Communications Specialist III

About UNOS

The United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) is a private non-profit, charitable organization that serves as the nation's Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) under contract with the federal government. Based in Richmond, Virginia, UNOS provides vital services to meet the needs of men, women and children awaiting lifesaving organ transplants. UNOS members encompass every transplant hospital, tissue matching laboratory and organ procurement organization in the U.S., as well as voluntary health and professional societies, ethicists, transplant patients and organ donation advocates.

Position Description

The Communications Specialist will support an integrated communications strategy and execution of marketable and timely information about UNOS and the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network (OPTN) to UNOS members and the public. The Communications Specialist will bring strong strategic communications consulting, content strategy and development, writing, editing, project management and organizational skills to contribute to a wide variety of projects.

Key Responsibilities

• Work closely with UNOS department leadership and staff to develop and implement integrated proactive communication strategies and plans to support key initiatives.
• Concept and produce compelling multichannel content designed to reach target audiences and support strategic messaging objectives.
• Manage and enhance UNOS' social media presence across all platforms.
• Promote engagement with content across all owned, paid and earned channels; use performance data and insights to enhance content campaigns.
• Develop and implement strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the department and the team.

Minimum Requirements

• 5 years of relevant professional experience in the field of communications, preferably experience as a reporter or editor at a major media outlet.

Critical Skills

• Preferred: Experience as a reporter or editor at a major media outlet.
• Ability to manage multiple projects for a diverse client base
• Ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced, deadline-oriented environment and to adapt quickly as priorities change
• Ability to learn quickly and translate complex material into audience-appropriate communications
• Self-motivated and able to work independently and within teams
• Strong commitment to setting shared expectations and ensuring they are met
• Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills
• Demonstrated editorial production skills
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to adapt and optimize copy for multiple channels, including email, social and paid search
• Thorough knowledge of: Microsoft Word, Excel, Salesforce/Marketing Cloud, SEO (including metadata and keywords)
• Familiarity with the following preferred: SharePoint, project management tools, HTML, content management systems, UX writing, 508 practices

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience in journalism.
• Experience developing integrated communications strategies and plans.
• Experience writing and editing editorial news and feature content.
• Experience producing enewsletters.
• Experience conducting content marketing campaigns.
• Demonstrated experience in an account management role involving routine contact with clients and coordination of a variety of communications products.
• Experience collecting and applying metrics relevant to a communications setting, and/or with quality management initiatives, highly preferred
• Demonstrated proficiency in optimizing web content through search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.

Education

• 4-year degree in Communications, Marketing, Public Relations or a closely related area, or equivalent work experience required.
• Additional education/training/certification in project management or quality principles highly preferred.

Physical Requirements

• General office demands
  
  
  
  • Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
  • Frequent reaching, handling, and fine manipulation for using office equipment, filing, and managing paperwork.
  • Manual dexterity sufficient to operate a keyboard, mouse, and other office tools.
  • Occasional standing, walking, and bending.
  • Ability to lift up to 10-20 pounds occasionally.
  • Vision abilities required include close vision for computer work and reading documents.
  • Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.