Executive Communications Specialist

QinetiQ US (formerly Avantus Federal); Chantilly (VA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

QinetiQ US (formerly Avantus Federal) seeks an Executive Communications Specialist to support the Space Development Agency (SDA). You will craft strategic internal messages, align with leadership priorities, and reinforce agency culture across internal channels.

Under the Director of Strategic Engagement, you will translate complex acquisition plans into clear, human-centered storytelling for SDA staff, collaborating with senior leaders to drive engagement and organizational change.

Qualifications

• BA in English, communication, marketing, or similar.
• Experience in executive communication, communication planning, and/or public relations at the agency level.
• Demonstrable experience developing internal communication strategies in a complex organization.
• Familiar with AP Style.
• Expert in Word, PowerPoint, and Excel for cohesive products.
• Familiar with SharePoint to organize large information volumes.
• Ability to write quickly and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate through multiple channels and measure impact.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize.
• TS/SCI eligibility; DoD or similar experience required.

Responsibilities

• Develop and drive strategic internal communication plans aligned with priorities.
• Consolidate and present agency information across internal channels.
• Develop and implement internal/executive communication plans to raise awareness.
• Create key messages and talking points for SDA leadership across channels.
• Translate complex acquisition goals into plainspoken storytelling for all employees.
• Collaborate with Enterprise Operations and Human Capital to present information clearly.
• Analyze internal campaigns for effectiveness and reach.
• Enhance communication channels, including intranet/SharePoint user experience.
• Assist senior leaders with product development messaging and talking points.
• Produce clear internal content across emails, features, articles, and scripts.
• Tailor messages for current and prospective employees with strategic alignment.
• Coordinate logistics and messaging for internal SDA events and meetings.
• Work with leadership to deliver messages that drive engagement and culture.

Skills

AP Style

Executive communication

Communication planning

Public relations

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

SharePoint

Writing quickly

Cross-channel communication

Organizational skills

DoD experience

TS/SCI eligibility

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SharePoint

Microsoft Word

PowerPoint

Excel

Job description

We are a world-class team of professionals who deliver next generation technology and products in robotic and autonomous platforms, ground, soldier, and maritime systems in 50+ locations world-wide. Much of our work contributes to innovative research in the fields of sensor science, signal processing, data fusion, artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and augmented reality (AR).

QinetiQ US’s dedicated experts in defense, aerospace, security, and related fields all work together to explore new ways of protecting the American Warfighter, Security Forces, and Allies. Being a part of QinetiQ US means being central to the safety and security of the world around us. Partnering with our customers, we help save lives; reduce risks to society; and maintain the global infrastructure on which we all depend.

Why Join QinetiQ US?

If you have the courage to take on a wide variety of complex challenges, then you will experience a unique working environment where innovative teams blend different perspectives, disciplines, and technologies to discover new ways of solving complex problems. In our diverse and inclusive environment, you can be authentic, feel valued, be respected, and realize your full potential. QinetiQ US will support you with workplace flexibility, a commitment to the health and well-being of you and your family and provide opportunities to work with a purpose. We are committed to supporting your success in both your professional and personal lives.

Position Overview

Join us in our fast-paced support to the Space Development Agency (SDA). Recognized as the Department of Defense's constructive disruptor for space acquisition, SDA delivers space-based capabilities to the joint warfighter to support terrestrial missions through development, fielding, and operation of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. SDA capitalizes on a unique business model that values speed and lowers costs by harnessing commercial development to achieve a proliferated architecture and enhance resilience. We are seeking an Executive Communications Specialist to support SDA’s mission. Under the guidance of the Director of Strategic Engagement, this position will develop and drive strategic internal communication plans that align with business priorities, enhance employee understanding, and reinforce agency culture. Responsibilities include:

Responsibilities

• Under the guidance of the Director of Strategic Engagement, the position will develop and drive strategic internal communication plans that align with business priorities, enhance employee understanding, and reinforce agency culture.
• Works with SDA senior leaders, accountable for consolidating, streamlining, and effectively presenting key agency information that delivers compelling messages across a variety of internal platforms and channels.
• Responsible for developing, managing, and implementing internal/executive communication plans to promote broader agency awareness of key info and messaging.
• Develops key messages and talking points for SDA leadership and manages the implementation across all internal communication channels.
• Translate complex acquisition strategies, goals, and technical concepts into plainspoken, human-centered storytelling that connects with all employees.
• Collaborates with the Enterprise Operations and Human Capital & Manpower cells to gather relevant information and present to the internal audience in a consolidated, user-friendly way.
• Analyzes internal communication campaigns in terms of their effectiveness in meeting the information needs of the SDA audience.
• Identify, implement, and enhance communication channels and methods to promote the SDA mission, objectives, and successes, including a dynamic intranet/SharePoint user experience.
• Assists with internal/executive communication requirements for senior leaders, including product development, message drafting, and talking points.
• Produce clear internal communication through a wide range of styles and formats, including e-mail updates, web features, articles, and leaders’ verbal communication.
• Tailor messages to serve the needs of current and prospective employees. Messaging should be coordinated with strategic communication plans for SDA.
• Coordinate with SDA executive administrative support to coordinate logistics, and messaging for internal SDA events and meetings.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to craft and deliver key messages that drive employee engagement, cultural alignment, and organizational change.
• Develop initiatives to gather employee feedback and promote two‑way communication between leadership and staff.

Required Qualifications

• A minimum of five years of recent and relevant experience.
• BA in English, communication, marketing, or similar
• Experience in executive communication, communication planning, and/or public relations at the executive department/service component/agency level.
• Demonstrable experience in developing and implementing successful internal communication strategies in a complex or matrixed organization.
• Familiar with writing in AP Style
• Expert in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, and Excel to develop cohesive communication products.
• Familiar with SharePoint (or other intranet sites) used to organize and make available a large volume of varied information to internal agency audience.
• Ability to write and create messages/content quickly and meet deadlines.
• Ability to communicate through various channels, measure and assess communication impacts.
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize.
• TS/SCI eligibility required; #qinetiqclearedjob
• Experience working within the Department of Defense (DoD) or another executive agency is required.

Pay Transparency

The salary range for this role is $120,000 - $140,000 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. QinetiQ US considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

Company EEO Statement

QinetiQ US is an Equal Opportunity employer. All Qualified Applicants will receive equal consideration for employment without regard to race, age, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected Veteran status.

Accessibility/Accommodation

If because of a medical condition or disability you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to [e-mail] or call [phone] Opt. 1 and let us know the nature of your request and contact information.