Description

THE ORGANIZATION

North Shore Community Health (NSCH) is a highly accomplished community health organization that prides itself on its compassionate approach to serving the surrounding communities with comprehensive and culturally sensitive care. With a strong commitment to excellence, NSCH provides:

Comprehensive primary care.

Dental services.

Behavioral health care.

Care management.

Pharmacy services.

Substance abuse disorder treatment.

Nurse care management.

Insurance enrollment assistance.

NSCH operates service sites at Gloucester, Peabody, and Salem Family Health Centers, ensuring convenient access to care. Additionally, NSCH extends its reach through school-based health centers within the Salem and Peabody School Districts. NSCH collaborates with Bentley Academy, Collins Middle School, Horace Mann School, Bates Elementary School, and the Peabody Learning Academy for behavioral health services.

As a community-based safety net healthcare provider, NSCH actively encourages diversity and welcomes staff members who reflect the rich tapestry of our communities. We highly value the contributions of our team members and offer a wide range of perks and comprehensive benefits. These include health and wellness benefits, tuition reimbursement, loan forgiveness opportunities, and other appealing benefits.

We believe in supporting our employees from day one, and all eligible staff members can take advantage of these benefits right from the start of their employment at NSCH. We aim to foster a supportive and rewarding environment that empowers our team members to provide exceptional care to our communities.

Primary Purpose of Position:

NSCH is seeking a dynamic and experienced External Relations Specialist to join our team. The External Relations Specialist will play a vital role in enhancing our health center's visibility and reputation in the community through patient communications, social media management, community relations, and public relations activities.

Essential Functions:

· Develop and implement patient communication strategies to enhance patient engagement and satisfaction.

· Coordinate the creation of patient-focused content for various communication channels, including newsletters, social media, and the health center website.

· Manage social media platforms and health center branding to effectively communicate health center services, events, and initiatives to the community.

· Ensure consistency and alignment of health center branding across all communication channels.

· Cultivate and maintain relationships with community partners, stakeholders, and organizations to support health center initiatives and programs.

· Identify opportunities for strategic partnerships and collaboration to address community health needs and promote health center services.

· Oversee website messaging and maintenance to ensure accuracy, relevance, and user-friendliness.

· Coordinate updates and improvements to the website to enhance the user experience and promote health center services.

· Develop and distribute press releases, newsletters, and other external communications materials to promote health center activities and achievements.

· Serve as the primary point of contact for media inquiries and coordinate media relations activities as needed.

· Coordinate and facilitate meetings of the patient advisory board, engaging patients in discussions and decision-making processes to improve health center services and patient experience.

· Collaborate with department leaders and members of the leadership team to ensure alignment of external/internal communications with organizational goals and objectives.

Non-Essential Functions:

· Attend periodic staff meetings and training sessions.

· Compile proper paperwork procedures, prompt follow-up communications, and departmental policies.

· Adheres to NSCH values and principles:

Ø Integrity 

Integrity is the foundation of healthy relationships. We are committed to the highest ethical standards: honesty, fairness, respectfulness, and trustworthiness. We are honorable and respectful in dealings with others, and we strive to deal honestly, fairly and in a respectful, ethical, and trustworthy manner when in agreement or disagreement. 

Ø Commitment 

NSCH is committed to the health and well-being of its community, patients, and staff. We demonstrate this commitment by constantly striving to align our actions with our mission, vision, and values. 

Ø Accountability 

We take our responsibility to ourselves, each other, and the NSCH community very seriously. We understand our individual roles and positions of power with respect to how others perceive our roles, and actions. We hold ourselves accountable when we make mistakes--acknowledging the error, owning it, taking corrective actions, and moving forward. We follow through on what we commit or resolve to do. 

Ø Courage 

We see courage as the strength of character to stand up for our convictions and belief system. To have courage is to have the fortitude to take risks and to extend one’s behaviors, actions, and thoughts beyond one’s comfort zone. We appreciate that courage is often required to compromise. Courage is a state of mind to face adverse, difficult, and challenging situations with confidence and positive energy. 

Ø Empathy 

Empathy is a deep appreciation for another's situation and point of view which is the basis for the golden rule and our intrinsic sense of justice. We strive to bring empathy into our interactions with each other and with our patients. 

Ø Respect 

NSCH holds its patients in the highest regard. We provide care that is respectful of and responsive to individual patient needs and values. We take the time to listen to concerns, understand what is important, and provide appropriate solutions and care. We do this through coordination and integration of care, collaboration, and teamwork.

Requirements

· Bachelor’s degree in communications, Public Relations, Marketing, or related field. 

· Minimum of three to five years of experience in external relations, public relations, or communications, preferably in a healthcare or nonprofit setting.

· Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences.

· Experience managing social media platforms and developing engaging content for digital channels.

· Demonstrated ability to cultivate and maintain relationships with community partners and stakeholders.

· Proficiency in website management platforms and content management systems.

· Excellent organizational and project management skills, with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.

· Ability to travel and represent NSCH in different community and networking events.

• Bilingual skills in Spanish or Portuguese a plus.