Associate Vice President, Health Services & Technology Communications

About Jarrard, Inc.

Jarrard Inc. is a U.S. Top 10 strategic communications consulting firm focused exclusively on healthcare and the unique opportunities and challenges inherent in this sector. Founded in 2006, the firm has worked with more than 1,500 clients across 48 states and has led communications and political strategy on $75+ billion in announced M&A and partnership transactions. Jarrard partners with leaders across the spectrum of healthcare in high stakes moments of growth, innovation, change, and reputational/public affairs challenges. This array of specialized services is tailored to support leaders in the most impactful parts of the ecosystem that are essential in transforming U.S. healthcare for the better. In 2020, Jarrard Inc. joined Chartis, one of the nation’s leading healthcare advisory firms, and operates as a division under an independent brand.

Chartis is a comprehensive advisory firm dedicated to transforming healthcare. With an unparalleled depth of expertise in strategic, clinical, financial, and digital transformation, Chartis helps leading academic medical centers, hospitals and health systems, integrated delivery networks, children's hospitals, physician enterprises, payers, and healthcare service organizations achieve transformative results.

Across both Jarrard and Chartis, we are fortunate to have extraordinarily talented people working in our firm – all brought together around our unifying mission “to improve healthcare”, a shared dedication to our core values, and the emphasis we place on creating an environment that enriches the experiences of our clients, our colleagues and our communities.

Jarrard has offices in Nashville, TN and as part of Chartis has offices in Chicago, IL, New York, NY, Washington D.C., and Boston, MA. Remote work is allowed.

For more information, visit jarrardinc.com and chartis.com.

Role Overview

We are seeking an Associate Vice President (AVP) to help lead key projects in our Health Services & Technology practice, a practice working with some of the most innovative companies in Healthcare. This position will play a key role in working primarily with emerging and technology-driven health services clients, including start-ups and innovative providers. This role requires a strong communications foundation, excellent writing skills, and the ability to build and manage strategic media and stakeholder relationships. Candidates should bring demonstrated experience in branding, strategic positioning, and media relations, along with curiosity and competence in using modern AI tools to enhance client service and agency effectiveness.

The AVP serves as a strategic lead for clients within the practice – guiding and advising senior client leaders, while also mentoring junior team members and ensuring high-quality, forward-looking work.

Responsibilities

CLIENT SERVICE

• Confidently lead and advise clients, including younger and tech-forward health services and technology organizations, helping them maximize and protect their brand through strategic communications.

• Independently manage fast-moving and complex projects with minimal oversight.

• Develop and implement strategic communications, engagement, and media relations strategies, ensuring deliverables are modern, impactful, and tech-savvy.

• Establish strong, trust-based relationships with senior-level clients, positioning the agency as a valued strategic partner.

• Provide sage counsel on a wide variety of internal and external communications needs, from crisis communications and change management to brand positioning, digital marketing, and thought leadership.

• Apply AI tools to optimize workflows, analyze engagement data, and enhance campaign outcomes.

• Identify opportunities to grow existing client relationships by listening for strategic needs and bringing the agency’s full range of expertise to bear.

INTERNAL CLIENT TEAM MANAGEMENT

• Supervise and mentor junior team members, fostering their growth in modern communications practices and AI-powered client service delivery.

• Ensure quality, efficiency, and innovation in all team outputs.

• Oversee daily advising, project tracking, and staff development to ensure effective utilization and performance.

BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

• Play a key role in new business development, including pitch strategy, proposal development, and storytelling for modern, tech-savvy audiences.

• Leverage networks and media connections to elevate the firm’s visibility, particularly within the health tech, private equity and start-up ecosystem.

• Partner with practice leadership to identify new opportunities to deliver value to existing clients.

• Contribute thought leadership ideas, particularly around the evolving role of digital transformation, and modern communications in healthcare.

FIRM MANAGEMENT & PEOPLE DEVELOPMENT

• Model best practices in client management, media engagement, and use of technology for communication.

• Actively contribute to firmwide discussions and growth, including professional development efforts.

• Mentor colleagues, emphasizing the importance of innovation, adaptability, and AI fluency in modern communications.

Qualifications and Desired Skills

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• 10+ years of communications and strategy experience, with proven media relations expertise (earned media, reporter engagement, thought leadership placement).

• Strong background in healthcare communications, ideally with experience serving start-up, innovative, or tech-enabled health organizations and non-acute care provider organizations.

• Prior agency or consulting experience highly valuable.

• Excellent writing, presentation, and storytelling skills (writing samples required).

• Comfort with and enthusiasm for leveraging AI tools to support content creation, analysis, and project management.

• Strategic thinker with the ability to manage complex priorities and multiple stakeholders.

• Willingness to travel as needed; position based in Chicago or Nashville with hybrid flexibility (remote considered for exceptional candidates).

What You Can Expect from Us

• High-stakes work that makes healthcare better

• An inclusive workplace with understanding and innovative co-workers who care as much as you do about making a difference in healthcare and in the lives of our colleagues

• Encouragement to ask probing questions and openness to new ideas

• Creative problem solving alongside clients who see you as a partner, not a vendor

• Investment in your growth and development via our competency-based talent development platform

• Competitive pay and benefits

Salary range: $127,000-$160,000, plus may be eligible for an annual discretionary bonus. The salary range for this role takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skills, experience, training, licensure and certifications, practice area, and other business and organizational needs. In addition, Jarrard offers several benefits including medical, dental, vision, HSA, FSA, disability insurance, life insurance, 401(k) match, paid time off, wellness stipend, and additional voluntary benefits.

At Jarrard and Chartis, we pride ourselves on having a diverse workforce. We value and celebrate the uniqueness of individuals and the different perspectives they provide. We offer equal opportunity employment regardless of race, color, religion, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability status, age, marital status, or protected veteran status.