Sr. Writer

The Office of External Affairs encompasses three teams: 1) Communications and Marketing; 2) Development and Constituent Relations and 3) Finance and Administration.

The award-winning Communications and Marketing team provides strategic communications, external and internal communications, and marketing services for the School across a variety of digital, print, and physical platforms. This includes brand and identity management, digital strategies and web services, editorial and content strategies, visual communications, media and public relations, social media, and integrated marketing campaigns.

As the #1 school of public health in the country and the oldest independent, degree-granting school of public health in the world, the Bloomberg School of Public Health offers unparalleled opportunities for mission-driven creative work at the highest levels.

We are seeking aSenior Writer who will serve as an integral part of both the Dean's Office and the School’s Communications and Marketing team, working to convey the priorities of the Dean and the nation’s #1 School of Public Health to a broad array of national, global, local, and internal audiences. By regularly drafting speeches, event remarks, interview talking points, op-eds, public statements, and other written and spoken messages, the Writer will help articulate and convey the Dean’s vision for public health and the School in compelling and creative ways. The Writer will be nimble at integrating data, anecdotes, history, and other writing tactics to create messages that are engaging, persuasive, and memorable. The work will cover topics including critical issues in public health; the School’s approach to education, research, and practice; and the School’s engagement with Baltimore, among many others.

The Writer will join a team that is passionate about translating public health for a broad array of local, national and global audiences and moving those audiences to action. The Writer must have demonstrated talents for producing high-quality, well-researched work for leading spokespeople by gathering complex information and translating it to a variety of audiences. He/she must also be adept at navigating and interpreting feedback from multiple sources and individuals. A successful candidate will be self-motivated, flexible, work well under pressure and deadlines, and also be highly collaborative, bringing both humanity and good humor to their work.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:

• Research and draft a wide range of written and spoken communications, including speeches, event remarks, interview talking points, op-eds, letters, quotes, columns, presentations, video scripts, and other materials, often consulting subject matter experts across the School
• Regularly develop social media posts for the Dean’s owned social channels, based on her activities and priorities, and coordinate with the Office of External Affairs as needed
• Ensure the Dean’s remarks serve communications goals and audiences by providing consistent messages and materials relevant to the opportunity
• Conduct research and interviews for written and spoken communications
• Review, edit, and work to finalize draft remarks, letters, and communications materials prepared for the Dean, including those crafted by other offices, and ensure that they are accurate, appropriate, and carefully proofed
• Work collaboratively with the School’s Development Communications team on weekly acknowledgement letters, stewardship reports, donor meeting and event remarks, quarterly solicitation letters, along with talking points for individual donor conversations
• Build and sustain relationships with colleagues in the offices of Johns Hopkins University central leadership, as well as Bloomberg School of Public Health leaders, faculty, staff, and other constituents to fuel and inform communications materials, including gathering and applying feedback to arrive at an approved finish product
• Monitor and analyze major issues in public health, higher education, politics, and popular culture, as well as ongoing developments at our School in order to appropriately address these issues in communications
• Apply discretion and diplomacy while working with sensitive or confidential information to advance the priorities of the Dean’s Office, in coordination with various teams and stakeholders

Minimum Qualifications (Mandatory):

• Bachelor's Degree
• 3 years related experience
• Writing samples may be required
• Demonstrated ability to create consistently excellent oral and written communications skills
• Ability to analyze and synthesize information quickly and accurately and communicate in a consistent voice on behalf of a leader
• Ability to pivot writing styles based on the format, message, audience, and purpose
• Proficient knowledge of grammar usage and editorial style guidelines
• Ability to communicate complex issues in alignment with organizational priorities
• Ability to work quickly on deadline, while balancing competing priorities and tackling multiple assignments
• Ability to maintain discretion and diplomacy and to interact effectively with high-level individuals
• Ability to be flexible, self-motivated and collaborative in order to deliver high quality work product in multiple communications mediums

Special Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Advanced degree in Journalism, Public Health, or related field
• 5-8 years related experience preferred
• Experience writing about public health, science, medicine, or related topics
• Familiarity with academia; national and international affairs; and Baltimore
• Experience writing for modern formats including social media and videos
• Experience and design skills related to creating compelling PowerPoint slides to accompany presentations and spoken remarks

Additional Information:

• All applicants are expected to uphold the university’s core values which includes diversity and inclusion. In the Office of External Affairs, all staff treat people with dignity and respect by being fair and consistent.
• We demonstrate an open-minded approach to understanding people regardless of their race, gender, age, national origin, religion, ethnicity, disability status or other characteristics. We show respect for the beliefs and traditions of others; encourage and promote practices that support cultural diversity; and discourage behaviors or practices that may be perceived as unfair, biased, or critical toward people with certain backgrounds.

Classified Title: Sr. Writer
Role/Level/Range: ATP/03/PC
Starting Salary Range: (commensurate with experience)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Exempt Status: Exempt
Location: School of Public Health
Department name: External Affairs
Personnel area: School of Public Health

The successful candidate(s) for this position will be subject to a pre-employment background check.

If you are interested in applying for employment with The Johns Hopkins University and require special assistance or accommodation during any part of the pre-employment process, please contact the HR Business Services Office atjhurecruitment@jhu.edu. For TTY users, call via Maryland Relay or dial 711.

Johns Hopkins has mandated COVID-19 and influenza vaccines, as applicable. Exceptions to the COVID and flu vaccine requirements may be provided to individuals for religious beliefs or medical reasons or because the individual is pregnant or attempting to become pregnant. Requests for an exception must be submitted to the JHU vaccination registry. For additional information, applicants for SOM positions should visit https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine/and all other JHU applicants should visit https://covidinfo.jhu.edu/health-safety/covid-vaccination-information/.

The following additional provisions may apply depending on which campus you will work. Your recruiter will advise accordingly.

The pre-employment physical for positions in clinical areas, laboratories, working with research subjects, or involving community contact requires documentation of immune status against Rubella (German measles), Rubeola (Measles), Mumps, Varicella (chickenpox), Hepatitis B and documentation of having received the Tdap (Tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis) vaccination. This may include documentation of having two (2) MMR vaccines; two (2) Varicella vaccines; or antibody status to these diseases from laboratory testing. Blood tests for immunities to these diseases are ordinarily included in the pre-employment physical exam except for those employees who provide results of blood tests or immunization documentation from their own health care providers. Any vaccinations required for these diseases will be given at no cost in our Occupational Health office.

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