Job Description Summary:

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) is seeking a new team member to join the senior leadership team to advance the outreach and communications objectives of the new strategic plan that include enhancing public awareness of the NAE and the appreciation of the engineering profession. In this position, the successful candidate will refine and implement a NAE outreach and communications plan, developing and guiding the related team to achieve organizational goals. Solid leadership and project management experience are key to success. The Director will define and direct all internal and external communications activities, provide strategic communications advice for senior leadership, plan, implement, and oversee special initiatives and campaigns, establish and maintain a strong institutional brand, increase the NAE’s digital presence, and develop clear metrics for assessing effectiveness.

The Director will develop policies to ensure communications consistency and coordination across the NAE and in collaboration across the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). Working closely with colleagues from NAE programs, membership, and development, the Director will provide recommendations and solutions with full understanding of their outreach needs and communications impact.

Job Description:

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

1. Leads the implementation of the NAE’s strategic priorities on outreach and communications, and periodically refresh the branding, marketing, and communications tools to meet the stated objectives. Consults with NAE and NASEM leadership, NAE members, and external stakeholders in planning and initiating creative outreach and communication efforts and overseeing their growth and evaluation.

2. Monitors contemporary trends and identifies opportunities for related tactics and strategies and ensures that the dissemination of communication products meets the needs of all stakeholders.

3. Establishes and promotes a strong institutional brand for NAE–in synergy with the National Academies brand. Develops and oversees implementation policies that ensure consistency across NAE communications.

4. Raises and refreshes the NAE’s visibility with targeted external audiences, including engineering-related businesses, academic institutions, professional societies, and relevant nongovernmental operations. Promotes the visibility of NAE leadership, programs, membership, fundraising priorities, and awards to advance the organization’s presence among targeted audiences as a top-tier influencer.

5. Enhances the NAE’s presence in news media and manages media relationships and outreach to secure news coverage and place periodic opinion-based commentaries. Works with NAE leadership, programs, membership, and development staff to develop messaging and materials for news media. Coordinates planning with NASEM media relations staff as needed and serves as NAE spokesperson when appropriate.

6. Supports dissemination activities related to NAE awards, programs, and membership. Leads certain external engagement activities as assigned by NAE leadership.

7. Significantly enhances the NAE’s digital presence. Develops and oversees web and social media strategies and tactics that foster the digital growth and impact of the NAE. Leads the migration of NAE.edu to a new web platform. Oversees the development of measures and metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of digital communications efforts.

8. Builds and leads a creative, dynamic, collaborative communications team and fosters strong teamwork. Inspires synergized and innovative approaches to initiating novel presentations of NAE messages and publications. Conducts staff development planning. Mentors, trains and develops employees to successfully perform current responsibilities and encourage development of staff for future roles. Conducts personnel actions, including performance and compensation reviews.

9. Exercises fiscal discipline in managing budgets and any external contracts. Ensures budget and financial compliance with organization, regulatory, and contractual obligations.

NONESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES

Related duties and special projects as assigned.

JOB SPECIFICATIONS

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge of engineering communication with eight+ years of related experience developing and implementing successful and comprehensive outreach, marketing, and communication plans, and public affairs programs for private sector or nonprofit organizations.
Ability to work successfully in a team environment; and to build, develop, and manage effective teams. Ability to develop strong relationships with executives, colleagues, team members, committee members, external constituents, and the media.
Supervisory experience with direct reports and demonstrated ability to build virtual teams with peers for specific projects.
Strong project management skills and experience working in complex environments with a high degree of organizational effectiveness.
Extensive understanding of today's media environment, including the effective use of digital and social platforms.
Ability to solve problems of substantial variety and complexity; undertake tasks broad in nature, requiring ingenuity and originality; effectively manage change to advance the organization’s mission and priorities; and serve as a resource to others in the resolution of complex problems and issues.
Proven track record of developing and delivering communications programs that produce operating results based on established metrics and benchmarks.
Ability to operate independently, and exercise significant latitude for independent judgment, discretion, and action.
Ability to manage and maintain privileged, sensitive, and confidential information and matters appropriately.
Experience managing P&L or budget responsibility for communications and marketing teams and programs.
Excellent personal written and presentation communication skills with a proven ability to effectively interact with all levels of employees and a diverse range of sponsors, partners, and contractors.

Minimum Education/Training Requirements: Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Communications, Public or Media Relations or equivalent knowledge. Master’s degree preferred.

Minimum Experience: Eight years of related professional experience, four of which were in a supervisory capacity.

Physical Capabilities: Ability to work at a computer for extended periods of time.

Required Licenses, Certification or Registration: None.

Supervisory Responsibilities/Controls: Reports to the NAE Executive Office. Collaborates extensively with NAE Programs, Membership, and Development, and NASEM Communications. Directly supervises the staff of the Office of Marketing and Communications.

Compensation Range: The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine support equity, fairness, and transparency in our compensation programs. An estimated compensation range for this position is $101,130 - $158,015. Compensation offered to the selected candidate will be based on the candidate’s relevant knowledge, skills, and work experience, commensurate with compensation of current employees in comparable positions with similar knowledge, skills, and work experience, and subject to budget parameters. Note it is not typical for a candidate to be hired at the higher end of the range. This is a benefits- eligible position. Our Benefits Plan offers competitive and comprehensive benefit options, including medical, dental and vision insurance, life insurance, disability coverage, retirement and savings benefits, leave benefits such as paid holidays and paid personal leave, transportation subsidies, and education assistance. For more information, please click here.

Work Environment: Hybrid Office/Telecommute environment, expected onsite percentage 60%, with occasional travel between National Academies’ facilities and to off-site meeting/sponsor locations.

The National Academies’ Statement on Diversity and Inclusion:

We, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (the National Academies), value diversity among our staff, members, volunteers, partners, vendors, and audiences. We recognize that talent is broadly distributed in society and that many perspectives enhance the quality of our work and drive innovation and impact.

We pledge to cultivate a workplace culture and climate that promotes inclusion, belonging, accessibility, and anti-racism; upholds equity; and values the participation of all who are engaged in advancing our mission. By embracing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion in our programs, institutional policies and practices, and products, we will be able to better advise the nation on the most complex issues facing society and the world.

Equal Opportunity Employer:

It is the policy of the National Academies to recruit, hire, transfer, compensate, and promote people in all job categories and to administer all other personnel actions, terms and conditions of employment in a manner that is consistent with equal employment, and does not discriminate on the basis of race, creed, ethnicity, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, religion, disability, medical condition for which a person has been rehabilitated or cured, marital status, family responsibilities, genetic information, political affiliation, personal appearance, matriculation, unemployment status, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws. It is also the institution's policy to recruit, hire, promote, and provide reasonable accommodation to qualified individuals with disabilities and covered veterans who are otherwise qualified.

Any qualification to be considered equivalent, in lieu of stated minimum, requires the prior approval of the Office of Human Resources.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employees assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of personnel so classified. Some functions in this description may be specific to a particular unit of the National Academies and not applicable to other units.

Job Family:

COMM

Employee Type:

Employee

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

37.5

City/State:

Washington, District of Columbia