Dir of Communications & Strategic Outreach

Job Description

Job Title

Director of Communications and Strategic Outreach

Department

Communications and Strategic Outreach

Reporting Structure

Vice President of Strategic Engagement and Community Impact

Pay Grade/Salary

11

Exempt/Non-Exempt

Exempt

Bargaining Unit:

n/a

Work Location

Varies

Employment Status (FTE)

1.0

Job Summary

Under the general direction of the Vice President of Strategic Engagement and Community Impact, the Director of Communications and Strategic Outreach provides strategic leadership and operational oversight of DWIHN's internal and external communications, public relations, strategic outreach, stakeholder engagement, executive communications, organizational events, and member engagement functions.

The Director is responsible for developing and implementing coordinated communications and outreach strategies that advance DWIHN's mission, organizational priorities, and public presence. The position works directly with the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and executive leadership to support executive messaging, public statements, presentations, strategic initiatives, and engagement with internal and external stakeholders.

The Director oversees departmental personnel, budgets, operations, and performance while ensuring consistent messaging, effective collaboration, and accountability across assigned functions.

Essential Duties & Responsibilities

Department Leadership and Administration

• Provide strategic direction, leadership, and day-to-day management of the Communications and Strategic Outreach Department.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate departmental goals, priorities, policies, procedures, and comprehensive operations plans consistent with DWIHN's strategic objectives. Operations plans must identify objectives, staffing and resource needs, deliverables, timelines, performance measures, and accountability.
• Supervise assigned management, professional, and administrative personnel, including performance management, work assignments, staff development, and accountability.
• Develop and administer departmental budgets, monitor expenditures, and ensure appropriate stewardship of assigned resources.
• Coordinate departmental activities across communications, public relations, strategic outreach, member engagement, and related organizational functions.
• Establish performance expectations and evaluate departmental initiatives using appropriate operational measures and outcomes.

Communications and Public Relations

• Direct the development, implementation, and evaluation of DWIHN's internal and external communications strategies. Develop and execute comprehensive media strategies and supporting operational plans that define target audiences, key messages, media channels, proactive outreach, crisis response, implementation responsibilities, timelines, and measurable outcomes.
• Oversee organizational messaging, public information, media relations, public statements, press releases, and communications concerning significant organizational developments.
• Provide strategic direction and supervisory oversight to the Public Relations Manager in coordinating media inquiries, media relationships, public-facing information, and organizational reputation management.
• Oversee organizational branding, digital communications, social media, website communications, publications, promotional materials, and audiovisual services.
• Ensure communications materials are accurate, consistent with approved organizational positions, accessible to intended audiences, and appropriately reviewed before release.
• Maintain proactive media monitoring and communications preparedness processes to identify emerging behavioral health issues, anticipate organizational communications needs, and coordinate timely responses to significant events and matters affecting public confidence or organizational reputation.
• Collaborate with appropriate organizational departments to ensure communications comply with applicable confidentiality, accessibility, and organizational requirements.

Executive Communications and Engagement

• Work directly with the CEO and executive leadership to develop speeches, talking points, presentations, public statements, correspondence, and other executive communications.
• Coordinate communications and logistical support for CEO appearances, executive engagements, organizational announcements, and strategic initiatives.
• Advise the CEO and executive leadership on communications considerations associated with organizational priorities, stakeholder relationships, and matters of public interest.
• Support the development and execution of executive communications plans for significant organizational initiatives and events.
• Coordinate with the Vice President of Strategic Engagement and Community Impact to ensure executive communications and engagement activities align with organizational priorities.

Strategic Outreach and Community Impact

• Provide departmental oversight of strategic outreach, stakeholder engagement, and community-facing initiatives through the Senior Administrator Community Impact.
• Ensure outreach activities and organizational events are coordinated with communications priorities and support DWIHN's mission and strategic objectives.
• Oversee the integration of member engagement functions within the Department, including member voice, advocacy, education, peer participation, and Constituents' Voice programming.
• Promote coordination among Community Impact, Customer Services, Quality, and other organizational departments while maintaining established responsibilities for customer service operations and regulatory functions.
• Support the development of stakeholder engagement strategies and organizational partnerships in coordination with executive leadership and designated departmental personnel.

