Head of Internal Communications

*This position is fully remote/home based. Applications will be accepted from candidates based in the UK and the following US states: AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, MA, MD, NY, OR, PA, TX, VA, VT, WA

PLOS is a non-profit organization on a mission to drive open science forward with measurable, meaningful change in research publishing, policy, and practice. We believe in a better future where science is open to all, for all.

Role Summary

The Head of Internal Communications’ role is to refine and implement a new internal communications strategy to support ongoing transformational organizational and cultural change. This will collaborate with senior leaders across PLOS to transform internal communications into a strategic partner within the business, turning leaders into proactive communicators and empowering employees with the information they need to help PLOS achieve its objectives as a champion of Open Science.

The person in this role will have the rare opportunity to tailor a new approach to internal communications at an established company, elevating the function to organizational influencer and change agent through the creation and implementation of intentional but flexible systems, processes, and tools to help advance cultural evolution and support change management efforts. The overarching goals for this role include driving the desired culture, building pride and alignment among staff, inspiring a shared responsibility for active communication, and reinforcing the current organizational work already underway. This person should have experience leading and developing teams in a remote-work and asynchronous setting.

 Responsibilities

• Partner with the Executive Director of Marketing and Communications, Chief of Staff, and other senior leaders to refine and implement PLOS’s internal communications strategy to enhance engagement, foster transparency, and align staff with the mission, values, and goals of PLOS. 
• As primary internal communications liaison for senior leadership, provide strategic communications counsel and craft messaging that is clear, concise, and impactful. Maintain a regular cadence of communications from senior leaders to staff to enhance connection, alignment, and pride.
• Work collaboratively to break down communication silos and share messaging from different departments and project teams.
• Prioritize and respond to internal communications needs across the organization, ensuring tactful and strategic responses that align with company goals.
• Lead change management and crisis communications to help guide employees through organizational transitions and emergency situations.
• Maintain an editorial calendar for content creation, including high-quality written, digital, and visual communications materials, ensuring brand compliance and consistency in tone of voice across all platforms, channels, and events.
• Maintain, oversee, and refine a suite of internal communications channels and tools, and stay current with new technologies and approaches available for effective internal communications.
• Strengthen feedback loops for continuous two-way engagement between staff and leadership.
• Develop storytelling methods to recognize and celebrate employees living PLOS values and competencies to help reinforce them across the organization.
• Develop and maintain an evaluation framework of metrics and methods for ongoing assessment of the effectiveness of the internal communications program, and regularly report progress to leadership.

Knowledge and Skills

• Experience and comfort working with senior leadership to craft strategy and messaging.
• Proven track record of designing and delivering strategic communications plans, including message development, cascading, audience segmentation, and performance measurement.
• Experience supporting change management and organizational design efforts.
• Ability to present updates and results regularly to stakeholders, including business and executive leaders.
• Excellent written and communication skills.

Qualifications

• 10 plus years in a communications or related role required.
• Bachelor’s degree in English, Communications, Marketing, Journalism, or related field required; advanced degree preferred. 
• Demonstrated experience and leadership in managing comprehensive strategic communications programs to advance an organization’s mission and goals.
• Proven ability to influence and engage indirect reports and peers.

Physical Requirements and Work Environment

• Prolonged periods stationary at a desk and working on a computer
• Some national and international travel will be required
• Some flexibility to work across time zones

The base salary range we’ve established for this position is (UK) £75,000 - £105,000 (US) $145,000 - $200,000. PLOS also offers a comprehensive benefits package that will be shared with candidates in the interview process.

About PLOS 

Building on a strong legacy of pioneering innovation, PLOS continues to be a catalyst in open science, reimagining models to meet open science principles, removing barriers and promoting inclusion in knowledge creation and sharing, and publishing research outputs that enable everyone to learn from, reuse and build upon scientific knowledge.

Our work is supported by a highly skilled global in-house team, partnerships with local scholarly organizations, and the valued contributions of a diverse, international community of scientific researchers.

We’re committed to equal opportunity

We’re working to create a more equitable system of scientific knowledge and understanding. Removing barriers to inclusion and facilitating broad participation of voices is core to our success, inside and out. 

Beyond accepting distinct perspectives, we seek and support divergent backgrounds among our staff because we know differences strengthen our teams, our work, and our communities. We strongly encourage applicants of all identities to join us as we work towards a future where science is open to all, for all. 

Visit plos.org/careers to learn more.

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