Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Health Communications Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Health Communications Specialist is a communications professional who designs, develops and implements evidence-based public health messaging and education across digital, print and interpersonal channels. This role translates clinical and epidemiological information into accessible, culturally competent content that supports behavior change, patient education, community outreach, and organizational reputation. The ideal candidate combines public health knowledge, plain-language writing, media relations, project management and measurement skills to execute campaigns, manage stakeholder relationships and evaluate the impact of communications on health outcomes.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Communications Coordinator or Marketing Coordinator with experience in health or nonprofit sectors
Health Educator, Community Health Worker, or Public Health Program Assistant
Reporter/Health Journalist or Content Writer with healthcare experience

Advancement To:

Senior Health Communications Specialist / Lead Communications Specialist
Communications Manager or Public Information Officer
Director of Communications, Health Promotion Director, or Health Policy Communications Lead

Lateral Moves:

Health Promotion Specialist
Patient Education Program Manager
Community Outreach or Engagement Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Develop and execute comprehensive health communication plans and campaign strategies that align with organizational public health objectives, target population needs, and measurable outcomes such as awareness, intent and behavior change.
Translate complex clinical, epidemiologic and research findings into plain-language educational materials (brochures, fact sheets, FAQs, infographics, scripts, and web copy) that are culturally appropriate and health-literacy informed for diverse audiences.
Create, edit and maintain digital content for websites, blogs and patient portals using SEO best practices to increase visibility for health topics and drive evidence-based information to people searching for health guidance.
Design and implement social media strategies (content calendars, paid and organic posts, community management) across platforms (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) to amplify health messages, respond to public questions and combat misinformation.
Develop and distribute press releases, media advisories, spokesperson talking points and Q&A documents; serve as a media liaison or prepare subject-matter experts for interviews to ensure accurate public messaging.
Lead risk and crisis communication planning and execution during public health emergencies (outbreaks, recalls, facility incidents), including rapid message development, stakeholder notification, and coordinated multi-channel dissemination.
Conduct audience analysis and segmentation using demographic, behavioral and social determinants data to tailor messaging frameworks and select appropriate channels for maximum reach and impact.
Collaborate with clinical experts, epidemiologists, program managers and community leaders to ensure content accuracy, clinical appropriateness and cultural relevance before public release.
Create and manage multimedia content workflows — including video scripts, storyboards, production briefs and coordination with designers/videographers — to support patient education and campaign storytelling.
Manage editorial calendars and content approval processes; ensure all materials meet brand, accessibility (WCAG) and regulatory requirements (privacy/HIPAA considerations where applicable).
Design and implement evaluation frameworks using pre/post surveys, website analytics, social listening, and campaign KPIs to measure effectiveness, inform iterative improvements, and report outcomes to stakeholders.
Develop and maintain partnerships with community-based organizations, schools, healthcare providers and advocacy groups to co-create culturally tailored messaging and extend reach into priority populations.
Plan and facilitate community engagement activities such as workshops, webinars, focus groups, and town halls to solicit input, pilot messages, and improve trust and uptake of health recommendations.
Provide plain-language editing, readability testing and translation coordination for materials to ensure accuracy and cultural competence across languages and literacy levels.
Oversee procurement and budgeting for communications activities, manage vendor relationships (design agencies, printers, media buyers) and ensure cost-effective campaign delivery.
Train clinical staff, program leads and spokespeople on message discipline, risk communication principles, media interview techniques and social media best practices.
Maintain a repository of evidence-based resources, fact-checking protocols and rapid response templates to support timely, accurate public communications.
Monitor media coverage, social media conversations and public sentiment; prepare media monitoring reports and recommended messaging adjustments in response to misinformation or emerging concerns.
Integrate behavior-change frameworks (Health Belief Model, Social Cognitive Theory, COM-B) into campaign design and message testing to increase the likelihood of sustained health behavior adoption.
Draft grant narratives, funding proposals or communication plans for program support that clearly articulate outreach strategy, evaluation metrics and anticipated public health impact.
Ensure adherence to legal, ethical and organizational standards for patient privacy, consent for stories/testimonials, and use of protected health information in communications.

