Communications Specialist, Storytelling and Strategic Content

Marketing

Full Time

86604BR

Job Summary

The Senior Communications Specialist, Storytelling and Strategic Content, is responsible for developing compelling content that brings UCSF Health's mission, priorities, and people to life. This high-impact role surfaces and crafts stories about employees, culture, and major initiatives in ways that connect to organizational priorities and advance the organization.

Key Responsibilities

• Content & Brand Alignment: Develops narrative-driven stories highlighting employees, teams, and initiatives that reflect UCSF Health's values and priorities. Captures and translates complex initiatives (e.g., construction, modernization, culture-building efforts) into accessible, human-centered narratives. Works with the Director of Editorial and Digital Strategy to align storytelling with the department's editorial calendar.
• Strategic Storytelling & Content Creation: Provide on-the-ground content support for milestone events, employee features, or cultural initiatives.
• Multimedia Production: Sources or collaborates on photography, video, and graphics that enhance written content.
• Editorial Workflows & Messaging Standards: Conduct interviews, write profiles and stories, and produce series and campaigns for use across internal and external channels. Maintains and updates UCSF Health's boilerplate, fact sheets, at-a-glance materials, and FAQs. Develops and refreshes system messaging documents that ensure alignment across leadership, campaigns, and communications teams. Ensure content reflects UCSF Health's tone, accessibility standards, and editorial guidelines.
• Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partners with Strategy, Marketing, and the Office of Communications to ensure institutional consistency in core content. Collaborates with internal communication and change communication colleagues to ensure stories advance strategic initiatives. Supports enterprise communications campaigns by producing relevant content and features. Partners with teams across UCSF and UCSF Health to surface stories that are relevant to the health system.

The final salary and offer components are subject to additional approvals based on UC policy. Your placement within the salary range is dependent on a number of factors, including your work experience and internal equity within this position classification at UCSF. For positions that are represented by a labor union, placement within the salary range will be guided by the rules in the collective bargaining agreement. The annual salary range for this position is $81,300-$172,300, with a target entry point of $115,650+ depending on experience. To learn more about the benefits of working at UCSF, including total compensation, please visit: https://ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu/compensation-and-benefits/index.html

Department Description

The UCSF Health Department of Marketing and Communications is focused on driving transformational change, sharing life-changing experiences, and fostering connections that save lives and shape the future of healthcare. This powerhouse marketing and communications team fosters sustainable growth for the organization by clearly and consistently communicating why UCSF is the best place to work and come for care. The team leads innovative, integrated, and measurable multi-channel marketing and communications initiatives to support UCSF Health's vision and strategic priorities, creating a positive impact on its diverse internal and external constituencies. We are the translators, storytellers, and advocates, dedicated to showcasing the brilliance, compassion, and unwavering commitment that define UCSF Health and demonstrate a positive impact on the patients, families, and communities we serve.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, public affairs, or a related field, or four years of equivalent experience.
• Five or more years of experience developing narrative and editorial content for strategic communications.
• Excellent writing, interviewing, and editing skills, with a demonstrated ability to produce clear, compelling stories.
• Experience creating both human-centered content and core organizational messaging.
• Strong editorial judgment and ability to connect content to broader institutional goals.
• Familiarity with healthcare, higher education, or other complex, mission-driven environments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a deadline-driven setting.
• Comfort working independently and collaboratively with diverse stakeholders.
• The ability to work onsite in our San Francisco office for a min. of three days a week or more.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience writing for an academic health system, hospital, or large nonprofit.
• Knowledge of employee engagement or change communications strategies.
• Familiarity with digital publishing tools and content management systems.
• Experience partnering with creative/media colleagues on photography or video content.
• Commitment to creating a culture of belonging and access through storytelling.

About UCSF

At UCSF Health, our mission of innovative patient care, advanced technology and pioneering research is redefining what's possible for the patients we serve - a promise we share with the professionals who make up our team.

Consistently ranked among the top 10 hospitals nationwide by U.S. News & World Report - UCSF Health is committed to providing the most rewarding work experience while delivering the best care available anywhere. In an environment that allows for continuous learning and opportunities for professional growth, UCSF Health offers the ideal atmosphere in which to best use your skills and talents.

Pride Values

UCSF is a diverse community made of people with many skills and talents. We seek candidates whose work experience or community service has prepared them to contribute to our commitment to professionalism, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence - also known as our PRIDE values.

In addition to our PRIDE values, UCSF is committed to equity - both in how we deliver care as well as our workforce. We are committed to building a broadly diverse community, nurturing a culture that is welcoming and supportive, and engaging diverse ideas for the provision of culturally competent education, discovery, and patient care. Additional information about UCSF is available at diversity.ucsf.edu

Join us to find a rewarding career contributing to improving healthcare worldwide.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Organization

Health

Job Code and Payroll Title

007477 COMM SPEC 3

Job Category

Marketing / Communications

Bargaining Unit

99 - Policy-Covered (No Bargaining Unit)

Employee Class

Career

Percentage

100%

Location

San Francisco, CA

Campus

Mission Bay (SF)

Work Style

Flexible

Shift

Days

Shift Length

8 Hours

Additional Shift Details

M-F