Highlighttech
Communications – Deputy Senior Advisor
Highlighttech, Washington, District of Columbia, us, 20022
Overview
The Communications Office leads on the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) legacy on external affairs and provides central focus and overall coordination for all aspects of legislative and public affairs matters. This office serves as the central point of contact with Congress, the media, interested stakeholders from the international development community, and the American people regarding USAIDs legacy international development programs and policies.
Among its principal responsibilities are coordination of USAID legacy legislative programs by securing congressional appropriations, providing information to Congress related to legislation, and advising the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and the Chief of Staff regarding the status of pending legislation and related concerns of Members of Congress. This office also directs the external communications strategy and is responsible for positioning, messaging and branding.
In short, the Communications Bureau serves as the liaison between the Office and the American people, Congress, the media, and other key constituencies on USAID legacy programs.
Scope of Work The Senior Advisor will perform the following duties: Capture key messages and coordinate responses to press releases on issues including but not limited to USG and USAID strategy on legacy programs. Contribute to the Communication and Outreach team efforts overseeing all U.S. Congressional engagements, briefing materials, and responses to congressional inquiries. Support senior staff in their roles as spokespeople on major stories for USAID Legacy Programs to achieve maximum positive impact. Ensure public information sources that present key communications messages, including information on public sources as necessary are current and updated. Draft and manage process to create speeches, talking points, media responses and answers to Congressional responses for all speeches, press releases, and Capitol Hill engagements, also contributing to State Department press guidance for federal counterpart review.
Responsibilities
Develops and oversees, in coordination with the Communications Director, strategic planning for public information activities, press, and media as well as internal and external communications. Determines the necessary actions to achieve goals, and mobilizes teams and resources to execute on actions to ensure the achievement of strategic planning objectives.
Prepares reports and/or written analyses regarding USAID legacy policies and positions on difficult or complex matters.
Assists senior leadership to develop and execute communication strategies for other high-value priorities. Analyzes, develops and makes policy recommendations to the Director of Communications.
Develops background information, tactics and approaches for achieving policy positions on USAID legacy programs, and outside in the interagency arena, and to Congress.
Proposes resolutions of policy questions and coordinates implementation of management decisions on these issues.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with officials at all levels, Members of Congress, and their staffs, other legislative and executive agencies, executives of major corporations, and distinguished members of the public. Establishes and maintains close and cooperative working relationships with State Department management and officials, Government Agencies, and other institutions with related interests.
Contacts, advises, and collaborates with high-ranking officials such as Agency heads, top Congressional staff officials, State Government executives, legislative leaders, and executives of comparable private sector organizations. Provides strategic press advice and speechwriting to the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Chief of Staff, and senior leadership. Monitors media developments, and supervises the generation of appropriate press plans, in order to meet objectives in support of the White house, and in coordination with the interagency
Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications Strong Skill Sets Needed
Copy-editing Material
Oral and Written Communications
Teamwork and Collaboration
Multitasking and Prioritizing
Organization and Planning
Project Management
Required Qualifications
Highly proficient in the use of Google Applications and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing and shifting priorities;
Ability to efficiently multitask and prioritize workload accordingly;
Demonstrated experience writing speeches, talking points, op-ed pieces, letters, and other written products for multiple formats;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with people at all management and support levels;
Ability to craft a script that is personally and professionally representative of the speaker and captures personal tone, cadence, and word usage;
Exceptional communication skills and fluency on a variety of topics;
Ability to describe complex material and information in detail so the audience understands its meaning.
U.S. citizen eligible to obtain a secret level security clearance.
Education Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to a specialized field including, but not limited to, communications, journalism, media relations, public relations or a related field and a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the aforementioned fields or a related field OR Masters’ degree with significant study in or pertinent to a specialized field including, but not limited to communications, journalism, media relations, public relations or a related field, and a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in the aforementioned fields or a related field
USAID Assumptions and Constraints
Support may be required outside of core hours.
