Director of Strategic Communications
Job no:
Work type: Full-Time (Salaried)
Location: Richmond (City), Virginia
Categories: Public Relations / Communications
Title: Director of Strategic Communications
State Role Title: PR & Mktg Mgr II
Hiring Range: $130,000 - $145,000/annually
Pay Band: 6
Agency: Department of Energy
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Agency Website: energy.virginia.gov
Recruitment Type: General Public - G
Job Duties
Virginia Energy is looking for a Director of Strategic Communications to lead the agency's internal and external communications and manage its team of communications professionals. The Director sets the agency's communications strategy and ensures that the agency's broad and growing portfolio is communicated clearly, accurately, and consistently to residents, stakeholders, elected officials, the media, and agency staff. Key programs and initiatives in the agency portfolio include implementation of the Virginia Energy Plan; programmatic initiatives around energy affordability, energy reliability, and economic development; projects related to geology and mineral resources; and regulatory functions in coal mine safety, mined land repurposing, mineral mining, and gas and oil. This is a chance to shape how Virginians understand and benefit from the Commonwealth's energy future.
The Director serves as the agency's primary media liaison, translates complex technical and regulatory topics into plain language for diverse audiences, partners with program leads to build awareness of and participation in agency programs, and builds the processes and internal communications culture that keep a multi-division agency informed and aligned. The Director also crafts presentations, remarks, and briefings for agency and Administration leaders and supports communications during the General Assembly session.
The ideal candidate has progressively senior experience in strategic communications, public relations, or media relations, including supervising staff. Experience communicating about energy, utilities, or the environment and working in government with an executive administration and legislature is preferred.
Minimum Qualifications
• Ability to lead, motivate, and develop a team that manages multiple concurrent priorities.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic communications plans with measurable objectives.
• Knowledge of digital communications, including social media management, web content management systems, email marketing, and analytics tools.
• Ability to understand news media needs and provide content management for a website.
• Ability to organize and synthesize complex issues into clear and concise content.
• Ability to positively represent Virginia Energy plans and programs to the media, residents, and elected officials.
• Understanding of media law and agency and state policies regulating release of public information, including the Freedom of Information Act and Public Records Act.
• Problem solver mentality with the ability to identify existing/potential issues and provide solutions.
• Results driven through prioritizing, taking initiative, and taking ownership.
• Knowledge of software applications to include various Adobe programs and MS Office products.
• Sound judgment and discretion, with the ability to build trust and collaborate across divisions and with the Administration, external partners, and stakeholders with differing perspectives.
• Knowledge of accessibility and plain-language standards.
Additional Considerations
• Experience communicating about energy, utilities, the environment, or other technical or regulated subject areas
• Government or public-sector communications experience, including work with an executive administration and legislature
Special Instructions
You will be provided a confirmation of receipt when your application and/or résumé is submitted successfully. Please refer to "Your Application" in your account to check the status of your application for this position.
Applications and résumés for this position are accepted electronically through the Commonwealth of Virginia's Electronic Recruitment System only. Interview decisions will be based solely on the information provided in your electronic application and/or résumé. Please ensure you detail all relevant work experience clearly and specifically; we will not make assumptions about your qualifications. You will receive confirmation of receipt once your application and/or résumé has been successfully submitted. To check the status of your application, refer to "Your Application" in your account.
Contact Information
Name: Human Resources
Phone: N/A
Email: humanresources@energy.virginia.gov
Advertised: 13 Nov 2026 Eastern Standard Time
Applications close: 01 Dec 2026 Eastern Standard Time
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