Remote Sr. Communications Specialist (VA ESOM)

Overview

Thank you for considering IT Concepts dba Kentro, where innovation drives opportunity and collaboration leads to success. Our dynamic community of experts is fully committed to advancing our customers' missions, fostering professional growth, and making a positive impact on our communities.

By joining our supportive community, you will find that Kentro is dedicated to your personal and professional development. Together, we can drive meaningful change, spark innovation, and achieve extraordinary milestones.

Kentro is seeking a Sr. Communications Specialist to support the Department of Veterans Affairs ESOM program.

We're looking for a creative, flexible, and experienced Senior Communications Specialist to join our team. This dynamic role is responsible for supporting and managing communications initiatives for a large, technical, federal contract.

The Sr. Communications Specialist will work closely with the Program's Communications Lead to support critical aspects of a comprehensive communication plan targeting internal and external audiences and stakeholders.

This position requires a strong writer with a knack for clear, compelling storytelling and an eye for clean, impactful design. Significant stakeholder engagement and cross-functional collaboration are key. This position requires the ability to quickly assess and translate technical information into easy-to-understand narratives and messaging. This role is ideal for a professional with a breadth of communications acumen with an emphasis on internal communications within large government programs. You'll support a range of communications initiatives across the Program, helping to ensure our messaging is consistent, engaging, and aligned with our strategic goals.

Location: This position can be performed remotely within the United States and will support Eastern Time working hours.

Compensation Range: The salary for this position is between $135-150k/annually. Factors affecting pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Responsibilities

Written Communications

• Develop and refine clear, compelling, and organic written content for a variety of audiences - including senior leaders, employees, internal program teams, and government clients - using a variety of channels.
• Develop clear, concise, and engaging written content for internal and external audiences, including announcements, newsletters, emails, talking points, and executive messaging.

Communications Collateral Production

• Create and conceptualize high quality visual materials, including slick sheets, presentations, one-pagers, infographics, case studies, briefings, capability overviews, and other collateral that effectively communicate program value, technical competencies, and mission impact.
• Messaging and Narrative Development
• Develop narratives that best communicate value delivery to the client and align across internal audiences.
• Create and draft briefs, articles, talking points, etc., for internal and external audiences that emphasize value and growth messaging.

Internal Communications

• Lead internal communications efforts for large program teams, including message development, employee announcements, program updates, leadership communications, and organization-wide communications.
• Design and drive internal communications initiatives that strengthen team cohesion, employee understanding, engagement, and alignment with organizational priorities.
• Lead a variety of internal communications efforts, including the production of a monthly newsletter, virtual all-hands events, and more.
• Identify challenges to effective team communication flows and implement strategies to mitigate them in an effort to support operations.
• Lead the creation of new channels, innovations, and strategies to enhance employee communications.
• Support the development of an internal SharePoint designed to support Program communications.
• Maintain team distribution lists and serve as the primary contact for the communications team inbox.

Stakeholder Engagement and Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with leaders and cross-functional teams - including technical staff (program managers, engineers, analysts), business operations, human resources, and others - to gather insights; develop, shape, and execute communication strategies; ensure consistent messaging across channels; and provide communications guidance.

Branding

• Maintain and advance brand standards, voice, and visual identity across a variety of written and visual materials.
• Ensure adherence to brand standards across the Program.

Additional Responsibilities

• Support business growth activities by assisting with fact-finding, narrative development, and the production of communications collateral.
• Identify ways to use technology and automation to improve processes, workflows, and/or output.
• Assist with, or serve as the lead for, other communications tasks, projects, and initiatives, and special projects, as needed.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree
• At least 10+ years of relevant experience in communications or public relations
• Federal Contracting experience (experience working on/with large federal programs is a plus)
• A broad range of general communications experience
• Strong writing skills are a must (non-AI-generated)
• Ability to translate complex technical information into accessible, mission aligned materials for both customer-facing and internal audiences
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring timely delivery, quality control, and strategic alignment
• Experience tracking commitments, staffing actions, risks, dependencies, and deadlines
• Strong communication, follow-up, documentation, and stakeholder management skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office 365 tools, (PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint, Word, Excel) and related collaboration tools

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of/working on large federal programs
• Experience with the VA (either as an employee/contractor, or as a client) is a plusSharePoint experience is highly favored
• SharePoint experience is highly favored
• Proficiency using Jira
• APR certification or PRSA membership is a plus

Desired Soft Skills and Competencies

• Highly creative, out-of-the-box thinking
• Attention to detail, while maintaining an eye on the broader context
• High level of comfort working in an ever-changing and dynamic contract-driven environment
• Inherent initiative, while understanding the nuances of working on a large team with a clear leadership structure
• The ability to take complete ownership of tasks, projects, and initiatives, and work without supervision
• Strong capacity for relationship building
• High emotional intelligence
• Flexible and agile
• Strong work ethic with the ability to work independently
• A passion for communications and a deep understanding of its ability to further organizational goals

Clearance Requirement:

• US Citizen or Green card holder
• Willing and able to obtain and maintain Public Trust Clearance
• Must meet updated ID requirements: https://www.gsa.gov/technology/it-contract-vehicles-and-purchasing-programs/federal-credentialing-services/get-appointment-help/bring-required-documents
  • If you do not currently meet the ID requirements outlined, you must be willing and able to update your current forms of ID in a timely manner to complete the suitability process successfully.