Communications and External Affairs Manager

Giant Magellan; Pasadena (CA); Hybrid; USD 115,000 - 145,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Vision insurance

Disability insurance

401(k)

Job summary

GMTO Corporation in Pasadena seeks a Communications and External Affairs Manager to lead strategic communications, executive messaging, media relations, and government affairs, advancing the observatory’s priorities and external engagement. Reporting to the Senior Director, you will craft materials for multiple platforms, coordinate Washington, D.C.

engagement, manage external vendors, and guide rapid-response campaigns while aligning donor and philanthropic messaging with institutional

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, Marketing, Public Administration, or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public affairs, government relations, or strategic communications.
• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.
• Strong understanding of digital communications strategies, platforms, analytics, and industry best practices.
• Experience producing executive communications and briefing materials.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Experience managing contractors, consultants, and external vendors.
• Ability to synthesize technical or scientific information into compelling communications.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
• Willingness to travel domestically.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Communications: Support implementation of GMTO’s strategic communications and external affairs strategy.
• Government Affairs & External Relations: Coordinate Washington, D.C. engagement activities and develop advocacy collateral.
• Media Relations & Digital Communications: Support media inquiries, digital content, and monitoring.
• Cross-Functional Integration: Align donor communications and philanthropic messaging with institutional narratives.
• Project Coordination & Management: Maintain calendars, manage vendors, and monitor budgets.

Skills

Strong writing

Executive communication

Project management

Digital communications

Verbal communication

Microsoft Office

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Communications and External Affairs Manager

Communications and External Affairs Manager

The Giant Magellan Telescope is one of the most powerful ground-based telescopes ever engineered. It is designed to push the boundaries of human knowledge and explore the unknown. Now under construction at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile’s Atacama Desert, one of the premier locations on Earth for astronomy, the telescope will deliver the highest-performing combination of image quality, field of view, and light sensitivity ever achieved. From this southern hemisphere location, the Giant Magellan Telescope will use seven of the world’s largest mirrors to uncover the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy, investigate the origins of chemical elements, and search for signs of life on distant exoplanets.

When complete in the 2030s, the Giant Magellan Telescope will be one of the largest public-private funded science projects in history. It is the work of the GMTO Corporation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and international research consortium, founded by 16 universities and research institutions from the United States, Chile, Australia, Brazil, Israel, South Korea, and Taiwan.

Our culture is impactful, inclusive, and fearlessly innovative. We tackle the most complex engineering challenges and scientific questions alongside talented individuals who share a passion for advancing humanity’s understanding of the Universe.

We invite you to join our team and leave your mark on the future of astronomy and beyond.

The Universe Awaits®

Team

Development and Communications

Senior Director of Communications and Outreach

JOB SUMMARY

The Communications and External Affairs Manager supports the Giant Magellan Telescope’s strategic communications, executive communications, media relations, and government affairs initiatives to advance the observatory’s institutional priorities and external engagement objectives.

Reporting to the Senior Director of Communications and Outreach, this position serves as a key liaison between communications and government affairs activities, helping ensure consistent messaging and coordinated engagement with policymakers, federal agencies, consortium partners, media, institutional stakeholders, and external audiences.

The position develops communications materials across multiple platforms, supports executive messaging, coordinates Washington, D.C. engagement activities, manages digital communications projects and external contractors, and assists with rapid-response communications, media relations, and stakeholder outreach.

JOB DUTIES

Strategic Communications

• Support implementation of GMTO’s strategic communications and external affairs strategy.


• Develop and edit press releases, speeches, newsletters, presentations, talking points, briefing materials, fact sheets, reports, website content, articles, and digital communications.


• Translate complex scientific, technical, and policy information into clear communications.


• Coordinate messaging across communications, executive leadership, development, education and outreach, and government affairs.


• Support rapid-response communications and issue management.

Government Affairs & External Relations

• Coordinate Washington, D.C. engagement activities supporting federal relations and advocacy initiatives, including Capitol Hill visits, meetings with congressional offices and federal agencies, executive briefings, logistics, communications materials, and stakeholder follow-up.


• Develop congressional one-pagers, leave-behind materials, briefing books, advocacy collateral, and policy communications.


• Track stakeholder follow-up and coordinate with external government affairs consultants.

Media Relations & Digital Communications

• Support media inquiries, interviews, press materials, and media monitoring.


• Develop digital content across websites, newsletters, email campaigns, and social media.


• Monitor communications performance metrics and recommend improvements.

Cross-Functional Integration

• Partner with development to align donor communications, case for support messaging, and stewardship materials with broader institutional narratives.


• Support major gift cultivation through tailored materials and executive briefing support.


• Ensure alignment between government affairs messaging and philanthropic positioning.

Project Coordination & Management

• Maintain communications calendars and coordinate multiple communications and external affairs projects simultaneously.


• Maintain organized repositories of messaging, briefing materials, communications assets, and stakeholder interactions, utilizing CRM systems to support stakeholder engagement, communications tracking, and reporting.


• Manage communications, public relations, government affairs, digital media, creative, photography, video production, and other external consultants and contractors.


• Develop scopes of work, coordinate procurement activities, manage vendors and consultants, review deliverables, and monitor project schedules and budgets to ensure high-quality outcomes.


• Track and support management of communications and external affairs budgets, including annual planning for communications-related expenditures.

Qualifications (Required)

• Bachelor’s degree in Communications, Journalism, Public Relations, Political Science, Public Policy, Marketing, Public Administration, or related field.


• Minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public affairs, government relations, or strategic communications.


• Exceptional writing, editing, and verbal communication skills.


• Strong understanding of digital communications strategies, platforms, analytics, and industry best practices.


• Experience producing executive communications and briefing materials.


• Strong organizational and project management skills.


• Experience managing contractors, consultants, and external vendors.


• Ability to synthesize technical or scientific information into compelling communications.


• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.


• Willingness to travel domestically, including Washington, D.C.

Qualifications (Preferred)

• Experience in scientific, engineering, research, higher education, or nonprofit organizations


• Experience supporting congressional relations, federal agencies, or public policy initiatives.


• Familiarity with the National Science Foundation and federal research funding.


• Knowledge of astronomy or large scientific infrastructure projects.


• Spanish language proficiency is desirable.

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Primarily office-based with hybrid work flexibility as approved. This role is expected to work onsite in Pasadena at least 2 days per week.


• Regular domestic travel (estimated 20-30%), including Washington, D.C.


• Occasional evening or weekend work supporting events, media activities, or congressional engagement.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

No special requirements

DIRECT REPORTS

None

FEATURED BENEFITS

• Medical insurance


• Vision insurance


• Disability insurance


• 401(k)

HIRING RANGE

$115,000-$145,000

The salary for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, and training.

If your skills and experience are a match for the position or if we need additional information, we will contact you. If we do not see a suitable match between your qualifications and the position, we will keep your information on file in the event future positions become available that are more suitable to your qualifications.

We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you have the right to request an accommodation if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our career center as a result of your disability. To request an accommodation, contact a Giant Magellan Telescope Corporation Human Resources Representative.