Communications Director

Overview

Since our founding in 1924, we've cut cardiovascular disease deaths in half, but there is still so much more to do. To overcome today’s biggest health challenges and accelerate this progress, we need passionate individuals like you. Join our movement, be part of the progress, and help ensure a healthier future for all. You matter, and so does the impact you can make with us.

 

We are currently hiring for a Communications Director in our Lexington office. The Communications Director will set and execute our communications strategy to promote the Association's health and development priorities in the Lexington market including earned media, social media, paid media, PSAs, media advocacy, messaging and storytelling. This is a full-time position, which will be a hybrid of office-based and home-based days, coordinated with your supervisor.

 

The Association offers many resources to help you maintain work-life harmonization through your changing needs and life situations. To help you be successful, you will have access to Heart U, our award-winning corporate university, as well as additional training and support, locally.

 

#TheAHALife is our company culture, our way of life, reflecting our commitment to fostering an inclusive environment, our focus on work-life harmonization, and our Guiding Values.  Discover why you will Be Seen. Be Heard. Be Valued at the American Heart Association by following us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and at heart.jobs.

Responsibilities

• Proactively pitch American Heart Association programs, campaigns, and events to the media on a local level.
• Oversee local social media sites, including the creation and promoting of posts.
• Negotiate and coordinate local media sponsorships for Association programs, campaigns, and events.
• Execute strategy for media advocacy that advances local and state policy goals.
• Lead creation of market messaging for events and issues.
• Recruit, engage and train local volunteers and staff to serve as Association spokespeople in traditional, non-traditional and social media.
• Work outside of normal business hours and on weekends as needed.

 

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in public relations communications, public relations, marketing, or journalism. This experience may also count towards satisfying this position’s educational requirement. Nonprofit experience preferred.
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• Knowledge of media and communications principles, ethics, practices and techniques, including technical requirements.
• Working knowledge of news media operations and news gathering.
• Ability to create and maintain key contacts within the media.
• Ability to recruit, organize, train, manage volunteers as well as ability to accomplish goals through them.
• Exceptional skill in written and oral communications
• Must have at least basic knowledge and skill with Microsoft Office used for word processing, email, presentations, and spreadsheets. Advanced knowledge and skill with these programs is preferred. These skills are subject to testing.
• Ability to lift and/or move large objects (such as boxes) with the expectation that heavier items would be broken down into smaller components or requesting additional assistance may be required before lifting and/or moving.

• Ability to do daily local travel up to 40%; requires access to reliable transportation at all times on an immediate basis.

 

Compensation & Benefits

The American Heart Association invests in its people. Here are the main components of our total rewards package.  Visit Rewards & Benefits to see more details.

 

• Compensation – Our goal is to ensure you have a competitive base salary.  That’s why we regularly review the market value of jobs and make adjustments, as needed.
• Performance and Recognition – You are rewarded for achieving success by merit increases and incentive programs; eligibility for an incentive program is based on the type of position.  
• Benefits – We offer a wide array of benefits including medical, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance, along with a robust retirement program that includes an employer match and automatic contribution.  As a mark of our commitment to employee well-being, we also offer an employee assistance program, employee wellness program and telemedicine, and medical consultation.
• Professional Development – You can join one of our many Employee Resource Groups (ERG) or be a mentor/mentee in our professional mentoring program.  HeartU is the Association’s national online university, with mor