| | As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.
UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty. All of which has allowed the UW to be nationally recognized as a “Great College to Work For” for six consecutive years.
The Brotman Baty Institute (BBI) for Precision Medicine is seeking a Director of Communications to help in establishing BBI’s emerging role as a leader in precision medicine research in the global scientific community. Reporting to the institute’s Administrative Director, this role will develop and execute plans to build and define awareness of BBI’s accomplishments and brand with internal and external stakeholders. This is a fast-paced role for a life science communications leader interested in helping craft long-term communications and PR strategy for a rapidly growing institute.
The position will work with the Administrative Director to establish long-range goals, objectives and strategies, and will assume a leadership role in initiating and implementing marketing and communication projects. The position will act as client liaison with outside public relations entities, advertising agencies, and design firms with which BBI contracts. This employee will work with our member faculty and leadership from world-class basic and clinical research organizations to craft meaningful messages for our target audiences. This position requires a background in scientific communications, including the ability to write and communicate technical news stories for consumption by other scientists, as well as to translate scientific writing into terms easily understood by the general public.
Position Dimensions and Impact to the University:
The Brotman Baty Institute (BBI) for Precision Medicine was co-founded by collaborative agreement between the University of Washington, the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and Seattle Children’s Hospital. BBI’s mission is to take advantage of Seattle’s unique ecosystem and collaborative culture towards having a transformative impact on biomedical research and patient outcomes with precision medicine. BBI works at the intersection of technology development and medicine in areas including medical genetics, cancer biology, infectious disease and technology development. The Brotman Baty Institute for Precision Medicine also supports the Seattle Flu Study (SFS), now also known as the Seattle Coronavirus Assessment Network (SCAN), whose goal is to monitor and understand the movement of influenza, the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19, and other respiratory pathogens within the city of Seattle. As the sole Communications Director supporting the Administrative Director in leading and developing marketing and communications strategy to support BBI’s core efforts, this role has great importance to the BBI, and to the role BBI was intended to play within the UW, and to UW’s reputation as a biomedical powerhouse and leader in the response to pandemics, locally, nationally, and internationally. For example, the BBI’s SFS/SCAN projects and personnel are routinely featured in UW news, the New York Times, TV news programs, and other media of that ilk.
Public Relations and Communications Management: 40%
Act as media liaison for the Institute. Draft and publish press releases concerning Institute scientific findings and activities. Generate and strategically place BBI news stories in media outlets locally and with partners. Coordinate with communications professionals at the UW (e.g. Advancement), contracted public relations firms, contracted scientific writers, and in partner/peer organizations around news, announcements and events. Write and find original content indicated for both technical and nontechnical audiences interested in precision medicine. Work with member faculty to announce scientific findings for maximum impact with target audiences. Create and publish content updates multiple times per week. Use metrics to assess effectiveness of stories, and to drive strategic approach to web and social media content. Compile quarterly media coverage reports for leadership and present highlights at advisory meetings.
Executive Communications, Strategy and Planning: 30%
In consultation with Administrative Director and Institute Boards, create and implement institute communications master plan between member institutions, member faculty across Seattle, stakeholder groups and general public, and in the global precision medicine scientific community. This position will be responsible for driving the institute’s communications master plan and leading this plan in collaboration with the BBI partner institutions. This position will have budgetary responsibility over activities related to the communication plan and strategy, public relations, communications management, web, social media and events management.
Web and Social Media Management: 20%
Manage strategy for institute website and social media accounts as communications channels in collaboration with other BBI stakeholders. Be conversant in basics of web design and publishing to provide in-house web updates in cooperation with outside contracted web design/PR firms.
Events/Symposia/Team-building: 10%
Create and participate in information-sharing projects to build community and partnership within the institute and its umbrella institutions.
Requirements include:
•Bachelor’s Degree in a science field, communications, marketing, public affairs, or related field + 5 or more years of related experience in private, institutional, non-profit, or corporate science communications. Experience in a communications leadership role. Equivalent experience may substitute for degree requirement.
•Subject matter expertise in the following areas: PR and brand management, publications management, website creation and maintenance, media relations, project planning, and sophisticated content development related to life science issues.
•Demonstrated excellent and efficient writing, editing, organizational, and presentation skills
•Ability to understand and communicate the complex and nuanced issues in clinical and basic science
•Demonstrated ability to adapt to the demands of a changing and challenging professional environment; balance competing interests and a complex portfolio effectively; and balance multiple projects under time and resource pressure.
•Knowledge of the latest advances in the effective use of digital and social media for effective communication, including online communities, search engine optimization, and other digital marketing tools.
•Demonstrated commitment to a collaborative team-based approach.
•Excellent organizational skills with the demonstrated ability to effectively plan, coordinate, prioritize, take direction, and execute multiple projects meeting established deadlines with little direct supervision.
•Demonstrated ability to work cooperatively with representatives from all levels of staff, faculty, students, and external stakeholders across a large, complex, multi-campus organizational structure in a fast-paced environment.
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except when there are legal requirements, such as a license/certification/registration.
Desired:
•Advanced degree in a basic science or communications, marketing, public affairs
•Expertise in genomics, precision medicine, and infectious disease
•Technical proficiency, scientific creativity and collaborative ability.
•In-depth understanding of organizational structure both within and outside the work unit, including the role of each position in the group and in other groups.
•Ability to develop and execute innovative ideas for news articles.
As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here.
Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. These may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter and/or others. Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment, you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed. |
