Vice President for Communications

Vice President for Communications advances the Alzheimer’s Association mission and strategic priorities by raising awareness, engaging current and new audiences, and driving business outcomes. Leads, trains, and coaches a team of professionals to develop and execute communications as part of integrated marketing and communications plans. Provides the full range of strategic counsel, including conceptualizing strategies, overseeing planning, leading teams to develop action plans, removing barriers and enabling execution to bring those strategies to fruition.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership and Team Management: Effectively lead, nurture, and empower a team of professionals to operate cohesively to promoting robust collaboration with internal business partners to achieve their strategic goals. Cultivate an environment of collaboration and innovation, firmly grounded in well-defined objectives and measurable key performance indicators. Manage agencies and contractors while steadfastly driving a team culture of continuous improvement, professional development, and career growth.
• Media Relations: Lead media strategy, drive compelling storytelling, and secure media coverage that advances strategic plan priorities for research, care and support, concern and awareness, public policy, DEI, development and community engagement. Collaborate closely with internal business partners to oversee development and distribution of press releases, media pitches, and other materials. Engage in media training for executive staff and leadership volunteers. Develop measurable KPIs, monitor media coverage and industry trends, and provide insights to the organization and senior management.
• Social Media: Lead the development and implementation of the company's social media strategy in collaboration with internal business partners across all platforms to measurably drive organizational objectives in collaboration. Manage a program that ensures compelling content, engages social media audiences, leverages social media trends, and manages risk. Drive innovation, partner with platforms, and assess performance through measurable KPIs.
• Celebrity and Entertainment Industry Engagement: Identify and establish relations and partnerships with key figures and influencers in the entertainment industry to drive tangible business results. Coordinate high-profile events and activations in collaboration with internal business partners and external partners.
• Risk and Crisis Management: In partnership with internal risk managers, leads risk management communications to prevent, mitigate and/or leverage organizational risks, incidents and crises. Develop and maintain a crisis communication plan to effectively address potential reputational risks and crises. Lead crisis response efforts, including rapid communication strategies, media management, and internal coordination. Ensure a consistent and transparent response to crises to protect the company's reputation.
  
  

Requirements

• 15+ years of experience in senior executive support within a fast-paced environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or a related field.
• Proven success in media relations, crisis management, and social media strategy.
• Strong network within the media and entertainment industry.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Technology proficiency and project management skills.
• Research and intelligence gathering abilities.
• Strong relationships, transparency, ethics, and humility.
  
  

Position Title: Vice President for Communications

Position Location: Chicago, IL

Full time based on 37.5 hours a week minimum

Reports To: Chief Marketing Officer

Who We Are

The Alzheimer’s Association is the leading voluntary health organization in Alzheimer’s care, support and research. Our mission is to lead the way to end Alzheimer's and all other dementia– by accelerating global research, driving risk reduction and early detection, and maximizing quality care and support.

At the Alzheimer’s Association, our employees are at the core of all we do. Our network of more than 1,900 employees across the United States makes a difference each and every day for those impacted by Alzheimer’s and those at risk for the disease.

We warmly invite qualified applicants to consider this opportunity to make a life-changing impact on the millions living with Alzheimer’s, their caregivers and those that may develop the disease in the future. Read on to learn more about the role, then visit our website www.alz.org/jobs to explore who we are and why we've been recognized as a Best Place to Work for the last twelve years in a row.

At the Alzheimer's Association®, we believe that diverse perspectives are critical to achieving health equity — meaning that all communities have a fair and just opportunity for early diagnosis and access to risk reduction and quality care. The Association is committed to engaging underrepresented and underserved communities and responding with resources and education to address the disproportionate impact of Alzheimer’s and dementia.

The Alzheimer’s Association is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

Employees working 24 hours/week or more are eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, vision, flex accounts, short and long-term disability, life insurance, long term care insurance, tuition reimbursement, generous Paid Time Off, 12 annual holidays and Paid Family Leave, as well as an annual Cultural & Heritage Day and Volunteer Day of their choosing. They are also eligible for our gold standard 401(k) retirement plan.

Full time employees (37.5 hours/week), will enjoy all of the above plus an annual School Visitation Day and an Elder Care Facility Day of their choosing.