ABS is seeking a Communications Lead to support strategic initiatives in a technical sector that brings together capabilities across ABS Bureau and ABS Group. This role will serve as a central communications resource for high-visibility programs and business priorities, including support to a large program management office, executive communications, stakeholder communications, and project-related messaging. The Communications Lead will work across technical and non-technical teams to develop, coordinate, and deliver clear, accurate, and timely communications for internal and external audiences. The role requires strong judgment, strong writing and editing skills, and the ability to translate complex technical and business information into concise, audience-appropriate messaging. The successful candidate will help drive communication alignment across leadership, technical workstreams, governance forums, and external stakeholders, including support for communications related to regulatory compliance, stakeholder outreach, and public-facing narratives where needed.
What You Will Do

• Lead communication efforts for strategic programs, initiatives, and business priorities involving cross-functional teams across ABS Bureau and ABS Group.
• Develop and deliver clear, accurate, and audience-specific communications for internal and external stakeholders, including updates, key messages, presentations, briefing materials, and talking points.
• Support program and project communication needs, including communication cadences, leadership updates, governance materials, and meeting support.
• Partner with technical leaders, project managers, and business stakeholders to ensure messaging is aligned, timely, and consistent.
• Contribute to stakeholder outreach, regulatory-facing communications, and public relations support as needed.
• Help shape communication plans, messaging frameworks, and communication protocols to support coordination and alignment across teams.
• Provide technical expertise on project tasks under the supervision of a project manager to ensure quality services are delivered on schedule and within available budget to meet customer requirements
• Participate in client and project team meetings.
• Assist with research and data analysis, to include but not limited to assisting with conducting customer or stakeholder analyses.
• Prepare written documents, reports, and presentations, and assist with giving presentations to clients.
• Track and accurately report hours spent on projects.
• Work with individuals at all levels, provide input to reports and other deliverables, execute multiple assignments, meet agreed deadlines, and adjust to changing client demands.
• Perform quality assurance on project deliverables.
• Demonstrate a firm understanding of business and implement opportunities for enhancing effectiveness and efficiencies on assigned projects and amongst team members.
• Develop relationships with existing customers to facilitate development of new business opportunities for current and/or additional services.
• Understand and be conversant in ABS Group products and services.
• Meet with new and existing clients and actively listen to their needs.
• Communicate client needs to project managers.
• Review published reports and news articles about existing and potential new clients to identify customer intelligence.
• Participate in proposal development.
• Represent ABS Group and participate in promoting our products and services
• Participate in marketing activities, conference presentations, technical whitepapers.
• Networking to meet new potential clients.

What You Will Need
Education and Experience

• Must have a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience (degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, English, Marketing, Business, Public Affairs, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.)
• 6+ years of relevant professional experience
• Professional certification preferred
  

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Ability to gain, retain, illustrate comprehension of learned communications knowledge, and transfer knowledge to other members of the team 
• Ability to mentor/coach entry-level consultants and hone technical skills in others
• Ability to actively listen to the needs of our clients by receiving shared information, determining context of the information provided and generating probing questions to better understand, retaining the information for future access, engaging and collaborating with sales team on potential opportunities, and responding with solutions
• Openly accept change as part of business evolution to meet the needs of our clients, provide recommendations to enhance business, and drive change amongst colleagues and on assigned projects
• Possess a firm understanding of key performance indicators and their significance to the business and take action to drive results amongst their department
• Ability to utilize established rapport and role as a subject matter expert with existing clients to facilitate development of new business through identifying and consistently generating new business opportunities
• Ability to coach others on development of customer intimacy and new opportunities
• Must take responsibility for their actions, behaviors, decisions, and results and those of the team they lead
• Ability to utilize root cause analysis to improve performance  
• Must understand departmental goals and holds self and team members accountable for keeping commitments and high standards
• Must acknowledge and learn from mistakes
• Must be dependable and consistent
• Must actively participate in daily activities
• Ability to demonstrate independent, objective, open-minded thinking with strong attention to detail and sound judgment
• Demonstrate a proficient level of time management skills
• Working knowledge of the ABS Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Management System

Reporting Relationships
Reports to a manager, director, or executive level position
Country Requirements
US Citizenship required for roles supporting government contracts
Salary
$110k -$115k
We set out more than 160 years ago to promote the security of life and property at sea and preserve the natural environment. Today, we remain true to our mission and continue to support organizations facing a rapidly evolving seascape of challenging regulations and new technologies. Through it all, we are anchored by a vision and mission that help our clients find clarity in uncertain times.
ABS is a global leader in marine and offshore classification and other innovative safety, quality, and environmental services. We’re at the forefront of supporting the global energy transition at sea, the application of remote and autonomous marine systems, cutting-edge technical solutions, and many more exciting advancements. Our commitment to safety, reliability, and efficiency is ever-present, guiding our clients to safer and more efficient operations.
About Our Benefits
ABS Group proudly offers a variety of industry-leading benefits designed to enhance the life and well-being of our employees and their families. These benefits include, but are not limited to, medical insurance (PPO and HD), dental and vision insurance, Health Savings account (HSA), Flexible Savings Account (FSA), life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment insurance, disability leave programs, parental leave program, paid holidays, and paid vacation time. The Company provides an Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) that offers additional support in personal wellness, including work-life services. ABS Group also offers a 401K plan with a generous company match, subject to plan requirements.
Equal Opportunity
The ABS Group of Companies is committed to the equal employment opportunity of its employees and prohibits discrimination against any employee or qualified applicant based on race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, gender identity, age, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, citizenship status or veteran status, or other non-work-related characteristics that may be protected under the law of the Federal Government or specific state employment laws.
Notice
ABS and Affiliated Companies (ABS) will not pay a fee to any third-party agency without a valid ABS Master Service Agreement (MSA) authorized and signed by Human Resources. Any resume, CV, application, or other forms of candidate submission provided to any employee of ABS without a valid MSA on file will be considered property of ABS, and no fee will be paid.
Other
This job description is not intended, and should not be construed, to be an all-inclusive list of responsibilities, skills, efforts or working conditions associated with the job of the incumbent. It is intended to be an accurate reflection of the principal job elements essential for making a fair decision regarding the pay structure of the job. #ogjs