Senior Strategist

LINK; Washington (District of Columbia); On-site; USD 112,000 - 151,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Internet stipend

Commuter stipend

Healthcare benefits

401K

Holiday PTO

Bonus program

Profit sharing

L&D reimbursement

MacBook Pro package

Job summary

LINK is seeking a Senior Strategist with a strong background in communication to work directly with clients, distill insights from content, and develop executive-level strategies. You will collaborate with a cross-functional team to deliver visually compelling products aligned with client brands and cultures.

The role emphasizes strategic advisory, storytelling, and change management to drive LINK’s growth and client success, with on-site collaboration 2-3 days per week in the Washington, DC

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required in a related field or equivalent.
• 10+ years in strategic communications, consulting, or related discipline.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance; Secret preferred.
• Experience with military/public affairs or defense communications preferred.
• Strong ability to synthesize complex info into clear insights for executives.
• Proven client-facing experience and stakeholder influence at multiple levels.

Responsibilities

• Frame complex challenges for clients and translate ambiguity into actionable strategies.
• Partner with client stakeholders to define missions, visions, and measurable KPIs/OKRs.
• Lead executive workshops, stakeholder engagements, and prioritization activities.
• Conduct research, interviews, benchmarking, and current-state assessments to inform recommendations.
• Synthesize findings into clear strategic insights and executive recommendations.
• Identify opportunities to create business value and shape follow-on work.
• Provide strategic guidance to help clients navigate organizational complexity.
• Translate ideas into compelling narratives, executive presentations, and decision-support products.
• Collaborate with creative teams to produce visuals supporting strategy objectives.
• Set quality standards for deliverables and guide team members to ensure excellence.
• Develop executive-ready materials to support decision-making and alignment.

Skills

Client liaison

Strategic thinking

Executive communication

Storytelling

Change management

Stakeholder engagement

Team leadership

Security clearance readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communication, Business, Public Policy, English, or related field

Tools

MS Office

Job description

Who We Are:

LINK is a fast-growing Woman Owned Small Business (WOSB) that leverages human-centered design to support strategy, innovation, communication, change, and branding within the federal government and adjacent industry partners. At LINK, we partner with engineers, futurists, and thought leaders to untangle complexity, discover opportunity, and communicate clearly with visual stories.

Let us be your partners in change.

Location:

We are actively hiring in the Washington, D.C. area.

About The Opportunity

LINK is looking for a Senior Strategist with a strong background in communication to join our dynamic team. You will interface directly with clients to understand their unique challenges, provide consultative strategies and executive-level solutions, distill narratives from client-provided content, and collaborate with the creative team to execute visual products that align with the client’s brand, industry, and culture.

In this role, you will work with colleagues across the organization to uncover meaningful insights, build game-changing strategies, and deliver tailored solutions. Your expertise in Strategic Communications will play a pivotal role in driving LINK's business growth and delivering high-quality, client-focused outcomes.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience working directly with clients, extracting key insights, and leading collaborative initiatives to achieve impactful results. This is an exciting opportunity to bring together creative and strategic expertise to contribute to LINK’s continued success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communication, Business, Public Policy, English, or a related field.
• 10+ years of experience in strategic communications, consulting, public affairs, organizational transformation, program management, strategy, or a related field.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance. A Secret level clearance is highly preferred.
• Experience in military public affairs, strategic communications, or communications within a military or defense environment; experience as a Military Public Affairs Officer (PAO) is a plus.
• Demonstrated ability to build trusted relationships with clients and influence stakeholders at multiple levels of an organization.
• Strong strategic thinking, analytical problem-solving, and decision-making capabilities.
• Experience facilitating executive-level discussions, workshops, and strategic planning efforts.
• Ability to synthesize complex information into clear insights, recommendations, and actionable plans.
• Interest in visual storytelling, data visualization, and communicating abstract concepts through compelling narratives.
• Excellent organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining quality and attention to detail.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including experience developing executive-level presentations and strategic deliverables.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, exercise sound judgment, and lead work in complex, fast-paced environments.
• Extensive experience operating in ambiguous environments and exercising sound judgment with incomplete information.

Responsibilities

Client Partnership & Strategic Advisory

• Serves as a trusted advisor to clients by framing complex challenges, identifying opportunities, and translating ambiguity into actionable strategies and recommendations.
• Partners directly with client stakeholders to define missions, visions, strategic goals, and measurable KPIs/OKRs aligned to enterprise priorities.
• Leads strategic planning efforts, including executive workshops, stakeholder engagements, scenario planning activities, and initiative prioritization efforts.
• Conducts and oversees research, stakeholder interviews, benchmarking efforts, and current-state assessments to inform strategic recommendations.
• Synthesizes complex information into clear findings, strategic insights, and executive-level recommendations.
• Identifies opportunities to create tangible business value and helps shape follow‑on work that supports client success and long‑term engagement growth.
• Provides strategic guidance that helps clients make informed decisions and navigate organizational complexity.

Communication Strategy, Storytelling & Execution

• Translates complex ideas into compelling strategic narratives, executive‑level presentations, communication strategies, and decision‑support products.
• Develops messaging frameworks that align leadership vision, organizational priorities, and stakeholder needs.
• Designs content structures, information hierarchies, and storytelling approaches that communicate complex concepts clearly and effectively.
• Collaborates with creative teams to develop high‑quality visual products that support strategic objectives and audience understanding.
• Establishes quality standards for strategic deliverables and provides guidance to team members to ensure consistency and excellence.
• Leads development of executive‑ready materials that support decision‑making, alignment, and organizational action.

Change Management & Organizational Transformation

• Develops and implements change management strategies, including stakeholder engagement plans, communications strategies, change impact assessments, and adoption roadmaps.
• Designs governance frameworks, operating models, and implementation approaches that support successful transformation efforts.
• Facilitates cross‑functional working sessions that drive alignment, accelerate decision‑making, and address organizational resistance.
• Establishes feedback mechanisms and performance measures that support continuous improvement and long‑term success.
• Monitors progress, evaluates outcomes, and refines approaches based on stakeholder feedback and organizational needs.

Team Development & Leadership

• Mentors teammates through coaching, knowledge sharing, and constructive feedback.
• Models LINK values and contributes to a collaborative, inclusive, and high‑performing team culture.
• Shares tools, approaches, and lessons learned that improve the quality and consistency of work across engagements.

Work Schedule

• On‑site with the client 2-3 days per week.
• Full time, 40 hours per week
• Some travel required to attend relevant events and conferences, and participate in LINK team events

Salary

LINK is committed to offering competitive compensation. While the salary range for this position is $112,000 - $151,000, your final offer may be adjusted based on factors such as experience and location.

Benefits

• $100 monthly internet/cell phone stipend
• $150 monthly commuter stipend for eligible participants
• LINK sponsored healthcare benefits including medical, dental, vision
• Company-paid Short Term Disability Insurance
• 401K with employer contribution of up to 4%
• 11 Federal Holidays per year
• 15 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) per year
• Paid Holiday Time Off (Christmas Eve through the New Year)
• Annual bonus plan participation
• Annual profit sharing participation
• $2,000 Learning and Development program reimbursement
• Technology package that includes a LINK-owned MacBook Pro, monitor, mouse and keyboard

LINK is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by applicable state, local, and federal law.

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact Human Resources to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.