External Content Strategist

About the role

The External Content Strategist is responsible for developing strategic content that advances Akima's business objectives, strengthens market positioning, and anticipates the evolving government contracting landscape. This role combines market intelligence, content strategy, and executive storytelling to ensure Akima is leading industry conversations. The position works closely with business leaders, subject matter experts, business development, and marketing to identify emerging trends, customer priorities, acquisition strategies, and competitive dynamics, translating those insights into compelling thought leadership, campaigns, executive messaging, and strategic content that supports growth. This is a hybrid role requiring residence within commuting distance of Herndon, VA.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Content Planning: Develop and execute an enterprise content strategy aligned with Akima's business objectives, growth priorities, and marketing strategy. Build proactive content roadmaps that support business development, executive visibility, recruiting, and brand awareness. Identify opportunities where strategic content can influence customer perception and strengthen competitive positioning.
• GovCon Market Intelligence: Continuously monitor the federal marketplace, customer priorities, acquisition trends, policy developments, competitive activity, and emerging technologies. Anticipate shifts in the GovCon landscape and translate market intelligence into strategic recommendations, messaging themes, and thought‑leadership opportunities. Advise marketing and business leaders on emerging issues, customer challenges, and industry trends.
• Thought Leadership & Strategic Content Development: Produce executive thought leadership, bylined articles, blogs, white papers, case studies, customer stories, campaign messaging, website content, and other strategic communications. Lead Akima’s awards strategy and nomination process, identifying high‑value opportunities and crafting compelling submissions. Partner with executives and subject‑matter experts to transform complex technical concepts into compelling content, creating messaging frameworks, value propositions, and narratives that differentiate Akima.
• Cross‑Functional Leadership: Partner with Business Development, Capture, and Marketing to identify strategic content opportunities. Lead content planning sessions with internal stakeholders to align messaging with business priorities. Serve as a trusted advisor on messaging, positioning, and content strategy across the enterprise.
• Content Effectiveness: Measure content performance and recommend adjustments based on business outcomes, audience engagement, competitive intelligence, and market trends. Evaluate AI search visibility, digital engagement, and industry conversations to refine Akima's content strategy. Recommend new formats, channels, and storytelling approaches to enhance visibility and influence.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated understanding of the federal contracting marketplace, including agency priorities, acquisition trends, procurement processes, competitive positioning, and broader GovCon factors.
• 7+ years in content creation, journalism, marketing, or communications—preferably in a government contracting environment.
• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Journalism, English, or a related field.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills with the ability to adapt tone and style for diverse audiences and formats.
• Strong project management, time‑management, and organizational skills; proactive and able to work independently.
• Familiarity with content management systems, email marketing tools, and social media platforms.

Pay

$115,000 – $125,000

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• Life insurance
• 401(k) retirement plan
• Range of voluntary benefits
• Paid Time Off (PTO) for regular full‑time and part‑time employees

Company Description

Akima is an Alaska Native Corporation (ANC) that delivers agile solutions across facilities, maintenance, IT, logistics, protective services, systems engineering, mission support, FF&E, and construction. With a mission that extends beyond federal projects, Akima supports its 15,000 Iñupiat shareholders and contributes to the preservation of a culture thriving above the Arctic Circle for over 10,000 years. Employees enjoy a challenging yet supportive environment that values innovation, diversity, comprehensive benefits, competitive pay, growth opportunities, and excellent retirement options.