Organizational Coordination and Accountability

• Collaborate with organizational leadership and departments to coordinate communications, outreach, public information, and engagement activities.
• Establish processes for reviewing, approving, and distributing official communications and public-facing materials.
• Monitor departmental assignments, project timelines, and operational priorities to support timely completion and accountability.
• Represent the Department in internal leadership meetings, organizational planning activities, and external engagements as assigned.
• Maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment when handling sensitive organizational, executive, personnel, and public affairs matters.
• Perform other related duties consistent with the scope and responsibilities of the position.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Director of Communications and Strategic Outreach provides direct supervision to the following positions:

• Senior Administrator Community Impact
• Public Relations Manager
• Strategic Communications Manager
• Visual Design and SUD Coordinator
• Communications Administrative Assistant

The Director provides overall departmental oversight of personnel reporting through the Senior Administrator Community Impact and Strategic Communications Manager, including the Strategic Outreach Coordinator, Member Engagement Manager, Member Engagement Coordinator, Peer Agents, Communications Specialists, Audiovisual Lead, and Communications interns.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSA'S):

• Comprehensive knowledge of strategic communications, public relations, media relations, and organizational messaging.
• Knowledge of community engagement, stakeholder relations, public-sector communications, and executive communications.
• Knowledge of communications planning, branding, digital media, and reputation management.
• Demonstrated understanding of Michigan's public behavioral health system, including the roles of MDHHS, Prepaid Inpatient Health Plans (PIHPs), Community Mental Health Services Programs (CMHSPs), and contracted service providers, and the needs of the diverse populations they serve.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams of diverse professional, cultural, and lived-experience backgrounds; incorporate those perspectives into departmental work; and manage operations, personnel, and budgets.
• Ability to advise executive leadership on sensitive communications and public affairs matters.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, presentation, and organizational skills.
• Ability to prepare and review executive correspondence, speeches, public statements, and other high-level communications.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities and sensitive issues, adapt to rapidly changing circumstances, and deliver accurate, high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Strong judgment, discretion, and ability to maintain confidentiality.
• Ability to build effective working relationships with organizational leadership, employees, community stakeholders, and external partners.
• Ability to develop, implement, and evaluate comprehensive media strategies, departmental operations plans, and outreach initiatives aligned with organizational priorities and measurable outcomes.
• Familiarity with the Michigan Mental Health Code, particularly recipient rights and confidentiality requirements relevant to communications and outreach, and the ability to collaborate with Legal, Compliance, and clinical leadership on their application.
• Ability to translate complex behavioral health, policy, and service information into clear, accessible, culturally responsive communications for members, families, employees, providers, media, and community partners.

Required Education & Experience:

REQUIRED EDUCATION:

• A bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Public Administration, Business Administration, or a closely related field is required.

• A master's degree in a related field is preferred.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in communications, public relations, public affairs, community engagement, or a related field, including at least three (3) years of supervisory or management experience.
• Experience developing and executing comprehensive communications and media strategies, managing personnel, advising executive leadership, and overseeing complex organizational initiatives is required. This includes developing operational plans with measurable objectives, implementation timelines, resource allocation, and evaluation of results.
• Experience leading or collaborating with teams of diverse professional, cultural, and lived-experience backgrounds is required.

• Behavioral health experience is preferred, particularly within Michigan's public behavioral health system. Experience in healthcare, government, nonprofit, or other public service organizations is also preferred.

Required License(s)/Certifications

• A valid State of Michigan Driver's License with a safe and acceptable driving record.
• No professional license or certification is required.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

Work is usually performed in an office setting but requires the employee to drive to different sites throughout Wayne County and the State of Michigan.

This description is not intended to be a complete statement of job content, rather to act as a general description of the essential functions performed. Management retains the discretion to add or change the position at any time.