Communications Specialist, Sikich

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, English, Journalism, Public Affairs, or related field
• 5+ years of experience in communications, content strategy, or stakeholder engagement in a federal IT or health IT environment
• Demonstrated ability to lead content development, manage repositories, and guide junior team members
• Strong proficiency with Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva, and other visual communications tools
• Experience with enterprise-level distribution list and listserv management
• The Communications Specialist shall be proficient in or able to quickly learn the following approved tools:
• Collaboration & PM: Atlassian Jira, Confluence, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Lucid
• Web & Distribution: QualityNet website, QualityNet Mailer, QualityNet ServiceNow, SurveyMonkey
• Design & Multimedia: Adobe Creative Cloud, Canva for Teams, 123RF licensed media library
• Automation: UiPath (for listserv and channel management automation)
• Productivity: Adobe Pro, Microsoft Office Suite
• Servant Leader – You are hyper focused on engaging employees, fostering their development, and building a positive culture
• Solutions Focused – You see opportunities in every business problem and can develop, articulate, and implement solutions
• Collaboration – You are a relationship builder across all levels of the organization and across all business units
• Instills Trust - You do what you say, and you follow through on commitments, you act with integrity, you are consistent and are perceived as credible
• Impact & Influence Thinking – You gain support for ideas, proposals, and solutions, and get others to act, with or without formal authority, to advance initiatives/objectives

Desirable

• The Communications Specialist supports enterprise-scale communications and stakeholder engagement across CMS/CCSQ programs and Lines of Business (LOBs)
• Working under the direction of the Communications Lead, this role develops written, visual, and multimedia content; maintains knowledge repositories; manages distribution channels; and ensures all communications products comply with Section 508 and WCAG accessibility standards
• The Communications Specialist operates within a high-volume, fast-paced federal health IT environment, supporting both planned program communications and ad-hoc, time-sensitive needs for ISG leadership, program offices, and external stakeholders
• Develop and deliver operational and end-user communications including downtime notices, system upgrade announcements, release notifications, and change alerts for QualityNet Shared Services and LOB systems
• Tailor communications to specific audiences across LOBs, teams, and initiatives using written, visual, and multimedia formats
• Deliver communications through CMS-approved channels including email, Slack, and the QualityNet website
• Coordinate with technical, program, and leadership teams to validate all content prior to release
• Support enterprise communications planning, scheduling, and intake processes under the direction of the Communications Lead
• Serve as a senior contributor to communications strategy planning, coordinating closely with the Communications Lead on high-visibility deliverables, content calendars, and cross-program messaging alignment
• Produce and distribute training and informational materials to support adoption of new tools, system enhancements, and process changes, including videos, graphics, user guides, and microlearning assets
• Develop content aligned with CMS plain-language, branding, and accessibility standards as maintained in the Communications Toolkit in Confluence
• Help onboard and mentor junior communications specialists on training and informational content development
• Maintain communications-related and supporting reference content in Confluence, the QualityNet website, and other knowledge repositories to provide guidance, reference materials, and training content for internal and public-facing use
• Manage and maintain enterprise email listservs, distribution lists, and Slack channels to ensure accurate targeting, access control, and minimization of misdirected or unauthorized communications
• Apply process improvements and automation (e.g., UiPath) to streamline the creation and management of listservs, distribution lists, and Slack channels
• Submit content management requests through QualityNet ServiceNow as applicable
• Guide knowledge article creation and manage communications-related Confluence repositories to ensure accuracy, currency, and usability
• Branding, Visual Communications, and Executive Materials
• Develop branding assets and visual materials, including logos, templates, and style elements, in alignment with CMS branding standards
• Produce executive briefings, presentations, and stakeholder engagement materials for CCSQ leadership and program offices
• Design graphics, infographics, and multimedia content using tools such as Adobe Creative Cloud and Canva for Teams
• Lead the development and quality review of written and visual content across the communications team, ensuring alignment with program messaging and enterprise branding standards
• Ensure all communications products, including end-user notifications, web content, surveys, training materials, and multimedia assets, comply with Section 508 and WCAG accessibility standards prior to release
• Apply universal design principles throughout content development to ensure materials are usable by individuals with disabilities
• Provide timely communications development and distribution support for emerging, unplanned, or time-sensitive needs including executive briefings, governance materials, user notifications, and internal stakeholder engagement content
• Support CCSQ leadership, CCSQ OD, and program offices with tailored communications outside planned schedules while maintaining alignment with enterprise standards