Position: Director, Media Relations
ORGANIZATION:Kaiser Permanente - Northern California Region (www.kaiserpermanente.org)
LOCATION:Oakland, CA
REPORTING RELATIONSHIP
The Director of Media Relations reports to Nancy Buono Cartwright, Managing Director of Communications. Direct reports to the Director of Media Relations include a manager of media relations, manager of news and issues, manager of research communications, two administrative assistants, and nine media relations specialists located throughout the Northern California service areas. There are 14 FTEs in the department. The Director is an employee of the Health Plan/Hospital operation of Kaiser Permanente and works regularly with partners in The Permanente Medical Group.
COMPANY BACKGROUND
Kaiser Permanente is America's largest not-for-profit health maintenance organization, serving 8.2 million members in California, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Ohio, Oregon, Virginia, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Kaiser Permanente's mission is to provide high quality, affordable health care services and improve the health of Kaiser Permanente members and the communities in which it operates. An integrated delivery system, Kaiser Permanente organizes and provides or coordinates a complete spectrum of care for its members. As a not-for-profit organization, Kaiser Permanente is driven by the needs of its members and its social commitment to communities. Social responsibility and community involvement are part of its legacy.
The Northern California Region of Kaiser Permanente employs approximately 55,000 people and 5,000 physicians. Service areas in Northern California include the Central Valley, East Bay, Diablo, Fresno, Greater Southern Alameda, Marin/Sonoma, Napa/Solano, North Valley, San Francisco, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Clara, and South Sacramento.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Director has a lead role in regional reputation and issues management, creating media strategy and overseeing and coordinating media relations work. The Director serves as the organization's spokesperson and prepares senior leadership and others for interactions with the news media. He/She cultivates relationships with the media, external, and internal stakeholder audiences.
As a key media liaison, the Director creates, anticipates, and responds to events. He or she strategically places and responds to stories, knows who to involve, when to involve them, and determines the best public relations course of action.
The Director of Media Relations leads the development and implementation of the region-wide media relations program to effectively represent Kaiser Permanente from a comprehensive, integrated and regional perspective as the health quality and service leader in Northern California. The Director works in coordination with Corporate Communications, Area Public Affairs, Program Office and other regional colleagues, to develop integrated approaches to representing KP with all stakeholders.
The Director will think in terms of impact on the brand and mission of KP while acting in a media relations capacity. This individual is the media relations practice leader whose finger is on the media pulse identifying trends and anticipating how they will affect the organization. Through collaboration and media relations best practice, the Director will help the public affairs teams in Northern California and Program Offices to be successful. The overall goal of the Director is to promote and protect the brand and reputation of Kaiser Permanente as a quality program of excellence.
INITIAL PRIORITIES
- Establish credibility and build trust with KP's Northern California leadership and the area Public Affairs directors.
- Assess current media strategy and prepare 2007 strategic priorities. Work with regional and public affairs leaders to create and implement a strategy to communicate Kaiser Permanente's service and quality leadership in Northern California. Leverage quality indicators at every opportunity in the media.
- Establish and cultivate relationships with local, regional and national media to promote Kaiser Permanente's reputation as a source for health care information and news.
- Develop and implement policies governing Kaiser Permanente Northern California's interaction with the media.
- Assess issues management program and create mechanisms for identifying and addressing potential issues. Develop proactive process to escalate issues to senior leaders when necessary.
- Work with senior management, media team, and communications colleagues to create a process for "mining" for positive news and stories.
SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITIES
- Actively build and foster collaborative relationships with general news and trade media covering health care. Establish regular opportunities to interact with key reporters, editors, and editorial boards. Focus on establishing credibility and reliability.
- In collaboration with other leaders, develop a region-wide media and communications strategy and annual plan in Northern California that supports strategy and key organizational initiatives, including key messages and opportunities for positive coverage. Specifically, design a strategy that defines what KP wants to accomplish, who the key audiences are, and how to best reach and engage those audiences. Ensure strategy is aligned with national brand and reputation efforts.
- Communicate regularly with the Managing Director, Communications, to ensure integration, validate approach, and verify alignment of media with the organization's strategic goals.
