Children's National Medical Center
Senior Executive Communications Specialist
Children's National Medical Center, Washington, District of Columbia, us, 20022
Job Description - Senior Executive Communications Specialist, Office of the President
The Senior Executive Communications Specialist is a dynamic strategist and skilled storyteller who drives the voice and visibility of the CEO of Children’s National Hospital. This role is key in positioning the CEO as a national leader in pediatric health, a trusted advocate for children and families, and a visionary organizational leader.
Reporting to the CEO’s Chief of Staff and working closely with the Director of Strategic Communications within the Marketing & Communications Department, the specialist develops and executes multi‑channel communication strategies that amplify the CEO’s thought leadership and organizational priorities with internal and external audiences.
Key Responsibilities
Craft compelling narratives, speeches, talking points, presentations, blog posts, and social media content to articulate the CEO’s vision, advocacy positions, and organizational updates.
Tailor messaging to resonate with diverse audiences, including staff, patients and families, industry leaders, policymakers, Board members and media, ensuring alignment with the hospital’s mission and values.
Elevate the CEO’s platform by identifying opportunities to participate in high‑impact events, contribute to industry dialogue, and establish a distinct voice in advancing pediatric healthcare innovation.
Provide full support for the CEO’s engagements, including message development, delivery coaching, and logistics planning to maximize the impact of public and private appearances.
Collaborate with the communications team to advise on sensitive issues, manage real‑time crises, and protect the CEO’s and organization’s reputation during challenging situations.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and work cross‑functionally with internal stakeholders, ensuring consistency in messaging and alignment with strategic objectives.
Build relationships with key stakeholders and develop and maintain strong working relationships with departments to ensure consistent content, messaging and timing of communications.
Develop, manage, and execute a content calendar for the CEO’s LinkedIn channel, closely collaborating with the Director of Social Media to align plans with brand content where appropriate.
Identify and explore new avenues to effectively communicate the CEO’s message to appropriate audiences, such as social media, videos, photos, podcasts, blogs, etc.
Qualifications Minimum Education Bachelor’s Degree (Required)
Minimum Work Experience 5‑8 years of experience in corporate or executive communications strongly preferred (Required)
Required Skills/Knowledge
Previous experience in executive speechwriting required; a work portfolio will be requested.
Experience in a health care system, science or medical institution preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communications skills, knowledge of AP style and strong attention to detail.
Ability to write clear, compelling prose in different styles, voices, and tones to effectively communicate to multiple audiences.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to multi‑task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
Ability to work autonomously and offer solutions to problems; consistently display independent thinking and assume responsibility for projects.
Displays sound judgment and is able to make independent decisions guided by the business goals of the department and organization.
Knowledge of MS Office and HTML email platforms; proficiency with PowerPoint or other presentation tools.
Familiarity with social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, and best practices.
Media relations experience, with a track record of placing stories in national and regional outlets.
Ability to identify content trends and best practices to generate new ideas.
Functional Accountabilities Speechwriting and Presentation Development
Conceptualize, research, conduct interviews and write various communication materials for different audiences.
Communicate complex information clearly, precisely, and compellingly through speeches and presentations.
Create and use tools to measure and monitor the effectiveness of communications activities.
Coordinate topics and messaging with public relations, marketing leadership, Chief of Staff, Foundation, government affairs and other key departments to ensure consistency with CNH branding and positioning.
Monitor and analyze developments and major issues pertaining to pediatric health systems, academic medical centers and the business of health care.
Create briefing documents for the CEO’s speaking engagements; ensure accuracy and fact‑checking.
Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
Build relationships with key stakeholders and develop strong working relationships with departments to ensure consistent content, messaging and timing of communications.
Serve as a consultant to the CEO and other executives, recommending and implementing communications strategies and tactics to meet team goals and enhance Children’s strategic goals.
Develop and sustain contacts with subject matter experts, including peers, physicians, nurses, other staff members and constituents.
Ensure all remarks and public statements prepared for the CEO are accurate, fact‑checked and copy‑edited.
Accompany and support the CEO at speaking engagements, providing feedback and assistance as needed.
Assist in crisis response, developing messages and communicating to internal and external audiences.
Assist with written and digital CEO correspondence as requested.
Support CEO visibility by coordinating and preparing for media interviews, securing placements, and amplifying earned media coverage across internal and external channels.
Thought Leadership
Develop topics together with public relations, Chief of Staff and government affairs.
Write, edit and produce a variety of letters to the editor, articles, videos, blogs and digital content to position CNH as a leading voice in pediatric health care.
Determine distribution methods and work with media outlets to place pieces.
Identify and explore new avenues to effectively communicate the CEO’s message, such as social media, videos, podcasts, blogs, etc.
Primary Location District of Columbia — Washington, DC
Work Locations CN Hospital (Main Campus), 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, 20010
Job Non‑Clinical Professional
Organization President
Position Status: R (Regular) – FT – Full‑Time
Shift: Day
Work Schedule: 9‑5
Full‑Time Salary Range: 93,329.6 – 155,563.2
Children’s National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your Rights Pay Transparency Non‑Discrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children’s National Hospital to ensure a “drug‑free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children’s National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug‑free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Reporting to the CEO’s Chief of Staff and working closely with the Director of Strategic Communications within the Marketing & Communications Department, the specialist develops and executes multi‑channel communication strategies that amplify the CEO’s thought leadership and organizational priorities with internal and external audiences.
