Job Specification Details

Public health communication, messaging, marketing, planning, coordination and advisory work at a senior professional level for the Department of Health involving a wide range of complex public health issues. This position is part of the central Communication Office team within the Commissioner’s Office, influencing marketing and design across all communication channels and overseeing the work of staff involved in marketing and design.

The primary purpose is to lead, advise and manage public health marketing, visual design, and brand identity across the dozens of programs within the department. This ensures our efforts are strategically planned and executed to authentically listen to, engage and move Vermont residents and visitors to take action to protect or improve their health and that of their communities. The role involves extensive interactions with department leadership, managers, information directors, scientists, and subject matter experts, as well as leaders and communicators with other state government agencies, and creative services contractors. Duties are performed under the general supervision of the Communication and Policy Advisor for Public Health, with considerable latitude for independent initiative.

Advise department leadership and communication staff on how campaigns and outreach impact the department’s credibility and the public’s trust and confidence in following public health guidance. Consult with leaders, policy makers, and communication staff to set marketing and branding strategy and shape campaigns and outreach messaging as complex public health issues emerge and evolve.

Develop and implement marketing and communication plans. Manage quarterly and annual marketing calendars to keep leadership apprised, and to identify overlapping interests and opportunities for marketing and funding synergies.

Guide staff in choosing the best option for working with creative services vendors, setting project goals and budgets, and writing vendor proposals and contracts. Work with marketing and creative services agencies to create marketing plans. Direct, shape, and approve marketing products. Keep up to date on the latest research, data and best practices related to public health marketing and communication outreach. Develop, present, and share research tools and resources with communicators. With subject matter experts and data team members, design and implement quantitative or qualitative research projects. Apply findings to shape marketing strategy.

Develop, present, and manage access to marketing and design guidance and job aids for staff such as marketing planning questions, brand and style manual, accessible color palette, design and presentation templates, logos, print bid instructions, image release form, photo library, etc. Build and maintain marketing and design assets on the department’s intranet.

Create and present training for communication staff on marketing strategies and tactics such as behavior change, traditional marketing, social marketing, grassroots outreach, etc. Develop, set, promote, and share specific guidance and policy for State of Vermont/Health Department graphic design and brand standards. Serve as in-house professional graphic designer.

Create and provide training, consultation, and guidance on principles of graphic and visual design, social branding, use of templates, brand and marketing standards for public information materials produced by staff. Collaborate with web manager, staff and contractors to maintain integrity of functional design, graphic style, voice and brand on the website. 

Serve on the Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication (CERC) leadership team to identify health and safety information and marketing needs to set the direction, tone, and appropriate channels for message delivery as the event evolves. Lead the CERC marketing team to ensure that all marketing and outreach messaging and products align with emergency communication principles and are consistent across all communication channels.

Advise leaders and responding partners of marketing strategy and design based on current research. Develop and share with state leadership campaign plans, objectives and timelines for responding to public health events or emergencies, often under intense time pressure. Share marketing toolkits with responding partners, including health care and service providers as needed. Design graphic products as needs arise, e.g. signage, posters, directions, social posts, etc. Direct or guide other in-house products, e.g. video shoots. 

Duties are performed in office, field and remote settings. Some work outside of normal office hours may be required. Stress may be encountered due to tight deadlines, conflicting opinions, and the result of policy and public communication decisions, especially during public health events and emergencies. The incumbent must be skilled at conflict management and have the capacity to integrate various and conflicting viewpoints in public health messaging.

Significant specialized or technical expertise and experience in applying the principles, strategies, and practices of marketing, public health communication, graphic design and visual presentation, and crisis and emergency risk communication.

Considerable proficiency with creative software (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva), social media management tools, website content management systems (Drupal) and Microsoft Office software. 

Demonstrated ability to understand, quickly synthesize and translate scientific and technical information into clear communications for a variety of audiences.

Demonstrated ability to lead groups or teams in work projects to achieve a specific goal.

Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively in a clear and concise manner, orally, visually, and in writing.

Demonstrated ability to develop marketing and communication plans – including identifying audiences, outlining strategies, setting goals, and measuring outcomes. tools.

Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships at all levels within the Health Department, and with partner organizations and contractors. 

One (1) year experience as a Public Health Communication Officer, Public Health Marketing Director or a Division Information Director.

OR

Master’s degree in public health, journalism, communication, marketing, public relations or a closely related field AND one (1) year of experience in journalism, marketing, advertising, communication, public relations or a closely related field.

OR

Bachelor’s degree in public health, journalism, communication, marketing, public relations or a closely related field AND two (2) years of experience in journalism, marketing, advertising, communication, public relations or a closely related field.

OR

Bachelor’s degree AND three (3) years of experience in journalism, marketing, advertising, communication, public relations or a closely related field.

OR

Five (5) years of experience in journalism, marketing, advertising, communication, public relations or a closely related field.

Candidates must pass any level of background investigation applicable to the position. In accordance with AHS Policy 4.02, Hiring Standards, Vermont and/or national criminal record checks, as well as DMV and adult and child abuse registry checks, as appropriate to the position under recruitment, will be conducted on candidates, with the exception of those who are current classified state employees seeking transfer, promotion or demotion into an AHS classified position or are persons exercising re-employment (RIF) rights.