Senior Communications Specialist

Role Overview: Candidate will work closely with internal and external stakeholders and product owners to provide requirements definition, refinement, and management support. Work independently to create a variety of marketing campaigns and related products tailored to program, Agency, and national-level audiences. Products include senior executive level briefings, white papers, talking points, posters, promotional items, videos, and podcast scripts using a variety of software applications/tools, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), technical and programmatic documentation, and strategic communication plans.

Responsibilities 

• Develop, write, and edit material for reports, manuals, proposals, instruction books, catalogs, and related technical and administrative publications concerned with work methods and procedures
• Complete writing assignments according to set standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology
• Review published materials and recommend revisions or changes in scope, format, content, and methods of reproduction and binding
• Maintain records and files of work and revisions; select photographs, drawings, sketches, diagrams, and charts to illustrate material; assist in laying out material for publication; arrange for typing, duplication and distribution of material; write speeches, articles, and public or employee relations releases; edit, standardize, or make changes to material prepared by other writers or personnel
• Collaborate with corporate communications personnel to ensure communications plans, documentation and training are aligned; assist in creating program communications
• Participate in the establishment of guidelines and standards for text and graphics
• Organize, write, edit and produce technical documentation per project standards regarding order, clarity, conciseness, style, and terminology
• Coordinate the quality-control activities required to ensure the accuracy and adequacy of each publication, including in-process and final reviews, editing for compliance with all applicable specifications and standards, validation, and change verification that quality publications are produced
• Ensure documentation complies with all applicable specifications, standards, and other project constraints, support creation and editing of graphic content for program documentation, and support quality assurance efforts to ensure visual fidelity of all graphical materials

• Background and experience in the DOD, Intelligence Community, and Combatant Commands
• Have expert-level writing and editing skills, familiar with AP style, Chicago Manual of Style, DoD and DIA writing style manual
• Expert knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, PowerPoint, and Visio) and Adobe Acrobat Pro including template creation and application; familiarity with XML topic based technical writing
• Familiarity with SharePoint, including administration, navigation, and basic site design
• Experience in an agile environment handling rapid deadlines
• Experience in project management, from conception to delivery
• Strong client-facing and teamwork skills
• Experience gathering, analyzing, and composing technical information into clear, readable documents used by technical and non-technical personnel
• Experience composing technical documents including user's manuals, training materials, proposals, and reports in accordance with technical documentation guidelines and standards
• Experience editing documents to ensure grammatical correctness and conducting research to ensure the use of proper technical terminology
• Recognizes when input from SMEs is too technical or has too much jargon for the intended audience and has the ability to work with SMEs to revise the language to make it understandable to a lay audience

Professional Certification(s):

N/A

Formal Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Humanities/Liberal Arts (English, History, Political Science, Journalism, etc.) or National Security/Intelligence fields

Years of Professional Experience:

10+ years

• Current DIA Read-On

Professional Certification(s):

N/A

Formal Education:

Master’s degree

Years of Professional Experience:

13+ years

• Ability to safely and successfully perform the essential job functions consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state and local standards, including meeting qualitative and/or quantitative productivity standards
• Ability to maintain regular, punctual attendance consistent with the ADA, FMLA and other federal, state, and local standards

• Must be able to talk, listen and speak clearly on telephone

• Expert-level command of the English language