Communication Specialist, FT

Come work with an award winning team! Thanks to the readers of The Daily Freeman-Journal, VDMC was named Best Place to Work in both 2023 and 2024. Van Diest Medical Center has also been recognized as a 2025 Top 100 Critical Access Hospital by The Chartis Center for Rural Health. Chartis’ annual Top 100 award program recognizes outstanding performance among the nation’s rural hospitals based on the results of the Chartis Rural Hospital Performance INDEX®. This marks the second year for VDMC’s inclusion on the Top 100 Critical Access Hospitals.  VDMC is one of only 12 hospitals in the state of Iowa to achieve this designation.  Nationwide, there are 1,366 critical access hospitals. Additionally, Van Diest Medical Center (VDMC) has also been named a 2024 and 2025 Top Workplaces INDUSTRY winner. Top Workplaces Industry awards celebrate organizations that have built people-first workplace cultures within their sector. The award marks them as an employer of choice for those seeking employment in the industry. Details about how Van Diest Medical Center builds a great workplace culture are available at: https://topworkplaces.com/company/van-diest-medical-center/. 

The Communications Specialist is primarily responsible for coordinating external and internal communications and establishing positive associations with the public and/or mass media on behalf of Van Diest Medical Center.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Create company literature and other forms of communication (e.g. press releases, media content, newsletter content, social media content, website content)
• Work closely with staff and physicians to gather content for use on organizational channels
• Create and design marketing and promotional materials, both print and electronic
• Development/maintenance of VDMC website
• Copy, edit, proofread and revise communications
• Build and manage social media platforms (e.g. Facebook, Twitter) on behalf of VDMC
• Develop effective communication strategies to promote VDMC
• Manage internal communications (memos, newsletters, hospital-wide emails etc.)
• Organize initiatives and assist in planning events on behalf of VDMC
• Collaborate with marketing professionals to produce copy for advertisements or articles
• Assist in communication of strategies or messages from senior leadership
• Assist in coordinating and executing a comprehensive marketing and branding program
• Ensure the integrity of hospital representation at all times (e.g., proper use/placement of logo)
• Assist in developing joint promotional and/or educational activities with community
• Support, promote, and communicate the mission, vision and value statement of VDMC
• Facilitate effective and positive communication with VDMC and its public
• Other duties as assigned by supervisor

MARGINAL FUNCTIONS:

• Demonstrates professional organizational skills; prioritizes workload, coordinates accurate scheduling of appointments and meetings and demonstrates efficient utilization of resources.
• Participates in self-directed learning and in continuing education to meet own development and departmental requirements.
• Attends and successfully completes all required annual education within the time frame as defined within the organization.

Monday-Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm (flexible) with minimal hours outside of this schedule for various events.