Senior Director, Communications

Technical Summary
The Senior Director of Communications operates in a labor environment with high visibility among Southern California media outlets. Our Los Angeles and West Los Angeles medical center markets are a hub for high-profile sports and community partnerships, and the senior director will play a key role in managing these markets' brand reputation through issues management, public relations, and other strategic internal/external communications. The senior director serves as a counsel to executive leadership, driving local, regional, and Enterprise business objectives such as membership growth and retention and employee engagement through precise and strategic communications.

Job Summary
This senior director level position is primarily responsible for directing and overseeing the development of strategic communication plans and the implementation of communication efforts. This position directs and oversees communications across multiple business functions, directs complex projects or project components, and oversees complex communication activities.

Essential Responsibilities

• Models and drives continuous learning and maintains a highly skilled and engaged workforce by aligning cross-functional resource plans with business objectives; overseeing the recruitment, selection, and development of talent; motivating and empowering teams; building organizational capacity and grooming high potentials for growth opportunities and advancement; staying current with industry trends, benchmarks, and best practices; providing guidance and leadership when difficult decisions need to be made; and ensuring performance management guidelines and expectations drive business needs.
• Oversees the operation of multiple units and departments by identifying customer and operational needs; analyzing resources, costs, and forecasts and incorporating them into business plans; engaging strategic, cross-functional business units to champion and drive support for business plans and priorities; translating business strategy into actionable business requirements; obtaining and distributing resources; setting standards and measuring progress; anticipating and removing obstacles that impact performance; addressing performance gaps and implementing contingency plans accordingly; ensuring products and/or services meet customer requirements and expectations while aligning with organizational strategies; serving as a subject-matter expert and trusted source to executive leadership; and providing influence and consultation in the development of the larger organizational or business strategy.
• Oversees complex communication activities by ensuring team members provide support to internal and/or external stakeholders; managing and maintaining vendor relationships; reviewing and approving communication activities; defining and communicating the KP brand to ensure positive reputation and recognition; ensuring communications align with KP standards; and ensuring communication activities and performance metrics are documented and tracked.
• Directs and oversees the development of strategic communication plans by directing consultation with key clients and stakeholders to identify business objectives, key performance indicators, and communication requirements; analyzing, reviewing, and synthesizing data and information; ensuring input and resources are obtained to fulfill communication plan objectives; ensuring plans are aligned with the organizational strategy; directing project scope and schedules; creating and managing budgets and resources; identifying and leveraging appropriate audiences and channels; influencing key stakeholders and leadership on strategic direction; and ensuring strategic support on a variety of organizational initiatives.
• Oversees the implementation of communication efforts by consulting with stakeholders or vendors on change management and implementation strategies; assessing effectiveness of communications and making modifications as necessary; monitoring key performance indicators and ongoing effectiveness of communications; ensuring communication plans are implemented on time, on budget, and within agreed upon specifications; and resolving critical issues on a 24 hour/on-call basis as needed during the implementation process.
• Directs and oversees communications across multiple business functions by creating, reviewing, revising, and approving complex content for KP communications programs and projects; overseeing the production of communications materials; ensuring final communications align with KP communication plans; and ensuring content is consistent with the Kaiser Permanente brand and editorial guidelines in terms of tone, manner, and messaging.
• Directs complex projects or project components by identifying and managing stakeholder contacts; assembling teams based on project needs and team member strengths; developing, analyzing, and managing project plans; negotiating and managing project schedules and resource forecasts; and overseeing project financials and deliverables.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Core)

• Ambiguity/Uncertainty Management
• Attention to Detail
• Business Knowledge
• Communication
• Constructive Feedback
• Critical Thinking
• Cross-Group Collaboration
• Decision Making
• Dependability
• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Support
• Drives Results
• Facilitation Skills
• Health Care Industry
• Influencing Others
• Integrity
• Leadership
• Learning Agility
• Organizational Savvy
• Problem Solving
• Short- and Long-term Learning & Recall
• Strategic Thinking
• Team Building
• Teamwork
• Topic-Specific Communication

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: (Functional)

• Acts with Compassion
• Business Planning
• Data Mining
• Delegation
• Negotiation
• Project Management
• Social Media
• Strategic Alignment
• Technical Communication
• Traditional and Digital Media
• Vendor Management
• Written Communication

Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum four (4) years supervisory experience.
• Minimum four (4) years experience managing operational or project budgets.
• Bachelors degree in Communications, Journalism, English, Humanities, Business, Social Science, or related field and Minimum twelve (12) years experience in communications, writing, marketing, or a directly related field. Additional equivalent work experience in a directly related field may be substituted for the degree requirement.

Preferred Qualifications

• Two (2) years in health care or another heavily regulated industry (e.g., Banking).
• Three (3) years experience working in an organization with union represented employees.