- Develop and maintain a high performing media relations function: leveraging and aligning resources to ensure effective and robust function; building a performance-oriented culture characterized by enthusiastic, motivated staff who feel accountable for operating as a team and meeting customer needs.
- Manage all internal systems necessary to effectively track, communicate and plan for media coverage (media databases, background information, clippings retrieval and communications, etc.). Participate in issue tracking and management to prepare for future communication needs.
- As a designated company spokesperson, determine when to pitch stories, who is best to represent the organization, as well as how to deal with negative stories.
- Conduct media education, training, and preparation with Northern California Regional leaders. Prepare senior leadership and others for interactions with the news media - advising about strategy, issues management, reputation implications and key messages.
- Develop relationships within the Northern California area management teams. Regularly meet with physician, hospital and health plan leaders at the service delivery level to leverage stories.
- Include constituents in the service areas, as well as Program Offices, when prepping stories or responses. Assure a coordinated, consistent, and aligned methodology.
- Focus messages of differentiation on Kaiser Permanente's overall quality and service leadership. Leverage stories at the local service area level to reinforce KP as the quality and service leader. Identify opportunities to communicate KP's values to stakeholders through health issues, community programs, corporate citizenship, etc.
- Act as an advocate for the organization at all times.
- Communicate and educate internally about how the media works, what the media is covering, what the trends are in terms of media tone and focus, and what trends the media may pursue in the near future.
- Foster a creative collaboration with media relations teams in Northern & Southern California regions, and Program Offices to leverage industry information and stories program-wide.
- Manage outside support services and agency-freelance relationships.
- Work with other functions, e.g., Quality, Regulatory Services, Government Relations, etc., to identify vulnerabilities and opportunities that impact reputation, and develop plans to manage these in a public arena.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
Attributes
- Is articulate, poised, and persuasive. Possesses exceptional communication and leadership skills.
- Has exceptional writing skills and is able to capture data and ideas quickly and accurately.
- Has a reputation as credible, hard working, collaborative and passionate. Has an uncompromising work ethic.
- Takes action and is solutions-oriented. Searches for stories and anticipates risks and vulnerabilities.
- Interacts easily, and relates well, to a variety of personality types and styles. Demonstrates political savvy and maturity.
- Can effectively help other public affairs spokespeople and KP leaders to be successful.
- Exhibits technical expertise and accountability for work quality. Is an expert about print and electronic media news gathering techniques, story development, placement, and representation.
- Demonstrates sharp analytical and intellectual abilities. Can develop scenarios and connect disparate events.
- Is well connected with, and respected by, the media.
- Is a dynamic leader with a proven track record building teams. Promotes cooperation and teamwork while working to achieve collective outcomes; is inclusive of peers &/or key stakeholders when making decisions that affect the organization.
- As a manager, solicits feedback and ideas from staff; holds others accountable and is fair. Delegates appropriately and provides opportunities for team to cross-train and further develop their skills.
- Manages effectively through influence. Demonstrates the ability to achieve political consensus and work effectively within a consensus environment.
- Demonstrated experience navigating in a large, complex organization with successful outcomes.
- Works well in a Labor Management Partnership environment.
- Generates unique and progressive ideas. Embraces innovation and takes appropriate risks.
- Is comfortable with, and adept at maneuvering within, a complex, consensus-driven organization.
- Works well under pressure.
- Is unflappable, well grounded, and does not take him/herself too seriously.
- A sense of humor is essential.
Experience
- A minimum of ten years experience in media relations in a corporate, agency, or health care setting in a large complex organization, including experience serving as a spokesperson to the media.
- Five years of demonstrated success in managing staff.
- Proven public speaking and journalistic writing skills.
- Established relationships with California and national news media.
- Familiarity with California health care industry issues and knowledge of California legislature that affects the industry is a plus.
Education
- An undergraduate degree in journalism, public relations, communications or related field. Graduate degree is preferred.
Kate Kingsley or Barbara Walker
KLKingsley Executive Search
1333 No. California Blvd., Suite 570
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
Email: kate@klkingsley.com or barbara@klkingsley.com
Web: www.klkingsley.com
Phone: 925-934-4306
Fax: 925-934-4327
