Director of HR Communications & Colleague Engagement

Job Description

Job Description

Company Description

  About Covista

Covista is America's largest healthcare educator, serving more than 97,000 students and supported by a community of 385,000 alumni across five accredited institutions. Through personalized, tech-enabled education powered by 10,000 faculty and colleagues, Covista expands access to healthcare careers and addresses the U.S. healthcare workforce shortage at scale. Covista is the parent company of American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine, Chamberlain University, Ross University School of Medicine, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine and Walden University.

Our colleagues come from a wide range of backgrounds, business, academia, healthcare, government and nonprofits, and are part of a culture where doing exceptional work and making a meaningful difference for students and society aren't separate goals—they're one and the same. This means creating an environment where colleagues can develop new skills, build careers that match their ambitions and see the tangible impact of their work on healthcare education and workforce development. Colleagues who deliver results and embrace new tools to work smarter are valued for their contributions. But what makes working at Covista distinctive is our impact. Our faculty and colleagues don't just support healthcare education—they shape it. This isn't abstract purpose work. It's solving real problems for real people in real communities while advancing careers.

We operate on a hybrid schedule with four in-office days per week (Monday–Thursday). This approach enhances creativity, innovation, communication, and relationship-building, fostering a dynamic and collaborative work environment.

For more information, visit covista.com and follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube. Job Description

Opportunity at a Glance

If you believe communications should do more than inform, but inspire, connect and drive real behavior change, this role is for you. We’re looking for a Director of HR Communications and Colleague Engagement who is equal parts strategist, builder and doer, someone who thrives on building from the ground up, challenges the status quo and tests new ways to reach people more meaningfully. This role can be based in one of our offices in Chicago, Washington, D.C., Columbia, MD, Lisle, IL or Minneapolis, MN. You’ll operate within a corporate affairs model that connects the dots and tells compelling stories across a broad set of stakeholders, from colleagues and leaders to candidates and the public. You’ll join a fast-paced, innovative, high-performing team that cares deeply about the colleague experience and has fun bringing it to life. 

What you’ll do: 

• Lead and evolve our HR communications strategy: Own the vision for how HR communicates across the enterprise—from showcasing our talent strategy in action to informing colleagues on performance management, Total Rewards and large-scale people initiatives. Continuously evolve our approach to ensure our communications are not just heard—but understood and acted on. Lead and coach the Manager of HR Communications to deliver day-to-day communications with a consistently high bar for quality, clarity and impact. 

• Build an engagement strategy to strengthen our culture: Partner with HR to design and drive an employee engagement strategy that fosters collaboration, belonging and energy. Serve as a primary communications partner to Office Managing Leaders (OMLs), working with security and crisis and issues teams to equip leaders with timely, consistent messaging for both everyday and high-stakes moments. Create a flexible menu of activation tools, including discussion guides, culture exercises and event frameworks, that OMLs and local culture committees can tailor to bring the strategy to life in ways that feel authentic and relevant locally. 

• Strengthen our employer brand—inside and out: Bring our employee value proposition (EVP) and purpose, vision and values (PVV) to life through integrated, high-impact communications for both internal and external audiences. Partner closely with Brand and HR to align messaging, elevate our presence and support key employer brand initiatives. Contribute to key digital channels, including LinkedIn, Instagram and Glassdoor, recognizing their dual role in external brand building and internal engagement, while strengthening our culture and amplifying our EVP and PVV. 

• Act as a trusted partner and leader within the team: Serve as a key thought partner to the Senior Director of Strategy and Internal Communications, stepping in as needed to provide leadership, continuity and support across priorities. This is an opportunity to stretch, broaden your impact and help shape the future of our team. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in communications, media relations, journalism required.

• 10+ years of experience in HR communications, employee engagement, or related fields—and you're still curious about what's next. You're proficient in AI tools and eagerly explore how emerging technology can make communications more personalized, efficient and impactful. You bring real fluency with digital platforms, including—LinkedIn, Instagram and Glassdoor, and understand how to use them strategically for both external audiences and internal colleague engagement.  

• Exceptional writing and editing skills. You can turn dry HR policies into engaging narratives. You know when to be conversational and when to be concise. Every word matters. 

• Strategic thinking with a bias for action. You can see the big picture and the small details—and you know how to connect them. You don't get stuck in planning mode; you make things happen. 

• A builder's mindset. You thrive in environments where you're creating, not just maintaining. You're comfortable with ambiguity and energized by the opportunity to define what "great" looks like. 

• Collaborative spirit. You love working with cross-functional partners and know how to influence without authority. You make other people's work better. 

• A sense of humor and humanity. You understand that behind every policy and program are real people with real lives. You communicate with warmth, empathy, and the occasional well-placed emoji or clever pun. 

• Completes other duties as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Complies with all policies and standards

Additional Information

In support of the pay transparency laws enacted across the country, the expected salary range for this position is between $100,171.61 and $181,034.70. Actual pay will be adjusted based on job-related factors permitted by law, such as experience and training; geographic location; licensure and certifications; market factors; departmental budgets; and responsibility. Our Talent Acquisition Team will be happy to answer any questions you may have, and we look forward to learning more about your salary requirements. The position qualifies for the below benefits.

Covista offers a robust suite of benefits including:

 

• Health, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
• 401k Retirement Program + 6% employer match
• Participation in Covista’s Flexible Time Off (FTO) Policy
• 12 Paid Holidays
  For more information related to our benefits please visit:  
  You are also eligible to participate in an annual incentive program, subject to the rules governing the program, whereby an award, if any, depends on various factors, including, without limitation, individual and organizational performance.

 

 

Equal Opportunity – Minority / Female / Disability / V / Gender Identity / Sexual Orientation