Communications Specialist

Washington, DC
Full Time
Mid Level
Savan is seeking a Communications Specialist (IT/Communications Lead) to support the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO), within the IT Governance and Program Management task area. The Communications Lead will plan, develop, and manage strategic communications that promote awareness and understanding of DOT IT programs, investments, governance, policies, and enterprise initiatives. The Communications Lead will serve as the task lead for Strategic Portfolio Communications, working closely with OCIO leadership, the Office of Portfolio and Financial Management, Operating Administration stakeholders, and the Savan project team to deliver clear, accurate, and plain-language communications to internal DOT audiences and external stakeholders, including the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

The successful candidate will bring strong communications experience in a federal or enterprise IT environment, excellent executive writing and editing skills, and the ability to translate complex IT portfolio, governance, financial, and policy information into clear messages and visually compelling communications products. The Communications Lead will be organized, responsive, detail-oriented, and capable of managing recurring and ad hoc communications requirements with limited direction.

Key Responsibilities
  • Serve as the task lead for Strategic Portfolio Communications; plan, prioritize, coordinate, and track communications activities and serve as the primary point of contact for communications requests.
  • Develop, manage, and implement communications plans for OCIO data calls, enterprise initiatives, and strategic portfolio management activities, including portfolio management expansion under the 1DOT IT Initiative.
  • Write, edit, and maintain DOT IT policies, standard operating procedures (SOPs), implementation memoranda, guidance, portfolio briefings, executive correspondence, and other communications products for internal and external audiences.
  • Conduct executive-level writing, copy editing, proofreading, and plain-language reviews of IT policies, change communications, portfolio documentation, and other materials, averaging approximately two reviews per week.
  • Develop communications products, including visual branding, graphics, infographics, executive presentations, and other materials supporting OCIO initiatives and the Office of Portfolio and Financial Management.
  • Develop content and visual materials that communicate DOT IT portfolio information to internal stakeholders and external audiences, including OMB IT portfolio briefings and reports.
  • Manage program communications mailboxes using Google Workspace; monitor and respond to internal inquiries and draft responses for external communications.
  • Maintain program websites, SharePoint and/or Google Sites, and content repositories, ensuring information is current, accurate, organized, and accessible.
  • Maintain the IT Business Glossary, a centralized catalog of terms and acronyms used across IT portfolio management; coordinate updates, approvals, and publication.
  • Coordinate training activities and events supporting OCIO workforce development initiatives, including the IT Program/Project Community of Practice.
  • Support monthly DOT IT workforce community meetings, including development of agendas, meeting materials, minutes, action items, and follow-up communications.
  • Develop communications supporting organizational change, implementation of new governance processes, and deployment of IT governance and financial management systems and associated training.
  • Develop and maintain communications templates, style guides, and standards to promote consistent messaging, formatting, and branding across OCIO products.
  • Collaborate with portfolio, governance, financial management, and program management teams to translate technical, financial, and policy information into clear and accessible communications for technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Track communications activities, metrics, and stakeholder feedback; identify trends and recommend improvements to communication effectiveness and stakeholder engagement.
  • Contribute to monthly accomplishment reports and other task order deliverables; identify and track risks and issues and escalate matters to the Project Manager as appropriate.
  • Perform other related duties as assigned in support of the task order.
Qualifications and Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, English, public relations, marketing, public administration, information systems, or a related field. Four (4) additional years of relevant experience may be substituted for the degree.
  • At least five (5) years of professional communications experience, including at least three (3) years developing communications related to analysis, business improvement, IT services, IT programs, or organizational change.
  • Demonstrated experience developing and executing communications plans for IT programs, enterprise initiatives, organizational change, or similar initiatives.
  • Excellent executive writing, copy editing, proofreading, and plain-language skills, with demonstrated ability to apply principles of the Plain Writing Act of 2010.
  • Experience writing and editing policies, SOPs, memoranda, guidance, executive briefings, correspondence, and other formal communications for senior leaders.
  • Demonstrated experience developing visual communications products, including graphics, infographics, presentations, and other executive-level materials.
  • Experience managing websites, collaboration sites, communications platforms, or content repositories.
  • Strong stakeholder engagement and coordination skills, including experience working with senior leaders and coordinating communications across multiple organizations.
  • Ability to understand and communicate IT portfolio management, governance, financial management, and policy concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
  • Strong organizational and time-management skills, with the ability to manage multiple deadlines, recurring deliverables, and competing priorities.
  • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel, and Google Workspace, including Docs, Slides, Sheets, Sites, and Gmail.
  • U.S. Citizenship.
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a Public Trust suitability determination.
  • Ability to work on-site at DOT Headquarters in Washington, DC.
Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience supporting DOT or another federal civilian agency CIO organization.
  • Familiarity with federal IT management concepts, including Capital Planning and Investment Control (CPIC), Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), IT governance, portfolio management, and OMB reporting.
  • Experience with graphic design and content development tools, such as Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar platforms.
  • Experience applying Section 508 accessibility requirements to documents, web content, presentations, and other digital communications.
  • Experience coordinating training programs, communities of practice, workforce events, or similar organizational learning initiatives.
  • Professional certification in communications or change management, such as Accredited in Public Relations (APR) or Prosci Certified Change Practitioner.

Work Location and Schedule: 
Onsite requirement 5 days per week (Mon-Fri) at DOT DC offices. 

Application Process
Submit your application to the link on this page.  Applicants selected for interviews will be notified by email or phone.

Compensation
The anticipated salary range for this position is $70K–$80K. This range represents Savan Group’s good faith estimate at the time of posting and is not a guarantee of compensation.

Final compensation will be determined based on factors including relevant experience, skills, education, certifications, internal equity, market conditions, and geographic location. For positions supporting federal contracts, compensation may also be subject to applicable labor category requirements, contract terms, funding, and other contract-specific provisions. As a result, actual compensation may vary from the posted salary range.

EEO, including disability and veterans.
Savan is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is committed to a workplace free of discrimination. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, age (40 or older), marital status, disability, genetic information, status as a protected veteran, or any other applicable legally protected characteristics.

If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request reasonable accommodation for the employment process, please email your request to [email protected]. For more information about our company, please visit our website at www.savangroup.com.
 
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