Media Strategy and Engagement Director 1_

Falls Church

**Requisition ID: R10163361**

+ **Category:** Communications

+ **Location:** Falls Church, Virginia, United States of America

+ **Clearance Type:** None

+ **Telecommute:** Yes-May consider hybrid teleworking for this position

+ **Shift:** 1st Shift (United States of America)

+ **Travel Required:** Yes, 10% of the Time

+ **Positions Available:** 1

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

**Northrop Grumman seeks a Media Strategy and Engagement Director to lead the company’s earned media strategy.** The Media Strategy and Engagement Director is a leader on our Integrated Marketing and Public Relations team and has direct responsibility for the company’s media relations team, its strategic planning and execution. This position reports to our senior director for strategic communications.

**This position is located at Northrop Grumman’s headquarters in Falls Church, VA, with options for hybrid work.**

In this role, you will:

+ Serve as a primary thought partner on the use of earned media channels to achieve goals, manage risk, improve brand reputation, and drive the company narrative toward intended direction(s).

+ Lead a team of media strategists who are invested in our company’s four sectors and the corporate headquarters.

+ Partner with our media operations team for strategic timing and distribution of news products such as news releases, official statements, news advisories, feature stories and proactive media events.

+ Partner to align content and media engagements with important stakeholder decision points, ensuring a strategic and effective approach to release of our news content.

+ Collaborate closely with other communicators and functional leaders across the company, lead strategic planning, preparation and engagement for media relations.

+ Proactively guide the media team to consider most impactful, strategic use of media relations tools for external storytelling aligned with business priorities.

+ Ensure media engagements and our Newsroom content are aligned to enterprise and sector priorities and focus areas; and support relevant customer decision-making points, prior to going public.

+ Proactively identify opportunities and risks at the enterprise level and develop strategies to mitigate risk and position brand in alignment with company values and business goals.

+ Develop and foster relationships with reporters and editors who cover the A&D industry and adjacent markets.

You should apply for this opportunity if you: are a strategic and savvy media relations professional who enjoys a dynamic, collaborative work environment; want career-development and growth opportunities; have a passion for using communications strategies and techniques to reach priority audiences; have a strong ability to manage time for your team and yourself to shape and drive your portfolio; approach opportunities with an innovative spirit; and have a passion to achieve top performance.

**How you will make a difference:**

+ Lead our company’s delivery of news and information to the media and priority audiences.

+ Enhance our awareness of news, issues and important perceptions. Stay informed on industry news and flag issues and trends for internal stakeholders.

+ Partner with communications colleagues across our company to support the alignment of announcements and events with important stakeholder decision-making points, ensuring a strategic approach to the delivery of our news content and digital presence.

+ Help to build our talent pipeline by recruiting and developing early career teammates to support company priorities. Lead, mentor and develop communications professionals across our company.

+ Manage policies, procedures and best practices for the Integrated Marketing &Public Relations Center of Practice, including leading creation and maintenance of documentation and templates to support the team’s actions.

**Skills for success:**

+ An ability to confidently and independently interact with and counsel executive leadership.

+ Proven success in leading people as direct reports and matrixed for projects.

+ A deep understanding of the media business and the ability to identify and leverage news cycles to advance company presence with priority audiences.

+ Expertise in strategy and messages development, media training and media engagements.

+ Proficient AP writing and editing skills, with an ability to draft all types of impactful news content, from news releases and news features to longform articles for placement on company channels.

+ Strong planning, project management and operations skills.

+ Demonstrated success in managing your workflow, setting priorities and completing projects successfully.

+ Comfort with change in a fast-paced, empowered work environment with strong collaboration and alignment to company priorities.

+ Strategic thinking, planning and decision making.

+ Curiosity and creativity underpinned by strong attention to detail.

+ A commitment to quality work and accountability for results, individually and as a team.

**Basic Qualifications:**

+ Bachelor’s degree and minimum of 13 years of experience OR Master’s degree and minimum of 11 years of experience OR Associate’s degree and 15 years of experience OR High School Diploma and 17 years of experience.

+ A strategic view with the ability to connect communications objectives and business goals.

+ Sound judgement in decision making and leadership actions.

+ Proficiency in media engagement and relationship building.

+ Polished executive presence with strong written and verbal presentation skills

+ Repeated successes in leading people directly and in matrixed environments.

+ Demonstrated knowledge in development and activation of strategic media content with measurable, positive outcomes.

+ Ability to manage through ambiguity and demonstrated success in leading teams through the same

+ Confidence in making decisions in a fast-paced, high-risk, high-opportunity environment and owning results and outcomes of those decisions.

+ Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance at the secret level or higher

**Preferred Qualifications:**

+ Experience working in a large, matrixed and/or geographically dispersed organization.

+ Experience developing productive relationships with executives and editors/ reporters.

+ Experience in technology, aerospace, defense or other science-related business or government/political field.

+ Demonstrated abilities to drive improvements through creative and/or other methods, ideas and approaches.

+ Experience with CISION Media Monitoring & Measurement and MuckRack reporter database tools.

+ Current security clearance at the secret level or higher

**Salary Range:** $173,300 - $259,900

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.

Employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.