Secondary Functions

Support development of FAQs, internal communications and staff-facing briefings to keep employees and partners informed and aligned on public-facing messaging.
Assist with requests for data visualization and infographic creation by working with data analysts to translate complex datasets into audience-appropriate visuals.
Maintain and update content in content management systems (CMS) and maintain page-level SEO metadata (titles, meta descriptions, schema) for health pages.
Conduct regular environmental scans of competitor and public sector communications to identify best practices, service gaps, and topical opportunities.
Facilitate multilingual content coordination, vendor translation review and quality assurance to ensure fidelity of meaning across language versions.
Support internal training programs and onboarding for new communications staff and volunteers working on public health campaigns.
Assist with logistics for public events, health fairs and vaccination clinics, including signage, outreach materials and volunteer communications.
Provide editorial oversight and final approval of patient-facing materials in collaboration with clinical governance and legal teams.
Compile monthly dashboards and executive briefings summarizing campaign reach, engagement metrics, media placements and community feedback.
Act as a subject-matter contributor to cross-functional project teams (program design, quality improvement, policy) to ensure communications considerations are embedded early.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Health communication strategy development — designing evidence-based campaign plans, audience segmentation and KPI frameworks.
Plain-language writing and editing for health audiences, with experience applying readability standards and health literacy principles.
Digital content creation and SEO for health topics — keyword research, on-page optimization and analytics-driven content planning.
Social media management and community engagement across major platforms, including content calendars, scheduling tools and paid promotion.
Content Management Systems (CMS) proficiency (e.g., WordPress, Drupal) for publishing and maintaining web-based health resources.
Multimedia production coordination — scripting, storyboarding, working with video/audio vendors and basic video editing awareness.
Analytics and evaluation tools — Google Analytics, social listening tools, campaign tracking, A/B testing and data visualization for reporting impact.
Media relations and press materials development — press releases, media advisories, spokesperson prep and interview handling.
Risk and crisis communication planning and execution for public health emergencies or organizational incidents.
Accessibility and regulatory compliance knowledge — WCAG accessibility guidelines, HIPAA/privacy considerations and consent for patient stories.
Graphic design collaboration — familiarity with Adobe Creative Suite or equivalent and ability to review design deliverables for clarity and accuracy.
Survey design and qualitative research methods (focus groups, message testing) to assess message comprehension and refine communications.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication with the ability to present complex science in engaging, actionable language.
Cultural competence and empathy to design messages that resonate with diverse communities and reduce stigmatizing language.
Project management and organizational skills to manage multiple campaigns, deadlines, vendors and approval workflows.
Critical thinking and evidence-based decision-making — synthesizing research and stakeholder input to recommend communication approaches.
Collaboration and stakeholder management — building trust with clinical teams, community partners and senior leadership.
Adaptability and composure under pressure, especially during rapidly evolving public health events or media scrutiny.
Attention to detail and editorial judgment for high-quality, error-free materials.
Facilitation and public speaking skills for workshops, trainings and media appearances.
Creative problem solving to develop novel outreach tactics for hard-to-reach populations.
Ethical judgment and confidentiality awareness in handling sensitive health information and personal stories.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Public Health, Communications, Journalism, Health Promotion, Behavioral Science, or a related field.

Preferred Education:

Master's degree (MPH, MA in Health Communication, MSc in Public Health, or equivalent) or professional certifications in health communication, public health, or digital marketing.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Public Health / Community Health
Health Communication / Health Education
Communications, Journalism or Public Relations
Behavioral Science / Health Behavior
Marketing or Digital Media

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

2–5 years of progressively responsible experience in health communications, public health program communications, patient education, or a related communications role.

Preferred:

5+ years of experience leading public health campaigns or communications in healthcare systems, public health agencies, NGOs or public sector organizations. Demonstrated experience with crisis communication, media relations, digital health content strategy, and evaluation of communications impact.
Preferred experience includes working with diverse communities, managing cross-functional teams, and hands-on use of CMS, analytics platforms and content production workflows.
Certifications such as Certified in Public Health (CPH), Health Communication Certification, or relevant digital marketing certifications are a plus.