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Job ID: 22256
Agency: Department of Health - Division of Health Care Access
Location: Pierre. The location of this position is negotiable.
Salary: $61,857.82 - $72,773.90 annually, depending on experience
Pay Grade: GK
Closing Date: Open Until Filled

The South Dakota Department of Health’s programs and services help prevent illness and injury, promote healthy places to live, work and play; provide education to help people make good health decisions; prepare for, respond to, and prevent public health threats; and support efforts to enhance quality and accessibility of healthcare. Our services touch the lives of every person in the state of South Dakota.

We recognize that employees are our most valuable resource and we are committed to promoting a culture of excellence in DOH. We trust our employees to be innovative, challenge existing processes, and make the best decisions. We are interested in employing a diverse and skilled workforce that exhibits the values of leadership, accountability, communication, integrity, and teamwork. Public health is a diverse and growing field that offers many career options for people from a variety of educational backgrounds. Imagine yourself as part of a winning team that is making the lives of South Dakotans healthier and safer.

Please visit our website at http://doh.sd.gov/ for further information about the Department of Health.

Why the South Dakota Department of Health?

Our skilled workforce believes in professionalism and accountability. Working here isn't just a job – it's a life passion. Our work environment empowers professional success, team building, and facilitating relationships with community partners to further strengthen the Department's mission of working together to promote, protect, and improve public health. The Communications Director will facilitate and manage all statewide media campaigns and messaging for the Department. The position will lead a proactive branding and communications strategy while managing and executing all media requests. This position develops responses to inquires and coordinates with internal programs and external partners to further enhance and organize key messages. Providing citizens with trusted health information and resources is a department priority led by this position. Ensuring accurate and accessible health information requires the communications director to supervise and guide a team of three individuals focused on traditional and digital public information tactics. The emphasis in this role is on the evaluation of staff workload to foster collaboration, provide feedback, and identify emerging needs. This position works to ensure that milestones are met, and metrics are reported while working closely with internal staff experts and external media vendors. This person must successfully develop and coordinate presentations, design public information documents, and write for the Cabinet Secretary and other department leaders to help showcase and share the Department's mission and stories. The Communications Director handles legislative needs and requests and assists with special inter- and intra-departmental projects.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• provide work direction, support, and quality control of the Department's communications planning, messaging, and public relations priorities;
• provide technical assistance and oversight on complex or high-profile work that the Department initiates on behalf of the State of South Dakota;
• develop policies, procedures, and best practices to ensure quality representation of the DOH brand;
• provide support, feedback, and planning strategies on all communications-related strategies to a variety of staff levels throughout the agency to ensure effective and consistent messaging;
• supervise members of the communications team;
• oversee the Department's branding goals, efforts, and strategies;
• ensure positive media relationships are maintained through timely responses to media questions and overseeing information dissemination to the public through proactive management of news media, social media, and other communication platforms;
• identify target audiences and determine the best platforms and messages to engage customers and stakeholders;
• utilize digital communication methods to provide effective communication to varying audiences, especially those with disabilities;
• manage external communications efforts, including press releases, talking points, press conferences, briefing packages, presentations, and documents for departmental staff, etc.;
• measure and report outcomes and propose appropriate changes to communications efforts to Department leadership based on public feedback;
• identify and address issues that may delay agency communication initiatives;
• participate in departmental strategic communications planning with Department leaders;
• supply speaking points or presentations as appropriate for the Cabinet Secretary and other Department leaders;
• provide technical assistance and oversight on complex or high-profile work on department initiatives; and
• respond professionally to all inquiries for information or records from the public or media.

The Ideal Candidate Will Have:
We are looking for an individual with a Bachelor's degree in marketing communications, mass communications, public relations and/or similar professional experience. Qualified candidates must have strong written and oral communication skills, be self-motivated and punctual, deploy high-quality organizational skills, and be passionate about serving the public while carrying out the Department of Health's mission. Supervisory experience is preferred but not required. Professional experience in leading and shaping teams is ideal. Candidates must also apply problem-solving and critical thinking skills to each area of the position.

Knowledge of:

• communications planning, development, and implementation;
• brand messaging and management;
• marketing strategy development;
• public and media relations;
• editing and copywriting;
• professional writing;
• customer service and stakeholder engagement tactics;
• issues management.

Skill to:

• communicate effectively;
• foster team collaboration;
• lead new objectives and initiatives to ensure the delivery of measurable outcomes and return on investment outlined in the Department's strategic plan.

Ability to:

• research new communications strategies and techniques relevant to meeting public health matters and behavioral changes while assessing key demographics and messaging tactics;
• communicate information clearly and concisely in aesthetically pleasing and understandable formats;
• develop and execute Department-wide communications strategy through publications, media, social media, and presentations;
• analyze and interpret information;
• organize and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously;
• design educational materials;
• organize data and facts for accurate information sharing;
• meet short deadlines;
• remain calm under pressure;
• respond to urgent situations in a timely and professional manner;
• research and implement new communications strategies and techniques; and
• willing to travel within South Dakota and occasionally attend out-of-state training.

Additional Requirements: Please develop a comprehensive communications plan with a complimentary content calendar (two separate documents). Include three main messaging tactics, ideal platforms, audience and market segments, and outline key performance indicators on one of these issue items:

• Recruitment and retention of emergency medical service personnel across the state for the next generation and sustainability of EMS in South Dakota.
• Implementation of a large-scale behavioral change as it relates to a healthcare issue of your choice.

This position is exempt from the Civil Service Act.

The State of South Dakota does not sponsor work visas for new or existing employees. All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and complete an Employment Eligibility Verification, Form I-9. The State of South Dakota as an employer will be using E-Verify to complete employment eligibility verification upon hire.

The State of South Dakota offers employer paid health insurance plus eleven paid holidays, generous vacation and sick leave accrual, dental, vision, and other insurance options, and retirement benefits. You can view our benefits information at https://bhr.sd.gov/job-seekers/work-for-state-government/. This position is a member of Class A retirement under SDRS.

Must apply online: https://sodakprod-lm01.cloud.infor.com:1443/lmghr/xmlhttp/shorturl.do?key=LGW
You must apply online, emailed resumes or submissions will not be accepted.
South Dakota Bureau of Human Resources
Telephone: 605.773.3148 Email: careers@state.sd.us
http://bhr.sd.gov/workforus
"An Equal Opportunity Employer"