Description

At Galen College of Nursing, we educate and empower nurses to change lives. Since 1989, we’ve dedicated our work to delivering high-quality nursing education with a student-first mindset. As one of the largest private nursing colleges in the country, we combine the support of a close-knit learning environment with the strength of a nationally recognized institution, HCA Healthcare.

That same passion for excellence in the classroom extends to our offices. At Galen, you’ll find a culture deeply rooted in collaboration, innovation, and a shared commitment to improving the future of healthcare. Your work directly touches the next generation of nurses, and your contributions help our students pursue their dream of a compassionate career.

If you’re looking for a career where you can make a difference, grow professionally, and be part of a caring team, we’d love for you to apply for the Communication Specialist position today!

Click here to learn more about Galen!

Position Overview:

As a Communication Specialist at Galen College of Nursing, you will play a vital role in strengthening Galen College of Nursing’s reputation through proactive media relations, strategic story pitching, and impactful earned media. This role also serves as a key driver of internal communications, ensuring faculty, staff, and students receive clear, timely, and engaging information that supports alignment across the College. The role also supports reputation management by monitoring and responding to online reviews and contributes to crisis communications efforts to ensure coordinated, accurate, and empathetic messaging during critical situations.

Reporting to the Director of Communications, the Communications Specialist is an intuitive communicator who thrives in a dynamic, collaborative environment and consistently delivers polished, brand‑aligned messaging across all channels.

Key Responsibilities:

1. Develop and maintain ongoing relationships with leadership at assigned campuses to stay informed of newsworthy stories, events, milestones, and initiatives that can be shaped into compelling media content.
2. Proactively identify opportunities for pitching stories to local, regional, and national media outlets that highlight Galen’s mission, impact, students, faculty, and partnership with HCA Healthcare.
3. Develop, write, and execute high-quality press releases, media advisories, and statements.
4. Cultivate relationships with reporters, editors, producers, and key media contacts to increase the College’s earned media presence.
5. Monitor media inquiries and coordinate timely, accurate responses on behalf of the College.
6. Develop and deliver internal communications that support organizational awareness, alignment, and engagement, including faculty and staff announcements, student updates, academic messaging, newsletters, and presentations.
7. Write and publish internally relevant content on the College's internal website, Pure Community, ensuring it remains a reliable hub for news, events, and key institutional priorities.
8. Support communication efforts related to HCA Healthcare/Galen integration, ensuring clear, consistent messaging across the organization.
9. Assist in developing clear, accurate, and empathetic crisis communications for both internal and external audiences.
10. Support rapid response efforts during urgent situations, including message drafting, coordination with leadership, and dissemination across channels.
11. Help manage real-time information flow during crises, ensuring alignment, accuracy, and consistency across internal platforms and media-facing communication.
12. Monitor online reviews across platforms to identify trends, emerging concerns, and opportunities for engagement.
13. Draft and deliver timely, professional, and brand‑aligned responses to online reviews, while escalating sensitive or high-impact reviews to appropriate internal stakeholders.

Position Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience in communications, public relations, or a related field.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing/PR, journalism, or an equivalent discipline.
• Demonstrated success in media relations, story pitching, and securing earned media.
• Proven ability to identify newsworthy opportunities that advance institutional goals.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to develop and execute content strategies for diverse target audiences.
• Experience managing multiple projects simultaneously and meeting deadlines.
• Strong presentation and interpersonal communication skills. Ability to build productive, collaborative relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners.

Benefits

At Galen College of Nursing, we want to ensure your needs are met. We offer a comprehensive package of medical, dental, and vision plans, tuition discounts, along with unique benefits, including:

• Comprehensive medical coverage that covers many common services at no cost or for a low copay. Plans include prescription drug and behavioral health coverage as well as free telemedicine services and free AirMed medical transportation.
• Additional options for dental and vision benefits, life and disability coverage, flexible spending accounts, supplemental health protection plans (accident, critical illness, hospital indemnity), auto and home insurance, identity theft protection, legal counseling, long-term care coverage, moving assistance, pet insurance, and more.
• Free counseling services and resources for emotional, physical, and financial well-being
• 401(k) Plan with a 100% match on 3% to 9% of pay (based on years of service)
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan with 10% off HCA Healthcare stock
• Family support through fertility and family building benefits with Progyny and adoption assistance.
• Referral services for children, elders, and pet care, home and auto repair, event planning, and more.
• Consumer discounts through Abenity.
• Retirement readiness, rollover assistance services, and preferred banking partnerships.
• Education assistance (tuition, student loan, certification support, dependent scholarships).
• Colleague recognition program.
• Time Away from Work Program (paid time off, paid family leave, long- and short-term disability coverage and leaves of absence).
• Employee Health Assistance Fund that offers free employee-only coverage to full-time and part-time colleagues based on income.

Learn more about Employee Benefits.

Note: Eligibility for benefits may vary by location.

Galen College of Nursing is recognized as a 2023 National League of Nursing (NLN) Center of Excellence (COE).

Galen’s Compassionate Care Model Values

• Inclusivity: I foster an environment that provides opportunity for every individual to reach their full potential.
• Character: I act with integrity and compassion in all I do.
• Accountability: I own my role and accept responsibility for my actions.
• Respect: I value every person as an individual with unique contributions worthy of consideration.
• Excellence: I commit myself to the highest level of quality in everything I do.

Learn more about our vision and mission.

Experience the HCA Healthcare difference where colleagues are trusted, valued members of our healthcare team. Grow your career with an organization committed to delivering respectful, compassionate care, and where the unique and intrinsic worth of each individual is recognized. Submit your application for the opportunity below:

Communication Specialist

Galen College of Nursing