Director, Strategic Communications & PR

Job Summary

By Light Professional IT Services LLC seeks a Director, Strategic Communications & PR to enhance the company's market presence and thought leadership. The role involves managing media relations, developing the editorial calendar, and executing consistent internal and executive communications.

Responsibilities

• Own media relations, press release development and distribution, trade-press relationships, and announcement strategy;
• Manage PR agency support where engaged;
• Serve as the company's primary point of contact for inbound press and proactive media outreach;
• Develop talking points and support executives in media briefings and at trade shows, provide media training support where necessary;
• Own the editorial calendar and identify content opportunities across a large, technical organization spanning various geographies;
• Select the right vehicle for each via thought leadership, bylines, blogs, social media, web copy and campaign support;
• Operate as an internal journalist, building relationships to uncover stories and elevate subject matter experts through thought leadership, blogs, social media and speakerships;
• Steward the verbal brand identity ensuring consistency in tone, messaging, and editorial standards across the function's output;
• Turn strategy into audience-specific messaging and positioning;
• Develop executive messaging and thought-leadership platforms;
• Partner with Product Marketing on marketing copy and launch announcements, with Events on show-tied news, and with the CMO on corporate narrative;
• Lead internal communications strategy, including development of newsletters, town halls, executive memos, and videos as needed;
• Execute across social and media platforms such as Cision and Social Pilot, and track PR/communications KPIs for ROI via Google Analytics and social analytics;
• Manage internal communications strategy, including development of newsletters;
• Establish or roll out brand voice and standards across multiple entities preferred;
• Establish trade-press relationships in the defense or federal technology space preferred;
• Comfort with cleared-audience sensitivities and public-release review processes;
• Experience executing across social and media platforms such as Cision and Social Pilot, and tracking PR/communications KPIs for ROI via Google Analytics and social analytics;
• Experience managing internal communications across newsletters;
• Experience establishing or rolling out brand voice and standards across multiple entities preferred;
• Experience in WordPress preferred;
• Ability to obtain a security clearance is a plus.

Requirements

• Bachelor's in communications, journalism, English, public relations, or marketing;
• 7+ years in communications, public relations, corporate communications or content, ideally in govcon, defense, or a regulated B2B environment;
• Familiarity with defense, federal, or a regulated B2B environment;
• Ability to translate complex technical capabilities into clear and compelling marketing and editorial copy;
• Strong writer and editor able to move between multiple channels including social, executive voice, marketing copy, internal communications, press, executive voice, blogs and long-form content;
• Operationally reliable producing high-visibility output in a small, fast-moving team.

Qualifications

• Experience executing across social and media platforms such as Cision and Social Pilot, and tracking PR/communications KPIs for ROI via Google Analytics and social analytics;
• Experience managing internal communications across newsletters;
• Experience establishing or rolling out brand voice and standards across multiple entities preferred;
• Experience in WordPress preferred;
• Ability to obtain a security clearance is a plus.