Health Foundation (MSHF) seeks a strategic communications executive with a passion for building connections through communications to serve as Chief Communications Officer (CCO). A critical partner to the CEO and leaders across the organization, the CCO will create a cohesive plan to advance the organization’s mission and values through communications. With a focus on health equity, the CCO will have the opportunity to connect needs, impacts, and outcomes in meaningful ways to internal and external audiences.

CCO Key Responsibilities

Reporting to the CEO as a member of the Executive Leadership Team, the CCO facilitates discovery, informs prevention-focused solutions, and supports analysis to reinforce mission alignment. The CCO embraces the organization’s values of prevention, access, wellness, fairness, equity, collaboration, and leadership. Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Leadership

• In partnership with the Executive Leadership Team, cultivate relationships with key partners and stakeholders.
• In coordination with the CEO and Program Team, develop strategies to advance MSHF’s mission explicitly through communications and advocacy.
• Structure, hire, lead, and develop the communications team with a vision toward shared responsibility.
• Provide counsel to leadership and the Board of Directors on public relations and strategic communications.
• Serve as an ambassador of MSHF; represent the organization at the local, state, and national level, which includes up to 15% travel.

Internal Communications and Management

• Build strong collegial relationships with staff across the Foundation to ensure cohesive messaging, clear branding, and consistent connections.
• Working with other members of the ELT, create strategies and implement protocols for communicating information, updates, and plans to staff.
• Create a concrete structure for gathering stories and information from staff.
• Develop relationships and collaborate effectively with operations managers of Connect Mat-Su and R.O.C.K. Mat-Su to ensure cohesive messaging, branding, and delivery methods.
• Create general talking points for Board and staff, as well as in-the-moment communications.

Marketing, Public Relations, Reputation Management

• Represents MSHF before the media, industry groups, and at public events with or in the stead of the CEO.
• With the CEO, create a consistent, engaging narrative that relates the MSHF story, and helps to promote and own that story within the Foundation and the community.
• Deepen understanding and ability to connect with each of MSHF’s diverse audiences to match the right communication tools to audiences.
• Serve as the primary resource for communicating the connection between MSHF’s work and outcomes to community needs.
• Oversee the development, implementation and evaluation of communication, branding, and marketing strategies across all audiences.
• Creates cohesive outreach strategies to media, funders, and partners to ensure consistent message delivery.
• Create and maintain a crisis communication plan.
• Analyze evolving media, engagement strategies, and new mediums to help the Foundation move message.
• Identify, implement, and evaluate best practice for communication and marketing standards within the nonprofit, foundation, and public health sectors.

Public Policy and Advocacy

• Continue to build upon prior successes and expand the vision of MSHF’s public policy and advocacy goals and priorities with the future Director of Public Policy.
• Interface with state and local political leaders, building relationships to better understand and connect advocacy goals and priorities and to move mission.

Qualifications of the Ideal Candidate

While no one candidate will embody all the qualifications below, the ideal candidate will possess many of the following professional and personal abilities, attributes, and experiences:

Attributes

• Ability to engage all staff and board members to more effectively communicate MSHF’s mission, values, and impact.
• Ability to engage with key external stakeholders, contractors, and government officials to more effectively communicate MSHF’s mission, values, and impact.
• Ability to collaboratively and independently engage in strategic decision-making that prioritizes the MSHF mission and reflects the values and social contract of MSHF.
• Ability to identify and execute communications strategies that shift mental models and create narrative change to improve systems and create a healthier community in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley.
• Ability to bridge communication between internal and external stakeholders in advancement of mission.
• Ability to grasp complex subjects and data and communicate information in ways that promote understanding and engagement.
• Diplomatic communication style with a focus on equity, welcoming and honoring differences in perspective, identity, and culture.
• Flexible work style with the ability to adapt to a fast-paced environment while prioritizing competing demands and effectively communicating across the organization.
• Inclusive leadership style with a strong commitment to a relationship-based, ‘people first’ approach; establishing trust at all levels of interaction.
• Ability to empower and elevate team members to perform at their highest level.
• Lifelong learner; an individual who never stops forging themselves; continuously studying, experimenting, and evolving.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or related field and 10 years of progressive experience in related environments.

Skills and Expertise

• Solid understanding of and experience in communicating complex stories to complex audiences.
• At least 7-10 years of experience in organizational storytelling, public relations, marketing, governmental affairs/advocacy, and communications and advocacy strategy development.
• A minimum of 10 years of organizational management experience, including coaching, managing, and developing high-performing teams.
• Superior oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills demonstrated across multiple media.
• Experienced and informed in the most effective ways to reach and engage diverse audiences in a changing, evolving media environment.
• Strong work experience in driving communication strategy with interrelated brands.
• Demonstrated self-motivated conduct with excellent project management, contract management, and organizational skills.
• Proven ability to nurture and sustain relationships with employees, board members, elected officials, and nonprofit leaders to more effectively
• Strong analytical skills and the ability to think strategically, politically, and programmatically.
• Alaska and Mat-Su knowledge and experience preferred.

Application Process

The target salary range is $149,500 to $179,500 annually, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Mat-Su Health Foundation offers a comprehensive benefits package and is an at-will employer.

Click here to learn more and apply

For questions, contact Adorable Harper, Lead Recruiter, at MSHFCCO@forakergroup.org. Communications will be treated in confidence and resumes will be accepted until the position is filled. Resume reviews begin immediately.

Mat-Su Health Foundation is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. 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 or veteran status. MSHF is especially interested in candidates whose background and experience have prepared them to grow to our commitment to engagement and inclusion with culturally diverse audiences.

Date Posted

03/13/2024

Closing Date

04/05/2024

About the Organization

Mat-Su Health Foundation is a place-based funder with a goal to measurably improve the health and wellness of Alaskans living in the Matanuska Susitna Borough (Mat-Su), while improving the quality of healthcare and reducing healthcare costs through the intersection of its philanthropy and hospital ownership. Because of its public charity status, MSHF is uniquely suited to deploy its assets strategically and patiently and to tolerate volatility in the grantmaking budget based on community and project readiness.

Contact

Adorable Harper, lead recruiter <MSHFCCO@forakergroup.org>