Associate Laboratory Director, Strategic Communications and External Affairs

Associate Laboratory Director, Strategic Communications and External Affairs

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The Associate Laboratory Director of Strategic Communications and External Relations also functions as Chief Communications Officer for the Laboratory, leading the Strategic Communications and External Affairs Directorate, setting the vision, and executing strategies to protect and advance the reputation of the Lab. The position reports to the Deputy Director for Operations and is a member of SLAC’s senior management team.

• Driving strategic plans and initiatives, leading special projects, and representing the Laboratory in key stakeholder interactions.
• Leading the Strategic Communications and External Affairs Directorate, overseeing staff, contract personnel, casuals, and volunteers.
• Executing special projects of institutional significance (long‑range planning, leadership hires, crisis response, etc.), navigating federal government and university contexts.
• Informing and articulating Lab strategy and critical high‑level messages for key internal and external stakeholders.
• Developing key messages and strategies to communicate complex information through digital, print, social, and media platforms.
• Advising on culture and change management strategy, especially around safety, organizational change, and respectful workplace matters.
• Engaging with other DOE National Laboratory communicators to ensure consistent strategic plans.
• Directing staff and providing leadership to achieve communication goals supporting SLAC’s mission, vision, and values; responsible for hiring and retaining staff.
• Overseeing crisis communication response, including emergency matters and reputational issues, and training communication leads.

• Bachelor’s degree and twelve years or more of relevant experience (or equivalent education and experience).
• Experience advising senior management on complex communications issues, with strong understanding of reputational risk.
• Depth of experience and sound judgment befitting a senior strategic leadership position.
• Proven ability to manage large and complex issues through diverse and competing interests.
• Advanced understanding of communications in institutions; experience in large R&D or academic settings preferred.
• Exceptional communication skills and presence at all levels and for all audiences.
• Excellent influencing, negotiating, and relationship‑management skills.
• Ability to earn credibility and influence senior leadership.
• Exceptional ability to manage, message, edit, analyze, and synthesize complex material.
• High personal initiative; outstanding interpersonal, verbal, written, team‑building, negotiation, and process‑facilitation skills.
• Exceptional leadership and management skills to build a best‑in‑class communications ecosystem.

• Results through Others:
  Delegates and manages work effectively.
• Aligns Priorities:
  Plans and prioritizes resources to support organizational goals.
• Applies Lab Acumen:
  Understands lab efforts, trends, and impacts.
• Navigates Complexity:
  Decides effectively in complex situations.
• Builds Trust:
  Earns trust and credibility with stakeholders.
• Relationships:
  Builds collaborative relationships to achieve goals.
• Communication:
  Delivers clear written and verbal communications and impactful presentations.
• Self‑Awareness:
  Seeks feedback, learns, and adjusts.
• Team Effectiveness:
  Motivates and fosters a diverse team.
• Purpose & Vision:
  Articulates vision and inspires others.

• Reasonable accommodation provided for employees with a disability as required by law.
• Position requires onsite work at SLAC.

• Interpersonal
  
  Skills:
  
  Works well with Stanford colleagues, clients, and external organizations.
• Promote Culture of Safety:
  Commits to personal responsibility for safety and security.
• Compliance:
  Adheres to university policies and procedures.
• Classification
  
  Title:
  
  Institutional Communications Manager 3.
• Job Code: 4230 Grade: O.
• Employment Duration:
  Regular Continuing.

The expected pay range for this position is $267,158 – $309,385 per annum. SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory/Stanford University provides pay ranges representing its good faith estimate of what the university reasonably expects to pay for a position. The pay offered to a selected candidate will be determined based on factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the qualifications of the selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal equity, geographic location and external market pay for comparable jobs.