Job Description Summary
The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) seek a dynamic leader to serve as the HCC Director of Community Affairs. The ideal candidate will have a robust track record of developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders in South Carolina and beyond. The Director of Community Affairs develops and executes strategies that advance Hollings’ institutional priorities, strengthen its statewide visibility, cultivate key relationships, and position the cancer center for continued growth and statewide impact. This role requires a sophisticated understanding of government and public affairs, strategic and executive communications, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
Entity
Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC - Univ)
Worker Type
Employee
Worker Sub-Type
Unclassified
Cost Center
CC001331 HCC Administration CC
Pay Rate Type
Salary
Pay Grade
University-00
Pay Range
0.00 - 0.00 - 0.000
Scheduled Weekly Hours
40
Work Shift
Job Description
The Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Hollings Cancer Center (HCC) seek a dynamic leader to serve as the HCC Director of Community Affairs. The ideal candidate will have a robust track record of developing and maintaining relationships with key stakeholders in South Carolina and beyond. The Director of Community Affairs develops and executes strategies that advance Hollings’ institutional priorities, strengthen its statewide visibility, cultivate key relationships, and position the cancer center for continued growth and statewide impact. This role requires a sophisticated understanding of government and public affairs, strategic and executive communications, advocacy, and stakeholder engagement.
Primary Duties and Responsibilities.
30% - Public Affairs, Advocacy and Strategic Planning
The Director of Community Affairs serves as a principal liaison between Hollings Cancer Center and numerous internal and external stakeholders. This position plays a central role in advancing Hollings Cancer Center’s strategic priorities and securing support for cancer research, prevention, clinical care, statewide access, and critical infrastructure needs.
- Identify and build relationships with key internal and external stakeholders. This includes, but is not limited to, relationships with MUSC Office of Government Affairs, Hollings Advisory Board, existing community partners, members of the South Carolina General Assembly, members of the South Carolina congressional delegation, state legislative staff, and congressional staff.
- Partner with Hollings Director, Associate Directors, Members, and Administrative Directors to identify and develop opportunities that increase their involvement in programs that benefit investigators and trainees while strengthening the working relationships between key stakeholders and Hollings Cancer Center.
- Develop strategies to educate community leaders about Hollings’ statewide impact, cancer research, clinical care, prevention programs, workforce, economic impact and return on public investment.
30% - Strategic Stakeholder Engagement
Working closely with the Hollings Cancer Center Director, Hollings executive leadership, Hollings Communications and Marketing Director, and the MUSC Government Affairs team, the Hollings Community Affairs Director advances strategic stakeholder engagement for the cancer center.
- Partner with external advocacy organizations and cancer policy stakeholders to advance shared priorities.
- Represent Hollings in advocacy coalitions, policy discussions, legislative committees and external organizations as appropriate.
- Prepare senior leaders, faculty and other representatives for meetings with external stakeholders, including developing briefing materials and presentations.
- In coordination with the MUSC Government Affairs team, coordinate legislative visits, congressional meetings, State House engagement, Capitol Hill advocacy days, and other initiatives involving Hollings leadership, faculty, researchers and clinicians.
- Support engagement of the Hollings Advisory Board.
30% - Strategic Initiatives and Events
- The Director of Community Affairs will lead and support high-priority initiatives that strengthen Hollings Cancer Center’s long-term strategic position, institutional impact, and statewide reach.
- Partner with executive leadership on initiatives related to institutional growth, research expansion, clinical programs, statewide partnerships and infrastructure development.
- Coordinate and lead the continued development of Hollings economic impact report.
- Translate complex scientific, clinical, financial and policy information into clear and compelling messages for external audiences and events.
- Develop supporting materials that demonstrate the impact of major institutional investments.
- Identify emerging opportunities, partnerships, and issues that could affect the cancer center and provide strategies for engagement.
- Support efforts related to Hollings Cancer Centers advancement within the National Cancer Institute.
10% - Special Projects
- Special Projects as assigned in support of Hollings Cancer Center’s mission.
Required and Desired Knowledge and Abilities:
Individuals must maintain a professional public image, possess knowledge, skills, and ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position or explain or demonstrate how the essential functions will be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.
Given the breadth of this role, the ideal candidate must be able to interface with faculty while demonstrating a proven track record in building and maintaining stakeholder relationships. The environment at Hollings Cancer Center is small and entrepreneurial, so the willingness to work as part of a team, embrace change, and provide input to strategic decision-making is required.
- Being professional and proactive is critical.
- Excellent communication skills, including writing and proofreading.
- Knowledge of government relations, public affairs, advocacy, strategic communications and stakeholder engagement.
- Excellent organizational skills and follow-up.
- Ability to work flexible hours, including nights, weekends, holidays, and extended hours when needed.
- Strong understanding of the South Carolina legislative environment and familiarity with the federal legislative and appropriations process.
- Demonstrated experience in building trusted relationships with elected officials, government staff, business executives, community leaders, academic leaders and other high-level stakeholders.
- Ability to represent Hollings Cancer Center professionally with senior external audiences.
- Demonstrated success managing multiple complex and highly visible initiatives in a fast-paced environment.
- Proficiency in using Microsoft Office Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Teams.
- Strong management and leadership skills.
- An understanding of the academic culture with the ability to relate well to faculty and other constituents.
- An understanding of and commitment to serving a diverse population.
- Ability to work with minimal supervision within an entrepreneurial setting.
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills, both verbally and in writing, and the demonstrated ability to interface comfortably with both the academic community and experienced government and business executives.
Qualifications:
A bachelor’s degree in political science, journalism, communications, business administration, public relations, or a related field is preferred. Candidates should have at least five years of progressively responsible experience in corporate, nonprofit, or higher education management, with demonstrated experience in relationship-building, communications, and planning or overseeing high-level events. A valid South Carolina driver’s license is required, along with the ability to travel throughout South Carolina and to Washington, D.C., to meet with key stakeholders.
Additional Job Description
Physical Requirements: (Note: The following descriptions are applicable to this section: Continuous - 6-8 hours per shift; Frequent - 2-6 hours per shift; Infrequent - 0-2 hours per shift) Ability to perform job functions in an upright position. (Frequent) Ability to perform job functions in a seated position. (Frequent) Ability to perform job functions while walking/mobile. (Frequent) Ability to work indoors. (Continuous) Ability to work outdoors in all weather and temperature extremes. (Infrequent) Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces. (Infrequent) Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions. (Infrequent) Ability to squat and perform job functions. (Infrequent) Ability to perform 'pinching' operations. (Infrequent) Ability to fully use both hands/arms. (Frequent) Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders. (Frequent) Ability to reach in all directions. (Frequent) Possess good finger dexterity. (Continuous) Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions. (Continuous) Ability to lift and carry 15 lbs., unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lift objects, up to 15 lbs., from floor level to height of 36 inches, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lower objects, up to 15 lbs., from height of 36 inches to floor level, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to push/pull objects, up to 15 lbs., unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one eye or with both eyes. (Continuous) Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand. (Frequent) Ability to see and recognize objects at a distance. (Frequent) Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception. (Continuous) Good peripheral vision capabilities. (Continuous) Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction. (Continuous) Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements. (Frequent)
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