Communication Specialist

Opportunity

The Department of Defense (DoD) Office of Small Business Programs (OSBP) is responsible for the development of small business policy, oversight of DoDs small business performance for prime and subcontracting goals, administration of small business programs, industry engagement, ensuring cyber resiliency of the small business industrial base and utilization of technology and big data principles to drive market research and small business inclusion in defense procurements.

In support of DoD OSBP’s mission, Eccalon assists with the APEX Accelerators program, formerly known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Program (PTAP), which visions a diverse and resilient domestic industrial base that can deliver preeminent solutions to the military and other government users. The program serves as the axis for existing and new business to strengthen the defense industrial base by accelerating innovation, fostering ingenuity, and establishing resilient and diverse supply chains.

Eccalon is responsible for supporting the APEX Accelerators program with communications and outreach, which require working with APEX Accelerators, formerly also known as the Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs), to assist the Office in cultivating a positive relationship with the public, especially U.S. small businesses and small business professionals, and building a strong relationship with stakeholders across the federal, state, and local governments. The major duties of the Communication Specialist will include but are not limited to digital communications, writing, editing, speech/presentation development, community relations, stakeholder engagement, outreach, public affairs, etc.

Responsibilities

Thoroughly understanding the program’s vision and mission, the Communication Specialist is essential in supporting the Office on strategic communications and public relations as well as detail-oriented daily online communications. In support of APEX Accelerators’ mission, the Communication Specialist will:

• Provide hands-on support for all internal and external communications via email, on social media, and in the program portal on a daily basis.
• Assist with content development for speeches and presentations and the delivery of impactful and consistent messages to stakeholders across all sectors.
• Develop and review all communication materials for proper and consistent tones, voices, messages, and manners of approach.
• Generate digital content with graphic design and media management teams to produce powerful and effective communication materials for the Office.
• Research, develop, implement, and recommend networking and outreach strategies that will increase the brand awareness and value proposition of the program.
• Identify, investigate, and report potential and existing challenges in the current communication and outreach effort and recommend creative and innovative resolutions to address the issues and turn the challenges into opportunities for the program.
• Help the Office build and maintain a strong relationship with internal and external stakeholders by providing effective communication materials that promote the program’s growth and achievement.

Qualifications

• Five or more years long experience in strategic communications and public relations for clients, preferably Department of Defense customers.
• Three or more years long experience in organizational-level communications and publications on various digital platforms and media.
• Excellent communications, interpersonal, presentation, and collaboration skills.
• Strong proficiency in writing, editing, and delivering time-sensitive communication materials.
• Proactive approach to identifying and mitigating potential and existing risks in communication and outreach activities.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously with a sense of urgency.
• Ability to constantly prioritize tasks and deliver excellent products and services to clients in a timely manner.
• Ability to instantly change priorities in a dynamic and fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to closely work with a multifunctional team consisting of policy, industry, and information analysts, graphic designers, digital platform developers, and database/portal managers.
• Reading Comprehension – Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening – Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Writing – Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Speaking – Talking to others to convey information effectively.
• Critical Thinking – Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Learning – Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Monitoring – Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Social Perceptiveness – Being aware of others reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
• Coordination – Adjusting actions in relation to others actions.
• Persuasion – Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
• Instructing – Teaching others how to do something.
• Service Orientation – Actively looking for ways to help people.
• Complex Problem Solving – Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
• Operations Analysis – Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
• Judgment and Decision Making – Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Systems Analysis – Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
• Systems Evaluation – Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
• Time Management – Managing ones own time and the time of others.