Deputy Chief Communications Officer (WMS3/COM)

Full Job Description

Deputy Chief Communications Officer (WMS3/COM)

71064361

As the Deputy Chief Communications Officer, you will help lead a diverse Communications Division in delivering clear, equitable, and accessible messaging in support of the state’s health and behavioral health programs.

Working closely with the Chief Communications Officer in Olympia, you will support high-profile media relations, internal communications, centralized operations, constituent relations, and engage in risk management, while ensuring agency messaging is accurate, aligned, and easy for the public to understand.

It is a vital leadership position for a strategic communicator with supervisory experience who wants to amplify the director’s vision and improve health outcomes for Washington residents while balancing on-site collaboration with telework flexibility.

All HCA employees will apply an equity lens to their work, which may include but is not limited to all analyses of core business and processes.

About the division:

The Communications Division provides strategic leadership and operational support for external and internal communications on agency business and strategic initiatives for the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA).

Functioning as both the state’s largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, HCA is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

There are three pillars to our work: Apple Health (Medicaid), the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs, and behavioral health and recovery.

Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.

About the position:

The Deputy Chief Communications Officer provides leadership, direction, and supervision for key functions within the Communications Division and assists the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) in developing and executing a strategic, multi-faceted communications program.

This role helps ensure effective communications with customers, employees, stakeholders, partners, and media, strengthens HCA’s reputation, supports rapid response and issues management, and leverages innovative communication approaches to advance agency goals.

Reporting to the CCO, the Deputy CCO serves as a trusted advisor to the CCO and agency leadership on communications strategy and alignment and supports the CCO by enabling strong division-wide leadership and decision-making.

Success in this role requires strong judgement and discretion, adaptability, system-level thinking, comfort navigating ambiguity and evolving priorities, consistent presence, and the ability to respond quickly during time-sensitive situations.

This position is eligible to telework but is frequently required to report on-site to meet business need.

The default assigned work location of all Health Care Authority (HCA) positions – both on-site and telework eligible positions – is within the State of Washington. This position reports to Olympia, WA.

Frequency of onsite work will vary based on business and operational needs. HCA has currently suspended the ability to support out-of-state telework.

Requirements

Some of what you will do:

• Supervise and support managers overseeing multiple units within the Communications Division, including internal communications, policy communications, Tribal affairs communications, legislative communications, health equity communications, visual communications, and constituent relations.
• Co-lead with the chief communications officer, HCA’s media relations and rapid response efforts for high-visibility or time-sensitive issues; oversee development of talking points and news materials, design and implement media relations training, manage the agency’s reporter database; continuously improves the agency’s online newsroom; and proactively develop stories that advance HCA’s mission.
• Lead the agency plain language program by developing tools, resources, and trainings to support compliance with the governor’s plain language directive; provide consultation to leadership and employees on plain language best practices.
• Serve as HCA’s representative on cross-agency plain language and other initiatives as assigned.
• Co-leads division training, retreats, and team-building activities to support staff development and alignment with the agency’s strategic plan.
• Sponsor division quarterly target reviews and other efforts to apply performance management principles to the division’s work.
• Develop innovative communications approaches when precedent is limited or protocols are undeveloped, helping the agency navigate emergency or complex issues.
• Manage contracts and procurement activities for communication services, including project scoping, deliverables, and vendor oversight to ensure project goals and work products meet expectations.
• Research and stay informed of emerging trends in health care and government communications and provide counsel to HCA leadership, partner agencies, and the governor’s communications office as appropriate.
• Plan, coordinate, and direct communication projects and resources to support implementation of federal and/or state health care programs, projects, and initiatives as assigned by the CCO.
  

