Communications Associate (Planetary Health Alliance)

We are seeking a Communications Associate who will be responsible for the development and implementation of a comprehensive tactical communications plan for a designated area of responsibility. Provides consultation and recommendations related to the development of communication media for major publications and/or significant initiatives and programs. Responsible for the writing and production of a wide variety of communication vehicles, including marketing and promotional materials and publications. 

The Planetary Health Alliance (PHA) is the backbone organization for the global field of Planetary Health—a rapidly growing discipline and social movement focused on understanding and addressing the human health impacts of environmental disruption. Working closely with PHA staff and partners, the Communications Associate will develop creative content, curate resources, and tell the Planetary Health story to global audiences. This role sits within a fast-paced, transdisciplinary team spanning geographies and sectors and also works closely with the communications team at the affiliated Johns Hopkins Institute for Planetary Health. The role reports to the Senior Communications Manager at PHA.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities

• Generate and recommend original and creative approaches to communicate, market, and/or promote specific subject matter.
• Serve as a subject matter expert for multiple communications vehicles.
• Write and edit multiple and varied publications, reports, web pages, grants, executive remarks, and news releases.
• Conduct interviews, research, and information gathering.
• Manage production of materials, including selection and layout of artwork, graphics, pictures, and illustrations.
• May coordinate, direct, and review the work of communications staff, e.g., freelance writers, photographers, and production staff.
• May negotiate with vendors.
• Provide editorial oversight and review of communications vehicles for the designated area.
• Lead the day-to-day creation and management of marketing plans, media, web, and public relations strategies by working with the broader Marketing & Communications department.
• Serve as the primary contact with vendor agencies.
• Lead the development and execution of marketing strategies and plans including external media planning and buying efforts across digital andtraditional media, marketing events, and partnership marketing opportunities.
• Lead engagement and relationship management strategies by leveraging direct marketing tools to drive results, e.g., email/Salesforce, and other CRM tools.
• In partnership with stakeholders utilize and optimize SEO/SEM, email campaigns, user experience, digital advertising, promotions, and social media, etc. to build brand/program awareness, generate leads, and maximize engagement with participants
• Measure and analyze campaigns and/or project data and make adjustments to maximize ROI.
• Develop creative briefs to ensure marketing materials and program messaging are accurate and created in a timely manner.
• Drive implementation of best practices through all paid and unpaid channels.
• Organize marketing promotional events and ensure prompt delivery of materials and merchandise.
• Ensure brand consistency across all channels, e.g. websites, email, social media, events, flyers, etc.
• Lead website strategy and related needs including management of associated vendor(s) as applicable.
• Apply an understanding of relevant landscapes to monitor, report, and provide insights and recommendations.
• Analyze plans and performance using KPIs and ROI analysis and apply learning for next steps.
• Manage and monitor area budgeting and forecasting.
• Collaborate with peers to share learnings and help cross-promote programs as applicable.
• May oversee the work of support staff in the unit or others with related responsibilities.
• Other duties as assigned.

In Addition to the Duties Listed Above: 

• Develop and manage PHA's social media presence across platforms including LinkedIn and Instagram, including content creation, scheduling, monitoring, and engagement.
• Write, edit, and distribute PHA's newsletters and other communications, ensuring content is timely, on-brand, and tailored to global audiences.
• Manage and maintain PHA's contact database in HubSpot, including list segmentation, data hygiene, and outreach tracking.
• Participate on behalf of PHA in global communications partnerships and collaborations as appropriate.
• May participate in calls outside of the standard workday to accommodate working with global partners in different time zones.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• Four years of related experience.
• Additional education may substitute for required experience and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/ graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.

• Experience with contact management software/CRM (Hubspot) and website backend (Wordpress).

• Proficiency with graphic design software (Canva, Adobe Creative Suite) and a keen creative eye for design.

• Proficiency in video production and editing.

Technical Skills & Expected Level of Proficiency

• Campaign Management - Intermediate
• Communications Planning - Intermediate
• Content Marketing - Intermediate
• Digital Communications - Developing
• Editing - Intermediate
• Editorial Research - Intermediate
• Event Planning - Intermediate
• Media Monitoring and Analysis - Intermediate
• Project Coordination - Intermediate
• Vendor Relationship Management - Intermediate
• Writing - Intermediate

The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs.

Classified Title: Communications Associate   
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PD  
Starting Salary Range: $64,470 - $112,850 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.) 
Employee group: Full Time 
Schedule: Monday to Friday: 9:00am – 5:00pm 
FLSA Status: Exempt 
Location: Hybrid/School of Public Health  
Department name: Planetary Health Alliance (PHA)  
Personnel area: School of Public Health