Sr. Principal Public Affairs & Advocacy Specialist
About The Position
Northrop Grumman seeks a Sr. Principal Public Affairs and Advocacy Specialist to join its Public Relations and Public Affairs team. This senior individual contributor will lead enterprise-wide strategic communications planning aligned with the company’s legislative priorities, building partnerships across the company to integrate enterprise and program-level plans into customer-focused omnichannel communication strategies. The role is on the Public Affairs and Media Operations team within the Public Relations and Public Affairs center of practice, based at Northrop Grumman headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia. The position follows a 9/80 schedule, with every other Friday off, and requires travel 10% of the time. The specialist will support advocacy programs and priority states, lead marketing strategies for company economic impact data, maintain the strategic listening program and database, and integrate advocacy strategy into media operations. The role also involves supporting strategic partnerships, collaborating with communicators and functional leaders, developing messaging frameworks that increase customer awareness of Northrop Grumman’s capabilities, and providing surge support during the congressional posture season. The position connects enterprise and program-level communications strategies to legislative priorities, strengthens the company’s influence with stakeholders, and uses economic impact data and strategic listening tools to support data-driven decisions. The specialist will analyze messaging effectiveness by attending stakeholder events and sharing insights with internal partners. A Secret clearance is listed, but clearance is not required to start. No relocation assistance is available.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree and 10+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and 8+ years; or Associate’s degree and 12+ years; or high school diploma and 14+ years.
- Relevant experience in media relations, communications, public relations, or public affairs for a medium- to large-sized organization.
- Experience supporting senior leader engagements with media and/or Members of Congress and staff.
- Strong understanding of the federal legislative process and the DoD Planning, Programming, Budgeting, and Execution process.
- Ability to connect communications objectives to organizational goals.
- Strong planning, project management, and operations skills.
- Strong executive presence.
- Comfort leading through iterative processes.
- Proven coalition-building skills.
- Ability to synthesize complex topics into concise, executive-ready insights.
- Strategic thinking, planning, and decision-making.
- Curiosity and creativity with strong attention to detail.
- Commitment to quality and results.
Nice To Haves
- U.S. Department of Defense and/or federal legislative experience, or agency experience working with these entities.
- Experience composing, reviewing, and/or copy-editing strategic plans.
Responsibilities
- Provide Public Affairs support to key advocacy programs and priority states in partnership with Legislative Affairs and Communications colleagues.
- Lead marketing strategies for company economic impact data.
- Maintain and enhance the strategic listening program and its database.
- Integrate advocacy strategy into media operations deliverables and directly participate in media operations.
- Support strategic partnership efforts.
- Collaborate with communicators and functional leaders to align content and advocacy with key stakeholder moments.
- Develop messaging frameworks that strengthen customer awareness of Northrop Grumman’s capabilities.
- Provide surge support during the congressional posture season, sharing relevant acquisition and theme-related insights with communication leaders.
- Drive integrated, legislative-focused communication plans by connecting enterprise and program-level strategies.
- Analyze the effectiveness of company messaging by attending stakeholder events and sharing insights with internal partners.
Benefits
- Health insurance coverage
- Life insurance
- Disability insurance
- Savings plan
- Company-paid holidays
- Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business
- Employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus, depending on the position.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
