The Director of External Communications is responsible for leading strategic communications for Cedars-Sinai, working closely with the External Comms team and others to develop compelling content and secure news coverage that elevates the organization’s national and international reputation. This leader will shape stories for the news media, manage crisis communications, enhance content on the Cedars-Sinai Newsroom and serve as a primary editor for the team, ensuring the highest standards in digital and video storytelling. The Director will manage direct reports and work collaboratively with Marketing, Social Media and other teams to support priorities at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Cedars-Sinai Marina Hospital, Cedars-Sinai Medical Network and affiliated hospitals. This individual will use metrics to measure and evolve earned media strategy while deploying SEO and AI strategies to boost newsroom traffic.
The Director will bring to this position significant experience leading communications in a large, matrixed organization, preferably in an academic medical center or other healthcare setting. The leader in this position must possess exceptional writing and editing skills, sound news judgment and an astute ability to solve communications challenges calmly under tight deadlines. The Director will have the capacity to juggle numerous projects on a busy team that produces more than 500 stories annually about patients, medical research and other relevant subjects. The Director must be an effective communicator and a team player who can contribute meaningfully to a supportive team environment, conceive enterprise projects and stories, and write and edit a wide range of materials, including communications plans, news releases, media statements and messages for organizational leaders.
Educational Requirements:
Bachelor's degree in Communications, Journalism or Writing
Experience Requirements:
8 years prior communications experience related to journalism, public relations/media relations required
Since its beginning in 1902, Cedars-Sinai has evolved to meet the healthcare needs of one of the most diverse regions in the nation, continually setting new standards for quality and innovation in patient care, research, teaching and community service.
Today, Cedars-Sinai is widely known for its national leadership in transforming healthcare for the benefit of patients.
Cedars-Sinai receives consistent recognition for our excellence. Our awards include; being named one of America’s Best Hospitals by U.S. News & World Report, receiving the National Research Corporation’s Consumer Choice Award 19 years in a row for providing the highest-quality medical care in Los Angeles, achieving the longest-running Magnet designation for nursing excellence in California, and being recognized as The Advisory Board Company’s 2017 Workplace of the Year, an award Cedars-Sinai has won three years in a row. This annual award recognizes hospitals and health systems nationwide that have outstanding levels of employee engagement.
Cedars-Sinai is a leader in the clinical care and research of heart disease, cancer and brain disorders, among other areas. Pioneering research achievements include using cardiac stem cells to repair damaged hearts, developing minimally invasive surgical techniques and discovering new types of drugs to target cancer more precisely.
Cedars-Sinai also impacts the future of healthcare through education programs that encompass everything from highly competitive medical residency and fellowship programs to a biomedical science and translational medicine PhD program, advanced training for nurses and educational opportunities for allied health professionals. Most notably, Cedars-Sinai demonstrates a longstanding commitment to strengthening the Los Angeles community through wide-ranging programs that improve the health of its most vulnerable residents.