Key Responsibilities
Craft compelling narratives, speeches, talking points, presentations, blog posts, and social media content to articulate the CEO’s vision, advocacy positions, and organizational updates.
Tailor messaging to resonate with diverse audiences, including staff, patients and families, industry leaders, policymakers, Board members and media, ensuring alignment with the hospital’s mission and values.
Elevate the CEO’s platform by identifying opportunities to participate in high‑impact events, contribute to industry dialogue, and establish a distinct voice in advancing pediatric healthcare innovation.
Provide full support for the CEO’s engagements, including message development, delivery coaching, and logistics planning to maximize the impact of public and private appearances.
Collaborate with the communications team to advise on sensitive issues, manage real‑time crises, and protect the CEO’s and organization’s reputation during challenging situations.
Serve as a trusted advisor to the CEO and work cross‑functionally with internal stakeholders, ensuring consistency in messaging and alignment with strategic objectives.
Build relationships with key stakeholders and develop and maintain strong working relationships with departments to ensure consistent content, messaging and timing of communications.
Develop, manage, and execute a content calendar for the CEO’s LinkedIn channel, closely collaborating with the Director of Social Media to align plans with brand content where appropriate.
Identify and explore new avenues to effectively communicate the CEO’s message to appropriate audiences, such as social media, videos, photos, podcasts, blogs, etc.
Qualifications Minimum Education Bachelor’s Degree (Required)
Minimum Work Experience 5‑8 years of experience in corporate or executive communications strongly preferred (Required)
Required Skills/Knowledge
Previous experience in executive speechwriting required; a work portfolio will be requested.
Experience in a health care system, science or medical institution preferred.
Excellent written and verbal communications skills, knowledge of AP style and strong attention to detail.
Ability to write clear, compelling prose in different styles, voices, and tones to effectively communicate to multiple audiences.
Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to multi‑task, prioritize and meet deadlines.
Ability to work autonomously and offer solutions to problems; consistently display independent thinking and assume responsibility for projects.
Displays sound judgment and is able to make independent decisions guided by the business goals of the department and organization.
Knowledge of MS Office and HTML email platforms; proficiency with PowerPoint or other presentation tools.
Familiarity with social media platforms, especially LinkedIn, and best practices.
Media relations experience, with a track record of placing stories in national and regional outlets.
Ability to identify content trends and best practices to generate new ideas.
Functional Accountabilities Speechwriting and Presentation Development
Conceptualize, research, conduct interviews and write various communication materials for different audiences.
Communicate complex information clearly, precisely, and compellingly through speeches and presentations.
Create and use tools to measure and monitor the effectiveness of communications activities.
Coordinate topics and messaging with public relations, marketing leadership, Chief of Staff, Foundation, government affairs and other key departments to ensure consistency with CNH branding and positioning.
Monitor and analyze developments and major issues pertaining to pediatric health systems, academic medical centers and the business of health care.
Create briefing documents for the CEO’s speaking engagements; ensure accuracy and fact‑checking.
Strategic Communications and Stakeholder Engagement
Build relationships with key stakeholders and develop strong working relationships with departments to ensure consistent content, messaging and timing of communications.
Serve as a consultant to the CEO and other executives, recommending and implementing communications strategies and tactics to meet team goals and enhance Children’s strategic goals.
Develop and sustain contacts with subject matter experts, including peers, physicians, nurses, other staff members and constituents.
Ensure all remarks and public statements prepared for the CEO are accurate, fact‑checked and copy‑edited.
Accompany and support the CEO at speaking engagements, providing feedback and assistance as needed.
Assist in crisis response, developing messages and communicating to internal and external audiences.
Assist with written and digital CEO correspondence as requested.
Support CEO visibility by coordinating and preparing for media interviews, securing placements, and amplifying earned media coverage across internal and external channels.
Thought Leadership
Develop topics together with public relations, Chief of Staff and government affairs.
Write, edit and produce a variety of letters to the editor, articles, videos, blogs and digital content to position CNH as a leading voice in pediatric health care.
Determine distribution methods and work with media outlets to place pieces.
Identify and explore new avenues to effectively communicate the CEO’s message, such as social media, videos, podcasts, blogs, etc.
Primary Location District of Columbia — Washington, DC
Work Locations CN Hospital (Main Campus), 111 Michigan Avenue NW, Washington, 20010
Job Non‑Clinical Professional
Organization President
Position Status: R (Regular) – FT – Full‑Time
Shift: Day
Work Schedule: 9‑5
Full‑Time Salary Range: 93,329.6 – 155,563.2
Children’s National Hospital is an equal opportunity employer that evaluates qualified applicants without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender, identity, or other characteristics protected by law. The “Know Your Rights” poster is available here: and the pay transparency policy is available here: Know Your Rights Pay Transparency Non‑Discrimination Poster.
Please note that it is the policy of Children’s National Hospital to ensure a “drug‑free” work environment: a workplace free from the illegal use, possession or distribution of controlled substances (as defined in the Controlled Substances Act), or the misuse of legal substances by all staff (management, employees and contractors). Though recreational and medical marijuana are now legal in the District of Columbia, Children’s National and its affiliates maintain the right, in accordance with our policy, to enforce a drug‑free workplace, including prohibiting recreational or prescribed marijuana.
#J-18808-Ljbffr