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Assistant Director, Corporate Communications Strategy

American Chemical Society has an exciting opportunity for a visionary people leader to establish and evolve a modern, proactive, and collaborative corporate communications function. This is a critical opportunity to shape how we connect, engage, and inspire our internal teams and how we protect our reputation in moments of risk. As we prepare for a rebrand in 2026, the Assistant Director will lead the strategy for internal communications, crisis response, and employer branding, positioning ACS as a top employer and amplifying our role as one of the world's leading scientific organizations.

We are looking for a senior strategist with exceptional leadership and storytelling abilities, someone who can assess the current landscape, align cross-functional teams, and build a corporate communications ecosystem that unites a global, distributed organization. This role requires poise, passion, and a proven ability to define and execute strategy. This role requires excellent written and verbal communication skills and comfort with juggling multiple projects and urgent deadlines. The ideal candidate will be a skilled storyteller who is accustomed to handling confidential information and has the ability to adjust communications to the audience and occasion, whether that's a presentation to the Board of Directors, a meeting of our global partners, or a staff gathering.

Here's what you'll be doing :

• Develop and lead an integrated internal communications strategy that drives connection, transparency, and alignment across ACS.
• Collaborate on the strategy and execution of our employer brand, ensuring it reflects our values and elevates ACS as a place where top talent wants to work and stay.
• Lead crisis communications planning and response, developing protocols, messaging, and playbooks to mitigate risk and maintain trust.
• Serve as a strategic and trusted advisor to the Director of Communications, executive leadership, and cross-divisional teams.
• Supervise and grow a high-performing team responsible for day-to-day internal messaging and communication planning.
• Cultivate strong relationships across HR, IT, Finance, Legal, and other divisions to align messaging and foster a cohesive employee experience.
• Advance our use of tools and channels including intranet, email, virtual town halls, webinars, and hybrid events to create more effective and engaging touchpoints.

Required Skills and Experience :

This role is based in our Washington, DC office. The Communications Division employees work a hybrid schedule, consisting of working onsite two days (Tue / Wed) per work week, as decided by functional area. The balance of the week is open to working remotely, though employees are always welcome onsite each day if they choose.

A reasonable rate of compensation for this position is between $140,000-160,000 per year.

ACS currently provides the following benefits for this position : paid vacation leave, paid sick leave, paid holidays, health insurance, flexible spending account or health care savings account, dental insurance, life insurance, vision insurance, retirement benefits, short- and long-term disability, and 4-week work from anywhere; each benefit is subject to the terms of the applicable program. Additional benefits may apply based on skills, experience, and location.

Any actual offer of employment, reflecting the total compensation package and benefits, will be made in the sole discretion of ACS. ACS reserves the right to amend or modify its employment benefits and compensation structure at any time.

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Qualifications

Behaviors

Required

Team Player :

Works well as a member of a group

Leader :

Inspires teammates to follow them

Functional Expert :

Considered a thought leader on a subject

Enthusiastic :

Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest

Dedicated :

Devoted to a task or purpose with loyalty or integrity

Motivations

Required

Self-Starter :

Inspired to perform without outside help

Ability to Make an Impact :

Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Equal Opportunity Employer / Protected Veterans / Individuals with Disabilities This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws.