National Security Strategic Communications Director (Legislative Affairs Focus) (TS/SCI Security Clearance Required)

Protagonist Therapeutics; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 124,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Protagonist is seeking a National Security Strategic Communications Director (Legislative Affairs Focus) to support a high-visibility national security initiative. You will own the client relationship, shape the strategic direction, and guide a distributed team delivering analysis and communication products.

If you can sit across from senior leaders and turn their needs into actionable guidance for a team, this is your lane—high autonomy, high visibility, with leadership responsibility.

Qualifications

• On-site work in the Washington Metropolitan Area; occasional remote opportunities; possible travel.
• Active TS/SCI clearance required.
• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of work experience or advanced degree with 7+ years of work experience in relevant fields.
• Experience advising senior government leaders on high-visibility national security initiatives (DoD strongly preferred).
• Ability to lead complex engagements and influence decision-making.
• Strong communicator capable of translating complex topics into clear messaging.
• Experience working the Hill or in Legislative Affairs is strongly desired.
• Background in defense, space, or national security environments is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary interface to senior U.S. Government stakeholders.
• Set the strategic direction for the engagement and ensure alignment to client priorities.
• Translate client needs into clear guidance for analysts and communications staff.
• Lead development of communication strategies, plans, and high-impact products.
• Develop Legislative engagement strategies and stakeholder management plans.
• Mentor a distributed team and maintain relationships across client and internal leadership.

Skills

National security communications

Client relationship management

Leadership

Strategic advisory

Clear communication

Education

Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of work experience

Advanced degree

Job description

Join Our Talented Team at Protagonist

We fuse rigorous, methodologically sound analysis with our cutting-edge technology platform, Narrative Analytics®. This powerful combination enables us to quantitatively analyze open-source media, deliver strategic recommendations, and craft executive-level communication strategies for clients with missions that matter.

Why Us?

Our team is a vibrant mix of communication specialists, data scientists, and subject matter experts with extensive experience across U.S. Government agencies, non-profit organizations, and Fortune 500 companies. By joining Protagonist, you’ll immerse yourself in a collaborative environment where innovation thrives, and your contributions truly matter.

What We Do

• Innovative Solutions: We co-develop cutting-edge solutions with our clients to address tough communication problems and capitalize on opportunities to make a tangible impact.
• Data-Driven Insights: Our tools and methodologies provide actionable insights that help clients meet their communication objectives and stay ahead of global challenges.
• Applied Expertise: We integrate our solutions within client organizations, leveraging our profound expertise to address critical issues and ensure sustainable success.

Be Part of Something Bigger

At Protagonist, you’ll work on compelling projects that make a real difference. We seek talented individuals eager to contribute to our mission and grow alongside us. If you’re passionate about communication, data analysis, and making an impact, we invite you to explore a career with Protagonist.

Job Description

Protagonist is seeking a National Security Strategic Communications Director (Legislative Affairs Focus) to support a high-visibility national security initiative.

This role sits at the center of the engagement—you will own the client relationship, shape the strategic direction of the work, and guide a distributed team delivering analysis and communication products.

If you can sit across from senior leaders, understand what they actually need (not just what they say), and turn that into direction for a team, this is your lane. This is a high-autonomy, high-visibility role where you’ll shape both the client relationship and the work itself, not just execute against it.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary interface to senior U.S. Government stakeholders
• Set the strategic direction for the engagement and ensure all work aligns to client priorities
• Translate client needs into clear guidance for analysts and communications staff
• Lead development of communication strategies, plans, and high-impact products
• Develop Legislative engagement strategies and stakeholder management plans
• Anticipate emerging issues and shape work before the client asks for it
• Manage and mentor a distributed team
• Maintain strong relationships across client and internal leadership

Requirements

• The position requires on-site work (occasional remote opportunities) in the Washington Metropolitan Area (D.C., Maryland, Virginia) for a Federal Government client. Occasional domestic travel may be required
• Active TS/SCI clearance required
• Bachelor's degree with 10+ years of work experience or advanced degree with 7+ years of work experience in communication, marketing, psychology, political science, or other social science fields. Relevant military or prior government experience in lieu of a four-year degree considered
• Experience advising senior government leaders on high-visibility national security initiatives (DoD strongly preferred)
• Proven ability to lead complex engagements and influence decision-making
• Strong communicator who can translate complex topics into clear messaging
• Experience working the Hill, or in Legislative Affairs, strongly desired
• Background in defense, space, or national security environments is a plus

Additional Information

Protagonist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Salary Range: $124,000-$190,000 based on education and level of relevant experience.

Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.