Ability to telework will be based on office staffing requirements.
On-site work may be required.
Travel may be required.
Place of Performance Washington, D.C.
Relevant professional experience may be substituted for education requirements.
About Highlight For over ten years, Highlight has provided Development and Modernization, Secure IT, and Mission Solution services to our federal government customers. Our team knows the technology; we understand how our customers and their stakeholders work; and we know how to implement industry best practices to deliver high-quality, end-to-end solutions that minimize risk and maximize results.
Since our inception, Highlight has had an employee-first mindset. Our mission is to provide employees with rewarding and impactful career opportunities. In 2021, Highlight’s founder, Rebecca Andino, implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan to embody and expand our culture of transparency, teamwork and rewarding the work of our employees. By becoming an ESOP, our employee-owners share in the success of the company through their ownership stake. To learn more about ESOPS, check out: www.esopinfo.org.
We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) that empowers our people to fearlessly drive change - regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics. Our team is dedicated to foster diversity within our teams to promote creativity, innovation, and teamwork to deliver the best solutions for our customers.
To receive compensation and benefits information for this role, contact us or email us at Recruiting@HighlightTech.com. Please include the Req ID (this is at the top of the posting under the position title) in the subject line of the email.
Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer Highlight takes your security seriously. Please be aware that fraudulent actors may attempt to circulate fictitious job opportunities and impersonate our recruiters. The main purpose of these correspondences is to obtain privileged information from individuals.
To protect yourself, keep the following in mind:
All emails will come from an official @highlighttech.com or @talent.icims.com email address.
We will never request payment or personal financial information during the recruitment process.
We will not send job offers via email. All offers are first extended verbally by a member of our recruitment team whenever possible, and then followed up via written communication through official channels.
If you suspect fraudulent activity or have any doubts about the authenticity of an email, letter, or telephone communication supposedly from, for, or on behalf of Highlight, please contact our team directly at Recruiting@highlighttech.com.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Among its principal responsibilities are coordination of USAID legacy legislative programs by securing congressional appropriations, providing information to Congress related to legislation, and advising the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, and the Chief of Staff regarding the status of pending legislation and related concerns of Members of Congress. This office also directs the external communications strategy and is responsible for positioning, messaging and branding.
In short, the Communications Bureau serves as the liaison between the Office and the American people, Congress, the media, and other key constituencies on USAID legacy programs.
Scope of Work The Senior Advisor will perform the following duties: Capture key messages and coordinate responses to press releases on issues including but not limited to USG and USAID strategy on legacy programs. Contribute to the Communication and Outreach team efforts overseeing all U.S. Congressional engagements, briefing materials, and responses to congressional inquiries. Support senior staff in their roles as spokespeople on major stories for USAID Legacy Programs to achieve maximum positive impact. Ensure public information sources that present key communications messages, including information on public sources as necessary are current and updated. Draft and manage process to create speeches, talking points, media responses and answers to Congressional responses for all speeches, press releases, and Capitol Hill engagements, also contributing to State Department press guidance for federal counterpart review.
Responsibilities
Develops and oversees, in coordination with the Communications Director, strategic planning for public information activities, press, and media as well as internal and external communications. Determines the necessary actions to achieve goals, and mobilizes teams and resources to execute on actions to ensure the achievement of strategic planning objectives.
Prepares reports and/or written analyses regarding USAID legacy policies and positions on difficult or complex matters.
Assists senior leadership to develop and execute communication strategies for other high-value priorities. Analyzes, develops and makes policy recommendations to the Director of Communications.
Develops background information, tactics and approaches for achieving policy positions on USAID legacy programs, and outside in the interagency arena, and to Congress.
Proposes resolutions of policy questions and coordinates implementation of management decisions on these issues.
Establishes and maintains effective working relationships with officials at all levels, Members of Congress, and their staffs, other legislative and executive agencies, executives of major corporations, and distinguished members of the public. Establishes and maintains close and cooperative working relationships with State Department management and officials, Government Agencies, and other institutions with related interests.
