Technical Communications & Storytelling Lead

Avalara•UNAVAILABLE, UNAVAILABLE

About The Position

Avalara is at an inflection point in how we evolve and scale our platform, products, and technical strategy. As the complexity of our architecture and the pace of innovation increase, the gap between what is being built and how it is understood—internally and externally—also grows. This role exists to close that gap. The Technical Communications & Storytelling Lead operates as an extension of the CTO, who leads global Engineering, IT, Content, Security, Onboarding, Managed Services, Professional Services, and Customer Support departments at Avalara. His teams design and operate the technology and services that power the Avalara agentic AI platform for global tax and compliance, focusing on product innovation, integration, reliability, and customer experience. ensuring that Avalara’s technical strategy, platform evolution, and product direction are translated into clear, consistent, and decision-enabling narratives. This is critical to driving alignment across Engineering, Product, Customer teams and leadership, and to effectively communicate our strategy in high-stakes forums including board discussions, executive reviews, and customer engagements. How This Role Elevates Avalara Drives clarity and alignment on technical strategy across Product, Engineering, Customer Support and executive leadership Strengthens how Avalara communicates platform evolution, innovation, and product capabilities to internal and external audiences Improves the effectiveness and impact of CTO-level communications in high-stakes moments Connects technical investments to business outcomes, enabling stronger prioritization and decision-making Establishes a higher standard and scalable approach to technical storytelling across the organization.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Communications, or a related field.
8–12 years of experience in engineering, technical product development, technical communications, or a related field
Strong understanding of how software systems and platforms are built, including architecture, APIs, and system design concepts
Demonstrated ability to quickly build deep context and explain products and systems at both functional and technical levels
Exceptional writing and storytelling skills, with a track record of simplifying complex topics without losing critical nuance
Advanced PowerPoint and visual communication skills, with strong command of narrative structure and flow
Experience supporting executive-level communications, including presentations and talk tracks for senior leaders
Proven ability to operate in ambiguous, fast-paced environments and drive clarity across cross-functional stakeholders
Strong collaboration and influence skills across Engineering, Product, and executive teams
Demonstrated ability to leverage AI and modern tools to enhance productivity and output quality
Use AI to significantly accelerate synthesis of complex technical inputs into clear narratives
Deliver measurable improvements in communication speed, quality, and consistency
Build and scale AI-driven workflows that reduce manual effort across storytelling processes
Elevate how teams use AI for communication, not just individual output
Establish repeatable patterns for AI-assisted content development
Apply strong judgment to ensure accuracy, context, and integrity in AI-generated content

Responsibilities

Develop and own CTO-level narratives that clearly articulate technical strategy, platform direction, and product evolution, enabling faster and more effective decision-making
Convert complex technical concepts, architectures, and product capabilities into structured, accessible, and high-impact communications
Produce presentations, written narratives, and talk tracks that elevate the quality and consistency of executive-level messaging
Frame technical work in terms of business value, customer outcomes, and strategic priorities
Proactively surface inconsistencies, ambiguity, or misalignment in technical messaging and drive resolution
Establish frameworks, templates, and best practices that elevate technical communication across teams
Tailor messaging to engineers, executives, and external stakeholders without sacrificing accuracy or depth
Leverage AI and modern tools to accelerate synthesis, iteration, and delivery of high-quality content
Ensure all messaging is consistent with communications developed and shared by other communications teams internally and externally.