Job Description

Doctors Council
a national affiliate of SEIU

Director of Communications

Based in New York City, NY

Doctors Council SEIU is the nation’s oldest and largest union for physicians and dentists. Doctors Council is affiliated with SEIU. We represent doctors who work in public and private facilities. Doctors Council SEIU’s long and rich history of advocating for union doctors was added to in recent years with organizing victories that led to many new first contracts. With the successful conclusion of these contracts, we are now a union that is approximately half public sector and half private sector. Our increased membership gives us greater strength to work together for our goals. 

Our national office is located in Manhattan, in the heart of New York City. To learn more about us, please visit our website at

Director of Communications:
We seek a dynamic, talented, highly motivated individual to get our message, vision and voices out, heard and understood, to increase our visibility and to effect positive change. 

You will be responsible for projects that strategically advance the mission and visibility of our union. Run a strong program to support our members and organizing. Direct a program to educate, empower and enable doctors to join Doctors Council. 

In particular, you will lead our outreach and interaction with the communities we service, medical associations and groups, elected leaders/officials and candidates. You will create and run our communications, including to our members and to the media. Manage our communications and media work to support priorities for growth and political/legislative/advocacy campaigns. Keep members and key audiences informed about critical issues and demonstrate the value of membership. The ideal candidate will have experience in the application of communications technology to advance our goals, especially in representing our members, organizing and outreach. The successful candidate will be one who can put our union at the top of the contact list on issues that involve doctors and health care. This work will include members and the public in achieving these goals and branding Doctors Council SEIU as a national union for doctors and voice for patients. 

Responsibilities:
The qualified individual will be responsible for building the vision and strategy around outreach on a national, state and local level. Areas focused on will be communities, medical associations/groups, politicians and communications. Our union should become better known as the "go to" source of information on doctors. Be proactive and creative in identifying opportunities and direction. 

You will be responsible for implementing organization objectives, plans, policies and procedures nationally. Duties include but are not limited to: 

• Create and foster meaningful long-term alliances and relationships with community partners, medical associations/groups, elected leaders/officials and other unions.
• Interface with contacts, including SEIU and other unions, news media, politicians, government officials, partners and allies.
• Manage strategy and implementation of communications, both internally to our members and externally.
• Develop, write, edit and distribute internal and external communications materials, such as sample letters to the editors, OP Eds and other materials.
• Implement a robust internal communications program. 
• Newsletters, e-blasts, brochures, videos, fact sheets, and e- or on-line activism and capacity.
• E-mail and text messaging program. 
• Utilize broad communications platforms, such as blogs, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn and other on-line social media, broadcast and print communications. Assess the production of a mobile application (app) for our union. 
• Website copy, and maintain website as a reliable, up-to-date source of information 
• Produce regular reports on activity and background for internal and external use.
• Creating communications content. Craft message development.
• Communications strategy for organizing growth and political/legislative/advocacy campaigns.
• Monitor literature, including medical and professional, and press coverage on doctors' issues and health care throughout the country and identify opportunities.
• External media relations strategy and implementation.
• Media relations, press releases, press kits, background pieces, fact sheets and contacting and building relationships with media/reporters.
• Stage press conferences and media events.
• Develop rapid responses around key issues as they develop.
• Manage campaign event communications- strategy, message, look and feel, materials, marketing, media outreach, event flow and agenda.

Qualifications:
Applicants for this position must possess a bachelor's/college degree or higher degree in communications or related field and have at least ten (10) years experience of relevant work experience developing and implementing strategy on a wide range of campaigns, including organizing, contract, political and legislative, community, field or grassroots campaigns, communications as well as experience working with allies and coalitions

You must also have:

• Superior strategic thinking combined with demonstrated ability to implement tactical activities that are matched to the strategy. 
• High level of judgment and ability to take the initiative.
• Ability to relate, establish and cultivate meaningful relationships with people from diverse backgrounds.
• Excellent analytical, verbal and written communication skills and effective interpersonal skills.
• Experience in developing and executing written campaigns. 
• Knowledge of the labor movement, including understanding the principles of union organizing. 
• Ability to research issues.
• Ability to assess and analyze complex political situations and respond accordingly.
• Work in speech writing, testimony, position papers and other visibility work.
• Superior writing, editing and proofreading skills as well as experience blogging, writing for social media and, ideally, building a WordPress site. Applicants must have an established digital footprint and be wired into the latest online trends, tools and platforms. 
• Thorough knowledge of media relations strategies.
• Strong time management skills.
• Ability to handle multiple priority projects simultaneously and set and meet deadlines. Discern priorities and meet competing deadlines. 
• Thorough knowledge of electronic and print media systems, advertising techniques, and all aspects of literature, audiovisual and online production process.
• Superior computer skills, graphic design experience required
• Computer proficiency is required; database/spreadsheet, internet, word processing, online social networking skills. 
• Be able to stay abreast of advances in communications technology for the purpose of making recommendations for improvements.
• Sensitivity to political nuances within a labor organization. 
• Must be able to drive and maintain a valid driver's license, auto insurance and reliable car, as well as possess personal credit cards. Be able to drive distances, and travel throughout the country to different states and cities. Travel and work away from home. 

You need to have a belief in and commitment to the idea that doctors must have a voice in and be an integral part of the delivery of quality and safe patient care and that by striving to work together with our communities, patients, elected leaders and employers we can best achieve this. 

Lead staff and members by example, setting high standards in work ethic and professional approach to work. Articulate a positive vision of our work and who we are and represent. 

You must be a self-starter with the ability to work with supervision. This position requires long and varied hours, 
including nights and weekends, with travel, especially to where we represent members and are looking to organize. This 
position is based out of our national office in New York and reports to the Chief of Staff. 

Salary and benefits:
Salary range is $115,000 – $125,000 with actual salary depending on experience. Excellent full benefit package includes 100% employer paid self and dependent medical and dental, as well as 100% employer paid defined benefit pension plan.

Location:
This is a hybrid position, with the current expectation of three days a week in the field/in office in NYC, which is subject to change.

To Apply:
Please send a cover letter indicating why you want to work for Doctors Council SEIU, stating your interest and qualifications, a writing sample, a detailed résumé, along with at least three (3) professional references and their addresses and contact information to:

Trevor Bolden
Chief of Staff
Doctors Council SEIU
50 Broadway, 11th Floor, Suite 1101
New York, NY 10004
e-mail: tbolden@doctorscouncil.org

Please put the Subject Line: Director of Communications in your email.

WHEN APPLYING: Be sure to indicate that you saw this information at .

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