Advocacy Communications Manager

### Advocacy Communications Manager

You are thrilled to lead the charge in crafting powerful narratives that do more than inform—they can ignite action. Your words will possess the ability to shape policy and drive meaningful change. As an Advocacy Communications Manager, you serve as the essential link between eager advocates and the wider public, ensuring that critical issues are not only heard but deeply felt. This is far more than a career; it’s a mission to elevate voices and make a lasting impact.

If this sounds like you, please read on!

The Advocacy Communications Manager is responsible for overseeing all external and internal communications related to the association’s advocacy efforts. This role is critical in ensuring that the association’s mission, goals, and activities are effectively communicated to members, policymakers, media, and the public.

### Responsibilities

**Reporting to the Director of Communications,** the Advocacy Communications Manager leads the development and execution of the multi-channel communications strategy and plans for the AAOS Office of Government Relations (OGR). Responsibilities include external, internal, and digital communications on health policy and advocacy related to issues impacting musculoskeletal care.

#### Core Responsibilities (75%)

– Manages and develops external, internal, and digital communication strategy on health policy and advocacy issues of importance to musculoskeletal care.
– Manages and leads the development and distribution of external communications including press releases, letters to the editor, op-eds, and fulfilling media inquiries to further OGR objectives and messaging.
– Leads development of content on advocacy issues for AAOS communication channels and publications such as Advocacy Now, AAOS Now, Headline News Now, AAOS website, newsroom, social media platforms, AAOS Annual Report, The Bone Beat Advocacy podcast, and other communication vehicles across the enterprise.
– Serves as point person for the bi-weekly Advocacy Now newsletter, including collecting, writing, and editing content and coordinating its production and distribution through HubSpot with support from AMC partners.
– Develops strategic and tactical approaches for communications plans to achieve business and member engagement goals, including managing and executing a content calendar across multiple platforms. This involves writing copy, guiding design, directing production, and deploying tactics, including audience lists, email, online, paid advertising, etc.
– Provides post-program evaluation for large-scale advocacy communications and PR programs.
– Collaborates with project/program personnel and stakeholders to market the AAOS Office of Government Relations and other assigned events.
– Identifies opportunities, challenges, or emerging issues related to AAOS legislative and regulatory advocacy and other health policy efforts; leads the communication response and addresses communications issues as they arise.
– Plans and executes advocacy campaigns across channels, such as Orthopaedic Advocacy Week, National Orthopaedic Leadership Conference, etc.
– Utilizes digital tools and platforms to maximize outreach and impact, analyzing and sharing results across teams.
– Reviews congressional one-pagers, talking points, factsheets, OGR promotional materials, and other background and position papers.
– Assists OGR office staff in communication support for health policy or advocacy updates, including Advocacy Action Alerts, talking points, leadership decks, and Annual Report copy.
– Increases visibility of the AAOS advocacy key messages for all relevant stakeholders by identifying innovative communication methods, consistently evaluating existing strategies, audience segments, and measuring effectiveness.

#### Media Relations (15%)

– Cultivates and maintains strong relationships with members of the national media, health trade, science press, and digital health influencers on policy, socioeconomic, and advocacy issues.
– Develops relationships with press secretaries and communications directors of members of Congress and regulatory agencies to promote information about musculoskeletal care and AAOS positions.
– Collaborates with other partners in MSK care and interfaces with media at events where appropriate.
– Oversees orthopaedic surgeons and patients as spokespersons in the federal and state health policy arena, coordinating with the Communications Team to ensure messaging and communications consistently articulate the AAOS mission and further OGR advocacy objectives.
– Monitors media coverage and health policy developments relevant to MSK care.

#### Internal Collaboration (10%)

– Acts as a liaison with AAOS staff across the MCM unit to share best practices, support cross-team goal setting, communication efficiencies, updates, and enterprise committee projects/programs.
– Uses data and analytics to track and measure the effectiveness and impact of communication efforts both internally and externally and reports back to teams.

### Essential Values

– **Teamwork:** Effective collaboration and team focus to solve complex problems and drive innovation.
– **Empowerment:** The authority, information, and skills to make decisions and drive results.
– **Accountability:** Ownership of processes and results to drive decisions and ensure implementation.
– **Mindset of Growth/Continuous Learning:** Focused on self and staff development to make the Academy more agile, innovative, and sustainable.

### Travel

Up to 12 days per year

### Qualifications

**Required:**

– Bachelor’s degree.
– 5+ years’ experience, such as handling press and communications for a member of Congress or professional/trade association.
– Keen understanding of federal and regulatory processes with experience in healthcare issues, preferably at an association, coalition, or member-facing entity.
– Experience condensing complex issues into compelling digital and social media content.
– Proven history in interacting with national media and trade press.
– Excellent oral and written communication skills.
– Proficiency in MS Office, MS Teams, social media platforms, Google Analytics, Cision, Sprout Social.
– Strong project management experience and ability to lead multi-channel communications campaigns.

**Desired:**

– Knowledge and experience in drafting external statements and internal communications on major federal/state health policy issues.
– Advanced degree or graduate-level coursework in journalism, health policy, or a related field.

### Salary Range

$90,000-$100,000

### How to Apply

Join us in shaping AAOS’ success! If this resonates with you, apply today by sharing the following:

– Clearly communicate why you are the ideal candidate for this role, providing specific examples and experiences as proof points.
– Resumes must be accompanied by a cover letter with salary expectations to be considered.

Please note: This hybrid position is based in either Rosemont, Illinois, or Washington, D.C. Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of work visas.