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Performant Financial

Director, Communications

Performant Financial, Saint Louis, MO


Position Overview:

Zelis is seeking to hire a Director of Communications, Member Engagement who will play a pivotal role in scaling our member communications strategy and operations. This role will be responsible for driving product awareness, utilization and revenue expansion via omni-channel communications delivered through our clients and direct to members, including print mailers, email and SMS/text campaigns.

This leader must be capable of driving real operating change amidst complexity and ambiguity, and pivots easily between vision setting, strategic definition, analytical problem solving, and operational execution. This role requires a customer-oriented, results-focused action mindset, and is capable of partnering seamlessly with cross-functional stakeholders across product management, sales, client management, and data/analytics. This leader is excited by the idea of quickly scaling a growing and transformative part of the business while setting the culture and tone of a high-performing team.

Key Responsibilities:
  • Lead, develop and grow the Communications team by setting the vision, strategy, and prioritizing Objectives & Key Results (OKRs): hiring, training, and developing a high-performing team
  • Drive communications and content strategy across the member journey, including both general awareness and re-engagement campaigns, ensuring design, imagery, and copy is best-in-class to drive member behavior change in pursuit of product utilization, in close partnership with Product
  • Define omni-channel personalization strategy and data-driven execution approach to prioritize reaching each member at the right time and in the most effective manner and tone per every communication sent (e.g., print/direct mail, email, SMS/text)
  • Build inventory of high-performing collateral themes and explore opportunities to offer paid communications packages to drive revenue expansion
  • Lead operations of campaign execution and collateral management, including customization methods, project management of client requests/projects, while identifying opportunities for process optimization, including automation and globalization
  • Bring technical expertise to our marketing and communications tech stack, ensuring the right mix of tools are maintained, taking advantage of AI and new technology
  • Lead market research across members, employer groups, and health plans to understand healthcare industry trends, consumer and client behavior dynamics and inform refinement of communications strategy and tactics
  • Define key performance metrics, set measurable performance goals, and track progress regularly and openly with team and cross-functional leaders to ensure results
  • Manage an analytical resource to produce regular insights and trends based on regular review of dashboards and other available data to inform go-forward communications strategy
  • React quickly to customer and member escalations for satisfactory resolution and create systems to anticipate and get ahead of future concerns
  • In partnership with Product Management, advise the broader organization on how data should be architected in support of the member engagement communications experience as an extension of the product journey
  • Manage compliance and security requirements in collaboration with internal stakeholders
  • Assess current marketing and communication channels and materials to determine effectiveness. Ensure we are meeting and exceeding client SLAs on engagement
  • Assess current and ongoing state of the Communications organization and determine future state needs to optimize performance of communications, collateral and product
  • Partner with Product Management & Data stakeholders to define strategy and frameworks for engagement and execute against product, program, and communication strategy opportunities, including personalization techniques/data models, and drive consistency across product roadmap and communications initiatives, as well as what members are exposed to in both the product and communications they receive
  • Collaborate closely with Client Management and Performance Managers to articulate value proposition and strategy of member communications to health plans and employer groups, define best practices for how health plans and employer groups engage members, and support client communication-related requests
  • Partner with Business Intelligence/Analytics leaders to tailor PowerBI dashboards in alignment with key performance metric definitions, enabling real-time tracking, and collaborate on ad hoc analytical research initiatives to surface insights and inform communications strategy
  • Maintain deep knowledge of the healthcare and consumer marketing industry, clients and market. Stay current with innovation and cutting-edge techniques related to engagement and healthcare consumer communications strategies
  • Build a constructive, inclusive, collaborative and high performing organizational culture within the team and with our cross-functional partners, keeping the client and member at the center of everything we do
  • Present key Member Engagement Communications initiatives to various audiences including Senior Leadership


Professional Experience & Skills:
  • 12+ years of Consumer Marketing experience, 5+ years in the Healthcare industry
  • Working knowledge of relevant member communications regulations and guidelines, including ACA and Medicare plan participants
  • Global work experience required, demonstrated ability to define global processes and support cultural difference
  • Superb communication and interpersonal skills - high emotional intelligence, humility and low ego
  • Analytical, test and learn approach
  • A true love for the customer and their needs
  • Demonstrated ability to collaborate and communicate cross functionally to drive program results
  • Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-moving environment
  • Strong project management and time management skills.
  • Keen attention to detail
  • A track record of developing, leading and mentoring high achieving talent in a fast paced, demanding and high transaction volume environment with an emphasis on accuracy and timeliness; ability to multitask and work under tight deadlines
  • Attention to detail and has a bias for action. Highest standards of accuracy and precision; highly organized
  • Is a self-directed, self-starter, who is proactive, and can appropriately reorganize priorities in a dynamic, fast paced and changing environment
  • An individual with the utmost professional and personal integrity
  • Ability to actively solicit the support and involvement of appropriate individuals from different parts of the organization when addressing issues that affect them
  • Can interpret and use data to make well-founded business decisions, but also be comfortable and confident making decisions about abstract topics or in the absence of data
  • Team player, effective communicator, persuasive and professional demeanor
  • Communication skills - effective verbal, written and oral communications
  • Expert in data utilization, analysis and visualization in story-telling and motivate team members and leaders to action based on diagnostics
  • Demonstrates a deep understanding of how marketing communications impact business and client outcomes


Education:
  • Bachelor's degree (B. A./ B. S.) from four-year college or university (required); Master's degree (preferred)


Location:

Preferred location in Boston, MA or Morristown, NJ, in office requirement a minimum of twice monthly, plus some additional travel required quarterly.

Location and Workplace Flexibility: We have offices in Atlanta GA, Boston MA, Morristown NJ, Plano TX, St. Louis MO, St. Petersburg FL, and Hyderabad, India. We foster a hybrid and remote friendly culture and all of our employee's work locations are based on the needs of the position and determined by the Leadership team. In-office work and activities, if applicable, vary based on the work and team objectives in accordance with Company policies.

Physical Demands:
  • Sedentary work - Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or a negligible amount of force frequently to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects in daily work use (laptop, monitors, et. al). Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Use of keyboards (typing) and exposure to computer screens occurs daily. Pleasant work environment in office locations with occasional noise or dust.
  • The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
  • While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; sit; use hands; reach with hands and arms; think; and talk or hear (multi-channel, two way communication during work hours is required).


Disclaimer:

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside their normal responsibilities from time to time as needed.

EEO Statement:

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Zelis is modernizing the healthcare financial experience by providing a connected platform that bridges the gaps and aligns interests across payers, providers, and healthcare consumers. This platform serves more than 750 payers, including the top 5 national health plans, BCBS insurers, regional health plans, TPAs and self-insured employers, and millions of healthcare providers and consumers. Zelis sees across the system to identify, optimize, and solve problems holistically with technology built by healthcare experts - driving real, measurable results for clients.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging
At Zelis, we champion diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in all aspects of our operations. We embrace the power of diversity and create an environment where people can bring their authentic and best selves to work. We know that a sense of belonging is key not only to your success at Zelis, but also to your ability to bring your best each day.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Zelis is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.

We encourage members of traditionally underrepresented communities to apply, even if you do not believe you 100% fit the qualifications of the position, including women, LGBTQIA people, people of color, and people with disabilities.

Accessibility Support

We are dedicated to ensuring our application process is accessible to all candidates. If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require a reasonable accommodation with any part of the application and/or interview process, please email TalentA[redacted].

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