Senior Communications Manager

Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) is seeking a Senior Communications Manager to lead the development, implementation, measurement and evaluation of strategies and tactics designed to strengthen the lab’s reputation by building awareness and understanding of, and support for, SRNL’s missions. This position oversees all aspects of the laboratory’s internal and external communications, serving as the day-to-day manager for SRNL’s communications team to ensure directorate-level activities consistent with Lab standards and expectations; share best practices across the Laboratory; and ensure awareness and coordination with protocol, media relations, employee communications, and community engagement. The successful candidate will collaborate with the SRNL senior leadership team, Savannah River Site partners, communications officers of other national laboratories, as well as public affairs and communications site and headquarters staff for DOE’s Office of Environmental Management and the National Nuclear Security Administration. This position will report to the Director of Institutional Planning & Communications.

• Lead and manage the activities of the Communications staff including internal communications, media relations, digital and social media, community relations, educational outreach, technical writing, graphic design, brand management, and communications planning. 
• Collaborate with SRNL senior leaders to identify communication goals that support SRNL’s strategic initiatives, operational priorities, and business goals. 
• Develop and implement internal and external communications strategies to ensure S&T directorate communications best support lab-wide priorities as well as directorate-specific priorities, strengthening SRNL’s reputation with key stakeholders and audiences, including staff.
• Review, edit, and secure approvals in support of Lab-level products and activities such as the Annual Laboratory Plan, Laboratory Agenda, congressional testimony, senior leadership presentations, correspondence, and websites.
• Coordinate with protocol, government affairs, and executive communications to ensure clear, concise, and consistent messaging across products and channels.
• Leverage capabilities to engage stakeholders and identified audiences to tell the SRNL story.
• Develop and maintain processes and relationships across the laboratory to foster storytelling, proactive communication, and incorporation of communications in laboratory planning.
• Develop and maintain policies and procedures to preserve operational security, information security, organizational transparency and brand integrity.
• Champion SRNL's core values of Integrity, Innovation, Service, Teamwork.
• Oversee improvements to internal communications processes and platforms, including staff highlights, recognition and awards, and cascading management communications.
• Oversee improvements to the intranet to facilitate improved directorate communications and information sharing.
• Manage an annual communications budget and plan.
• Demonstrated skill in creating, monitoring, and adhering to budgets and schedules to meet deadlines, using strong project management skills.
• Support development for communications staff with an aptitude for mentoring teammates and peers through supportive feedback and coaching.

Minimum Qualifications: 

• Master of Science degree in communication, mass communication, public relations, strategic communication or media science and a minimum of 10 years of progressive leadership experience in communications positions.
• Candidate must be self-directed, with excellent written and oral communications skills as well as strong interpersonal skills. 
• Demonstrated experience in developing and leading high performing teams.
• The ability to work with senior leaders and the confidence to fulfill urgent requests in a timely manner are essential. 
• The candidate must possess the ability to prioritize, meet deadlines, and lead teams in a deadline-driven environment; must have the ability to work both independently and with all levels of staff; and must possess strong problem-solving skills and the ability to develop and implement solutions.
• For ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance, US Citizenship is Legally Required

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated experience in communicating large, sophisticated, and complicated national or international research efforts; experience working in a research or scientific project environment; and ability to translate complex technical concepts into language easily comprehensible to non-specialists. 
• Previous experience with federal agencies is preferred with preference give to DOE and the National Laboratory System. 
• Previous experience in science