ARPA-H – Strategic Communications Specialist

ARPA-H – Strategic Communications Specialist

Amentum is looking for experienced personnel to expand our healthcare technology development support capabilities at the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H).

Founded in 2022, ARPA-H is a Federal research funding agency that supports transformative biomedical and health breakthroughs – ranging from the molecular to the societal – to provide health solutions for all.  ARPA-H advances high-potential, high-impact biomedical and health research that cannot be readily accomplished through traditional research or commercial activity to develop solutions to society's most challenging health problems.

We are interested in individuals who have experience supporting leadership personnel at a Federal or State agency or major private sector company.  Strategic Communications Specialists will support one of several ARPA-H offices – likely Communications, Outreach, Marketing, Public Affairs, and Social Strategy (COMPASS), the Division of Strategy, Policy, and Reporting (DSPR), or the Project Accelerator Transition Innovation Office (PATIO) - regularly interacting with Government Leadership and Program Managers (PMs) from throughout the Agency.  

Responsibilities will include:

• Assist with engagement communication, logistics, scheduling, and strategic planning
• Develop communications plans and offer strategic recommendations for improved content and delivery of agency information
• Draft press releases, backgrounders, talking points, slides, eblast/newsletter copy, memos, and reports for intended audiences
• Maintain contact with key officials and media; coordinate media trainings and interview requests
• Provide news monitoring on a variety of topics, including breakthroughs and ongoing news of interest within specified topic areas, as well as social media monitoring of sentiment about ARPA-H and tracking of ARPA-H’s presence on social media
• Investigate areas of opportunity, establish best practices, and identify methods (i.e., tradeshows, conferences, publications) to promote ARPA-H to the research community
• Liaise with the HHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs office and performers (current ARPA-H research Contractors and grant recipients) for the release of ARPA-H documents to the public
• Perform account management, training on use, and system administrator responsibilities for the ARPA-H Distribution Statement A Request processes
• Provide public affairs support through technical articles/news releases, media outreach services, and related professional expertise
• Keep ARPA-H personnel, the general public, current and potential partners, and performers appropriately informed about the Agency’s work through the full array of communication channels available

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in any field with at least 6 years of relevant experience
• Experience in health policy, health equities, strategic planning, and communication
• Experience in strategic communications and media relations
• The demonstrated professionalism, maturity, sound judgement, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills necessary for daily interactions with executive-level audiences in a dynamic, high-visibility support office environment

• Ability to work independently or in a team setting as circumstances dictate
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a Public Trust US Government Clearance.

Note: US Citizenship is required to obtain a Public Trust Clearance.

Highly Desired Attributes:

• Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Communications, or related field
• Master’s Degree in any field
• Experience in social media platforms and technical writing
• Experience in videography, graphic and website design
• Experience developing marketing strategies, processes, and policies; strategic engagement planning including setting goals and objectives 
• Experience developing collaborative relationships with various stakeholders and project management experience
• ARPA-H experience
• Other ARPA agency (DARPA, IARPA, ARPA-E, etc.) experience
• National Institute of Health (NIH), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or Department of Defense (DoD) experience
• Experience in a R&D environment

The ARPA-H campus is located in McPherson Square in Washington DC.  Hybrid and telework options are likely but residence within Washington, DC metropolitan area is desired.

Amentum offers a competitive total compensation package, including multiple healthcare options, a 401K with no vesting period for company matching, and 10 federal holidays.

Amentum is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. Our hiring practices provide equal opportunity for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, gender, national origin, age, United States military veteran’s status, ancestry, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, family structure, medical condition including genetic characteristics or information, veteran status, or mental or physical disability so long as the essential functions of the job can be performed with or without reasonable accommodation, or any other protected category under federal, state, or local law. Learn more about your rights under Federal EEO laws and supplemental language at EEO including Disability/Protected Veterans and Labor Laws Posters.