Strategic Communications Specialist – SOARC (CD&I)

The Work-Life Group•Alexandria, VA

18h

About The Position

This position is in the Secretariat for Special Operations (SSO), Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Special Operations and Low-Intensity Conflict (OASW(SO/LIC)). The role supports strategic communications, public affairs, and stakeholder engagement in support of Department of War priorities. The specialist serves as a senior communications advisor and principal writer, developing clear, accurate, audience-appropriate products for senior civilian leaders and translating complex policy, operational, technical, acquisition, readiness, and programmatic information into concise narratives. The specialist plans, coordinates, and executes communications that explain organizational priorities, initiatives, capabilities, and outcomes to internal and external stakeholders. The SOARC (CD&I)-focused assignment particularly values experience communicating defense acquisition initiatives, capability development, modernization efforts, and emerging technologies. The role partners with technical subject-matter experts and works across the organization to synchronize messaging, anticipate communications needs, and align products with leadership intent and applicable Department of War policies and processes.

Requirements

Must be a U.S. citizen.
Must possess an active TS clearance and be able to obtain SCI.
At least 6 years of relevant work experience.
At least 3 years in strategic communications, public affairs, public policy communications, journalism, corporate communications, or a related field.
Undergraduate degree; direct operational experience may substitute for this academic requirement.
Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated ability to produce executive-level products for senior leaders.
Experience developing visual communications products, including briefing decks, infographics, and data visualizations.
Ability to synthesize complex information, identify key themes, and communicate recommendations clearly and concisely.
Ability to travel domestically and internationally, as required.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting Department of War, Joint Staff, Office of the Secretary of War, a Military Department, Combatant Command, or other federal-government strategic communications or public affairs activities.
Experience developing strategic communications or public affairs materials for defense acquisition, capability development and integration (CD&I), research and engineering (R&E), modernization, or emerging technology programs.
Familiarity with capability gaps, requirements, technology transition, and acquisition milestones, and ability to explain them to nontechnical and executive audiences.
Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in communications, public affairs, journalism, English, political science, public policy, marketing, or a related discipline.
Training at the Defense Information School (DINFOS).
Experience advising and preparing senior executive leaders for media engagements, congressional engagements, public events, and stakeholder meetings.
Familiarity with Department of War public affairs processes, communication planning, media analysis, digital communications, and release-review procedures.

Responsibilities

Serve as a technical expert for communications-related activities.
Develop and implement strategic communication plans, themes, messages, and engagement approaches supporting organizational priorities and senior-leader objectives.
Draft, edit, and coordinate talking points, speeches, scripts, leader messages, remarks, briefing materials, fact sheets, slide decks, social-media content, press releases, articles, and press-packet materials.
Translate complex policy, operational, technical, acquisition, readiness, and resource information into clear products tailored to appropriate internal, interagency, congressional, industry, media, and public audiences.
Create narratives, executive-level talking points, and briefing products explaining acquisition priorities, capability development, modernization milestones, and emerging technology initiatives.
Advise senior leaders and staff on messaging, communications opportunities, reputational risks, and approaches for communicating sensitive or high-visibility initiatives.
Coordinate with public affairs, legislative affairs, policy, legal, security, operational, and technical stakeholders to ensure products are accurate, timely, synchronized, and properly staffed.
Partner with acquisition, capability development, research and engineering, and other technical subject-matter experts to communicate program objectives, progress, outcomes, and stakeholder impact accurately.
Support senior-leader engagements, conferences, ceremonies, visits, and other events by developing agendas, read-aheads, background materials, talking points, and follow-up communications.
Conduct communications research and environmental scanning to identify emerging issues, stakeholder concerns, media narratives, and opportunities to communicate organizational priorities.
Maintain communication calendars, task trackers, product libraries, and status reports to support leadership decision-making and coordinated execution.
Ensure communications comply with applicable Department of War policies, release procedures, security requirements, and records-management requirements.
Perform other strategic communications, public affairs, and executive-support duties as assigned.