Relationship Manager and Executive Communications Lead

Overview

At PNNL, our core capabilities are divided among major departments that we refer to as Directorates within the Lab, focused on a specific area of scientific research or other function, with its own leadership team and dedicated budget. Our directorates related to Mission Support & Operations include Office of General Counsel, Business Services, Communications and External Engagement, Operational Systems, Computing and Information Technology, and Performance Management.

Communications and External Engagement (CXE) engages PNNL staff and key stakeholders to amplify meaningful connections between our science and technology mission to accelerate our impact and elevates PNNL’s institutional reputation and impact locally, regionally, nationally, and globally to position PNNL as a leader in mission-driven science and innovation. CXE also inspires stakeholders and staff by facilitating and showcasing PNNL’s scientific leadership, national influence, community commitments, and service to advance the frontiers of knowledge and our distinguished staff.

PNNL’s Communications team engages internal and external stakeholders through strategic communication efforts that support mission outcomes, working to elevate the reputation and visibility of PNNL, through world‑class experts and bold science mission, we aim to inspire stakeholders and to build awareness of the PNNL’s science impact.

• Establish and maintain trusted advisor relationships with directorate leaders, researchers, communicators, and key stakeholders.
• Serve as the primary communications relationship lead for an assigned directorate, ensuring communications priorities align with directorate and enterprise objectives.
• Provide strategic communications counsel to senior leaders including executive communications, presentations, talking points, reports, leadership correspondence, all‑staff messages, and other high‑visibility communications.
• Lead development of integrated communications strategies and plans that support organizational priorities and business goals.
• Guide communications prioritization, service levels, and resource allocations based on strategic value, organizational impact and enterprise objectives.
• Maintain visibility into communications portfolios, priorities, budgets, timelines, and outcomes.
• Define and evaluate measures of communications effectiveness.
• Proactively identify communications opportunities, risks, and emerging issues and provide actionable recommendations.
• Foster transparency and collaboration by communicating proactively with directorate leadership, communications colleagues, and Communications leadership regarding priorities, progress, risks, and opportunities.
• Ensure directorate communications priorities align with enterprise communications strategies, standards, and operating models.
• Reinforce communications best practices, governance expectations, and PNNL style and branding standards.
• Represent Communications within leadership environments with credibility, professionalism, and sound judgment.
• Drive integration across communications functions to ensure a coordinated client experience.
• Influence decisions through trusted relationships, strategic counsel, and data‑informed recommendations.
• Lead or coordinate communications planning and integration efforts that support leadership priorities and organizational objectives.
• Direct and coordinate communications efforts across functional teams, including executive communications, campaigns, events, presentations, internal communications, stakeholder communications, and other strategic initiatives.
• Align communications resources, expertise, and workflows across Communications functions to ensure effective execution and enterprise consistency.
• Ensure communications efforts advance strategic objectives, maintain quality standards, and deliver measurable value.
• Identify barriers to success and recommend solutions that improve alignment, decision‑making and organizational effectiveness.
• Support enterprise‑level coordination by elevating cross‑organizational opportunities, risks, overlaps, and communications impacts.
• Provide Communications leadership with insights…