Government Affairs & Communications Coordinator

Published: 6/14/2022

Job Description

OUR MISSION: is to eliminate health disparities and foster community well-being by providing and promoting the highest quality care in Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and Riverside Counties.

OUR VISION: St. John’s Community Health will be a leader, catalyst, and model for the best care, long-term community health improvements, and sustainable, health-enhancing system and structures in Southern California.

OUR CORE VALUES

Dignity

We honor and respect every person we encounter—whether patient, colleague, or community member—as a valued part of the human family.

Excellence

We support and champion the best standard of care, personal and professional growth, accountability, creativity, teamwork, and a steadfast commitment to quality.

Well-being

We promote and advocate for the full integration of our patients’ physical and mental health in order to enable them to participate in their own health improvement and become active and responsible members of a vibrant and just community.

Social Justice

We collaborate with others to develop systems, organizations, and programs to advance equity and fairness in allocating community resources, and to empower and address the needs of all community members, especially the most vulnerable and disadvantaged members.

JOB SUMMARY

The Government Affairs & Communications Coordinator supports St. John’s Community Health’s government affairs, advocacy, community engagement, and communications work. This position helps turn St. John’s policy and advocacy priorities into clear messages, materials, and public communications. The role also supports elected official engagement, policy research, advocacy campaigns, civic engagement, media work, and special projects. The person in this role should be a strong writer, organized, comfortable working with elected officials and community partners, and able to manage several projects at the same time. The position requires someone who can take initiative while also following St. John’s processes, messaging, approvals, and expectations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Performs a combination, but not necessarily all, of the following duties:

Government Affairs and Policy

· Track local, county, state, and federal policy issues that may affect St. John’s, its patients, and community health centers.

· Research legislation, government actions, funding opportunities, and policy proposals.

· Prepare briefing memos, talking points, background materials, public comments, and meeting materials for the Chief Government Affairs & Community Relations Officer and other St. John’s leaders.

· Support meetings with elected officials, government agencies, and key stakeholders.

· Help track follow-up items, commitments, deadlines, and next steps from government meetings.

· Support advocacy campaigns related to health care access, the safety net, health equity, and the right to health care.

Communications

· Help develop clear messages that explain St. John’s policy, advocacy, and community work.

· Draft newsletters, talking points, stakeholder updates, event materials, social media content, press materials, and other communications.

· Support media outreach, press events, interviews, and public statements.

· Help translate complicated policy issues into language that patients, community members, elected officials, and the public can understand.

· Support communications for major advocacy campaigns, public events, and organizational priorities.

Advocacy and Civic Engagement

· Support patient and community organizing, civic engagement, voter education, advocacy events, and community meetings.

· Help develop materials for advocacy trainings, Right to Health committees, and other civic-engagement efforts.

· Support efforts that move patients and community members from participation into deeper advocacy and leadership.

· Assist with voter education and nonpartisan civic-engagement activities consistent with St. John’s nonprofit status.

Community and Stakeholder Engagement

· Support relationships with community organizations, elected officials, government staff, coalitions, and other partners.

· Help coordinate meetings, events, roundtables, briefings, and community activities.

· Prepare background materials and follow-up communications for external partners.

· Support coalition participation and partnership-building tied to St. John’s policy and community priorities.