Senior Manager, Communications

The Washington Office of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and the Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) is actively hiring for a Senior Manager, Communications, to carry out external, internal and digital communications — including message and content development for traditional and social media — on health policy and advocacy issues of concern to organized neurosurgery. This opportunity will allow you to promote the highest quality of patient care and advance the specialty of neurological surgery.

Job Responsibilities

I. Carries out external, internal and digital communications on health policy and advocacy issues of concern to organized neurosurgery 

• Writes and distribute press releases to promote organized neurosurgery’s positions on health care policy and advocacy issues.
• Circulates organized neurosurgery’s testimony and comment letters to the media.
• Working with the Communications and Public Relations Committee, identifies articles in the AANS Journal of Neurosurgery, CNS Neurosurgery and other relevant scientific journals that may be relevant to health policy, socioeconomics and advocacy — writing and distributing press releases and working with the national, trade and science media to draw attention to these articles and organized neurosurgery’s position on the topic.
• Writes articles for AANS and CNS publications including: AANS Neurosurgeon, CNS Quarterly, AANS E-News, Neurosurgeons in Action E-Newsletter, AANS/CNS Section Newsletters, AANS Annual Report, CNS Annual Report and other communication vehicles within organized neurosurgery.
• Assists Washington Office staff in writing grassroots alerts and other AANS and CNS membership communications related to health policy and advocacy.
• Assists Washington Office staff in developing position statements, fact sheets, background papers and other health policy and advocacy collateral materials.
• Responsible for the Washington Office’s digital content strategy, drafts all social media content and web copy, manages Web sites, social media and other digital engagement platforms (including, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn) video, infographics and more.
• Serves as an editor of Neurosurgery Blog. Drafts content for the blog and manages all of the writers who contribute content to the blog. Coordinates author communication, ensures deadlines are met, provides article feedback, edits post to ensure style guide requirements are adhered to, publishes finalized content, manages the editorial plan and calendar, oversees the blog community by moderating and responding to comments, answers emails on behalf of the blog, performs blog maintenance activities such as updates to plugins, analyzes web analytics data to gauge content performance, manages subscriptions, syndication, and email newsletters and more.
• Liaise with AANS and CNS staff for an integrated communications strategy. 

II. Develops ongoing relationships with the media and other communications professionals

• Develop relationships with, members of the national media, health trade, science press, and key digital communications influencers on health policy, socioeconomic and advocacy issues related to organized neurosurgery.
• Develops relationships with the press secretaries and directors of communications of Members of Congress and regulatory offices within the Department of Health and Human Services and other government/quasi government offices for the purposes of promoting information about neurosurgery and organized neurosurgery’s positions on health policy, socioeconomic and advocacy issues.
• Works with other health care organizations (with which the AANS and CNS work closely), including the Alliance of Specialty Medicine, the American College of Surgeons and others to provide assistance in promoting those organizations and/or their health policy and advocacy to the media.
• Attends events in which media coverage is anticipated, including Congressional committee hearings, regulatory agency briefings, coalition meetings, and other health policy events. If possible, interfaces with the media and other attendees at such events to communicate organized neurosurgery’s positions on the topics under discussion at these events.

III. Provides Staff Support for the AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations Committee

• Serves as principal staff liaison to the AANS/CNS Communications and Public Relations Committee (CPR).
• Oversees the development of neurosurgeons and other appropriate individuals (the Manager of Communications would not likely serve as a spokesperson for organized neurosurgery) to serve as spokespersons on health policy and advocacy issues.
• Works with CPR Committee to develop organized neurosurgery’s strategy for promoting the specialty’s positions on health policy, socioeconomic and advocacy issues.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of public relations/communications experience.
• Understanding of federal legislative and regulatory process and experience with health care issues.
• Proven track record in interacting with national media, trade and science press through digital and traditional means.
• Superior written, verbal and editing communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Experience in committee management or facilitating physician volunteer work groups required
• Outstanding interpersonal and public presentation skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office (MS Outlook, MS Word, MS Excel), Word Press, social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc.), Google Analytics, Skype, DropBox, CisionPoint, VoterVoice and Engage.
• B.A. or B.S. degree required; advanced degree or graduate level coursework in journalism, health policy or a related field desired. Association experience preferred.

Working Conditions

This job operates in a professional office setting. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, video conference equipment, filing cabinets and fax machines. The ideal candidate will be flexible and willing to assist, as needed, in all types of assignments, given limited size of office staff.

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

• This is a largely sedentary role.
• Travel required, as needed, to AANS and CNS annual meetings, and other meetings and events.
• Some evening conference calls.

Job Type: Full-time, exempt position.

Salary and Benefits

We offer competitive salary, benefits packages and a supportive and collaborative environment.

• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement plan
• Paid time off
• Professional development assistance
• Tuition reimbursement