Contacts, advises, and collaborates with high-ranking officials such as Agency heads, top Congressional staff officials, State Government executives, legislative leaders, and executives of comparable private sector organizations. Provides strategic press advice and speechwriting to the Administrator, Deputy Administrator, Chief of Staff, and senior leadership. Monitors media developments, and supervises the generation of appropriate press plans, in order to meet objectives in support of the White house, and in coordination with the interagency
Performs other duties as assigned.
Qualifications Strong Skill Sets Needed
Copy-editing Material
Oral and Written Communications
Teamwork and Collaboration
Multitasking and Prioritizing
Organization and Planning
Project Management
Required Qualifications
Highly proficient in the use of Google Applications and Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint);
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with competing and shifting priorities;
Ability to efficiently multitask and prioritize workload accordingly;
Demonstrated experience writing speeches, talking points, op-ed pieces, letters, and other written products for multiple formats;
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships and interact with people at all management and support levels;
Ability to craft a script that is personally and professionally representative of the speaker and captures personal tone, cadence, and word usage;
Exceptional communication skills and fluency on a variety of topics;
Ability to describe complex material and information in detail so the audience understands its meaning.
U.S. citizen eligible to obtain a secret level security clearance.
Education Bachelor’s degree with significant study in or pertinent to a specialized field including, but not limited to, communications, journalism, media relations, public relations or a related field and a minimum of ten (10) years of progressively responsible experience in the aforementioned fields or a related field OR Masters’ degree with significant study in or pertinent to a specialized field including, but not limited to communications, journalism, media relations, public relations or a related field, and a minimum of eight (8) years of progressively responsible experience in the aforementioned fields or a related field
USAID Assumptions and Constraints
Support may be required outside of core hours.
Ability to telework will be based on office staffing requirements.
On-site work may be required.
Travel may be required.
Place of Performance Washington, D.C.
Relevant professional experience may be substituted for education requirements.
About Highlight For over ten years, Highlight has provided Development and Modernization, Secure IT, and Mission Solution services to our federal government customers. Our team knows the technology; we understand how our customers and their stakeholders work; and we know how to implement industry best practices to deliver high-quality, end-to-end solutions that minimize risk and maximize results.
Since our inception, Highlight has had an employee-first mindset. Our mission is to provide employees with rewarding and impactful career opportunities. In 2021, Highlight’s founder, Rebecca Andino, implemented an Employee Stock Ownership Plan to embody and expand our culture of transparency, teamwork and rewarding the work of our employees. By becoming an ESOP, our employee-owners share in the success of the company through their ownership stake. To learn more about ESOPS, check out: www.esopinfo.org.
We’re an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) that empowers our people to fearlessly drive change - regardless of their race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or other characteristics. Our team is dedicated to foster diversity within our teams to promote creativity, innovation, and teamwork to deliver the best solutions for our customers.
To receive compensation and benefits information for this role, contact us or email us at Recruiting@HighlightTech.com. Please include the Req ID (this is at the top of the posting under the position title) in the subject line of the email.
Recruitment Fraud Disclaimer Highlight takes your security seriously. Please be aware that fraudulent actors may attempt to circulate fictitious job opportunities and impersonate our recruiters. The main purpose of these correspondences is to obtain privileged information from individuals.
To protect yourself, keep the following in mind:
All emails will come from an official @highlighttech.com or @talent.icims.com email address.
We will never request payment or personal financial information during the recruitment process.
We will not send job offers via email. All offers are first extended verbally by a member of our recruitment team whenever possible, and then followed up via written communication through official channels.
If you suspect fraudulent activity or have any doubts about the authenticity of an email, letter, or telephone communication supposedly from, for, or on behalf of Highlight, please contact our team directly at Recruiting@highlighttech.com.
#J-18808-Ljbffr