Qualifications

Required qualifications:

Qualifying candidates will meet one of the following criteria options:

Option 1:

Bachelor's degree in English, public relations, communications, journalism, or related field and seven (7) years of the required experience below

Option 2:

Associate's degree in English, public relations, communications, journalism, or related field and nine (9) years of the required experience below

Option 3:

Eleven (11) years of the required experience below

The required experience includes all of the following:

• Professional public relations, communications, or media experience.
• Supervisory experience with demonstrated knowledge or expertise in strategic and tactical communication efforts, demonstrated experience in management, team building, change management, and organizational agility in pursuit of strategic goals.
• Demonstrated ability to clearly communicate complex technical information verbally and in writing to a non-technical audience, including the application of plain talk principles to legally precise documents.
• Demonstrated ability to work with and advise all levels of staff, including the executive level.
• Experience managing a team of communications professionals.
• Excellent writing and proof-reading skills.
• Demonstrated ability to plan strategically, identify communications needs, and develop goals and comprehensive work plans for achieving those goals.
• Demonstrated experience in making presentations to external audiences on challenging policy concepts.

Required competencies:

• The ability to take action to learn and grow.
• The ability to take action to meet the needs of others.

Preferred qualifications:

• Public relations experience in the health care industry.
• Journalistic background.
• Accreditation in public relations.
• Five years of supervisory experience.
• Experience working with government agencies, health care providers, health care insurers and/or public/private health care stakeholders/customers.

How to apply:

Only candidates who reflect the required qualifications on their NEOGOV profile will be considered. Failure to follow the application instructions below may lead to disqualification.

To apply for this position, you will need to complete your profile which includes three professional references and attach:

• A cover letter that specifically addresses how you meet the qualifications for this position
• Current resume

To take advantage of veteran preference, please do the following:

• Attach a copy of your DD214 (Member 4 long-form copy), NGB 22, or USDVA signed verification of service letter.
• Please black out any PII (personally identifiable information) data such as social security numbers. Include your name as it appears on your application in careers.wa.gov.

Additional Information

About HCA:
Functioning as both the state's largest health care purchaser and its behavioral health authority, the Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is a leader in ensuring Washington residents have the opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

There are three pillars of our work: Apple Health (Medicaid); the Public Employees Benefits Board (PEBB) and School Employees Benefits Board (SEBB) programs; and behavioral health and recovery.

Under these pillars, HCA purchases health care, including behavioral health treatment for more than 2.7 million Washington residents and provides behavioral health prevention, crisis, and recovery supports to all Washington residents.

What we have to offer:

• Meaningful work with friendly co-workers who care about those we serve Voices of HCA
• A clear agency mission that drives our work and is person-centered HCA's Mission, Vision & Values
• A healthy work/life balance, including alternative/flexible schedules and mobile work options.
• A great total compensation and benefit package WA State Government Benefits
• A safe, pleasant workplace in a convenient location with restaurants, and shopping nearby.
• And free parking!

Notes:

Prior to a new hire, a background check including criminal record history will be conducted. Information from the background check will not necessarily preclude employment.

HCA is an equal opportunity employer. We value the importance of creating an environment in which all employees can feel respected, included, and empowered to bring unique ideas to the agency.

HCA has five employee resource groups (ERGs). ERGs are voluntary, employee-led groups whose aim is to foster a diverse, inclusive workplace aligned with HCA’s mission.

Our diversity and inclusion efforts include embracing different cultures, backgrounds and viewpoints while fostering growth and advancement in the workplace.

Studies have shown women, racial and ethnic minorities, and persons of disability are less likely to apply for jobs unless they feel they meet every qualification as described in a job description.

Persons over 40 years of age, disabled and Vietnam era veterans, as well as people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are also encouraged to apply.

If you have any questions about the required qualifications or how your experience relates to them, please contact us at HCAjobs@hca.wa.gov.

Persons with disabilities needing assistance in the application process, or those needing this job announcement in an alternative format may contact Lisa Fleming at (360) 725-1723 or lisa.fleming@hca.wa.gov.

The Washington State Health Care Authority (HCA) is an E-Verify employer. All applicants with a legal right to work in the United States are encouraged to apply.

E-Verify® is a registered trademark of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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