Writer and Author
Place of Performance: Bethesda, Maryland
General Description:
Writer and Author (Print Journalism) shall capture and share the powerful stories of innovation, compassion, and service that define the institution. This role requires an inquisitive and skilled journalist who can manage editorial projects from concept to publication, creating rich, long-form content for our print and digital platforms. The ideal candidate is a master storyteller with a project management acumen to drive a proactive news-gathering operation.
Specific Tasks:
Content Strategy & Project Management: Develop and manage a strategic editorial calendar for all print and long-form digital publications. Act as the project lead for all feature stories, from initial pitch and research through interviews, writing, photo/video coordination, layout, and final publication.
Investigative Storytelling: Proactively identify and develop story ideas that align with strategic communication objectives, focusing on clinical advancements, groundbreaking research, patient success stories, and staff achievements.
In-Depth Reporting: Conduct thorough, sensitive, and insightful interviews with medical staff, patients, families, and subject matter experts to gather the information and emotional depth required for compelling narratives.
Multimedia Collaboration: Work in tandem with photographers, videographers, and graphic designers to produce visually stunning, cohesive, and impactful multimedia story packages.
Craft messaging for internal and external stakeholders, ensuring consistency with organizational goals.
Monitor media coverage and provide analysis on the effectiveness of public affairs campaigns.
Plan and execute events, such as press conferences, media briefings, and community engagement activities.
Support leadership with crisis communication strategies and plans.
Stakeholder & Media Relations: Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with internal SMEs to ensure a steady flow of story leads, and with external media contacts to pitch and place stories when appropriate.
Compile weekly external communication reports. Submit products to the PAO for review prior to posting on the website and/or intranet.
Generate editorial ideas for articles and discuss/refine ideas with lead PAO.
Meet daily and weekly deadlines and ADHOC suspense to support the mission.
Develop news-pegs, angles, and balanced articles from multiple-sources including interviews with market staff members, military and civilian, patients, and visitors for news releases, feature stories and special publications.
Schedule interviews with Subject-Matter Experts, working closing with other PAO offices with the approval from the Government Lead.
Write, rewrite, and edit copy based on AP Style, using active sentences, traditional leads, bridges, transitions, and news format.
Assist Visitors and numerous callers, Take Media Queries, Coordinate/Moderate Press Interviews, Arrange Media Visits Moderate Press Interviews, generate 2-3 editorial ideas a month, deliver social media post week or as needed based upon the mission. Assist an average of 10 callers per day, Assist with 4 DV visits per month: Updated Website and Social Media sites several times a day. Distribute an average of 2 communications reports weekly.
Formulates strategies for major issues, management and coordinates messages and theme development for the Market office that are executed through the MTFs. Provides strategic counsel to the senior leaders of and the Market MTFs.
Develop speeches and briefings to effectively communicate key themes and messages to a wide range of audiences. Coordinates on public website content to support the MHS/DHA communication objectives.
Qualifications:
Bachelors degree in Journalism, Communications, English, or a related field.
5+ years of proven experience in journalism or professional writing, supported by a strong portfolio of published articles that demonstrate exceptional skills in interviewing, narrative storytelling, and long-form writing.
Proven experience in healthcare communications, Military public affairs, or a similar regulated, high-visibility environment.
A thorough understanding of and ability to rigorously apply the principles of safeguarding the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and Protected Health Information (PHI), especially when interviewing patients.
Excellent project management skills, with proven ability to manage an editorial calendar, develop content strategies, and see multiple stories through to completion simultaneously.
Strong interpersonal skills, with a demonstrated ability to build rapport and trust with interview subjects from all walks of life, including patients, families, senior leaders, and world-renowned medical experts.
