Duke University

School of Medicine Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,500 faculty physicians and researchers, more than 1,300 students, and more than 6,000 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, Duke University Health System and the Private Diagnostic Clinic (PDC) comprise Duke Health. a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

For consideration for this position please include a cover letter detailing your experience and qualifications for the position.

OCCUPATIONAL SUMMARY

Designs a comprehensive communications strategy and oversees several teams to execute tactics to support Duke Health’s overall editorial, development, and fundraising priorities. Work across Duke Health including Duke Global Health Institute, the Margolis Center for Health Policy, the Duke-NUS Medical School, and the Duke School of Medicine’s Communications Network to maximize and enhance the creation and ultimate value of all collateral, materials, and assets to address a variety of editorial, development and alumni affairs priorities. The position will be a critical leader and leverage the expertise and experience of colleagues to create the most impactful communications assets. This position will also galvanize all Duke Health communicators around the overarching campaign messaging and infuse all materials with campaign content, tone, and brand.

WORK PERFORMED

Management

Lead and oversee the editorial team to create powerful and engaging narratives that will highlight people and programs having an impact across all four mission areas: education, research, clinical care, and community partnership.

Lead and oversee the development communications team to create all donor and potential donor communications including but not limited to writing and editing persuasive copy for various print and digital materials including gift proposals, impact statements, case statements, presentations, brochures, gift opportunity sheets, feature stories, solicitation and stewardship letters, and other fundraising communications.

Manage multiple direct reports, including the Editorial Director, Development Writers, and other communications team members.

Collaborate with the Associate Vice President for Advancement Programs and Campaign Manager, Duke Health Development & Alumni Affairs leaders, and gift officers to advance Duke Health’s mission through philanthropy and engagement.

Motivate and inspire all of the creative and editorial talents to enhance and accelerate the effectiveness of the campaign’s tailored approach.

Oversee and manage external vendors hired to design the campaign positioning and the campaign platform. Liaison between Duke Health’s dual leadership, their teams, and the outside vendors for best results on the messaging toolkit and the communications plan.

Inform and update the Associate Vice President and Chief Marketing and Communications officer for the Office of University Alumni Engagement and Development.

Editorial and Messaging

Lead across teams to identify efficiencies in storytelling and collaborations to facilitate fully exploiting the value of all editorial assets across multiple platforms for a variety of audiences including philanthropic initiatives such as a major fundraising campaign.

Coordinate and collaborate with the University’s Alumni, Engagement, and Development Office to incorporate their messaging priorities into communications to best serve donors’ and potential donors’ interest in the biomedical sciences, translational medicine, and clinical advancement.

Lead collaboration and alignment with Duke University Health System and Duke School of Nursing to design, create and execute organization-specific fundraising communications, assets, and materials.

Initiate and foster relationships with both the Duke Global Health Institute and the Margolis Center for Health Policy to identify impactful donor stories and donor communications assets to further bolster campaign fundraising for these entities.

Collaborate with communications and development colleagues at Duke Cancer Institute and Duke Children’s to elevate their content creation strategy and enhance their advancement tactics for these campaign priorities. 

Digital Focus

Oversee and manage content generation and curation from a variety of sources for giving.dukehealth.org and future development-related web properties.

Play a major role in the upcoming re-design of the giving.dukehealth.org website bringing guidance and knowledge on current trends, styles, and formats for online philanthropic representation. 

Drive and enforce priority messaging consistency throughout all our editorial channels with the express purpose of maximizing the use of assets across every possible platform and distribution channel. 

Collaborate with the Office of Strategic Communications’ Assistant Dean, Digital and Brand Communications to maximize the visibility of the campaign across all channels.

Skills

Superior and relevant writing and editing capabilities for internal and external audiences

Excellent written and oral communications.

Experience supervising a team with proven results leading and executing a communications strategy and plan.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

Education

Completion of a bachelor's degree program in Journalism, Communications, English, or a related discipline.

Experience

Requires at least 7 years experience in writing, public relations, communications, or related discipline.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.