Senior Communications Manager
Job Description
Position Overview
Karman is seeking an experienced Corporate Communications Leader to execute both internal and external communications for a fast-growing, multi-site aerospace and defense company. This role is central to driving employee alignment around enterprise priorities, elevating transparency and trust in leadership, and strengthening Karman’s reputation across critical external audiences.
The ideal candidate is a highly adaptable communicator capable of shifting fluidly between operations level messaging and executive level strategic storytelling. This person must exhibit polished writing, sound judgment, and strong cross-functional collaboration skills in a dynamic environment.
Preferred locations are Huntington Beach, CA or Seattle, WA, although other locations will be considered. Travel is estimated to be up to 50%.
Key Responsibilities
1. Internal Communications
Develop and execute communication programs that:
- Align all employees around Karman’s core priorities and initiatives.
- Strengthen transparency and confidence in leadership.
- Improve operating efficiency and cross-site collaboration.
- Increase employee satisfaction and engagement through clear, timely, and consistent messaging.
- Establish effective two-way communication channels to surface employee perspectives.
- Support internal campaigns and events in partnership with HR, Operations, and site leadership.
- Incorporate data-based tools to evaluate program effectiveness.
2. External Communications
Lead and execute strategies that:
- Increase awareness and visibility of Karman across priority external audiences.
- Build and maintain relationships with key members of the press—including trade, national, and digital influencer channels.
- Enhance the company’s reputation and shape perception through proactive storytelling, thought leadership, and media outreach.
- Ensure alignment with Karman’s external communications policies and regulatory requirements
- Develop high-quality external communication materials, including:
- Corporate presentations
- Executive speeches
- Talking points
- Interview briefs
- Press materials and leadership content for external engagements
- Work collaboratively across the leadership team to gather, synthesize, and refine inputs, ensuring materials reflect the most accurate, strategic, and compelling representation of the company.
- Support crisis and issues communications, adhering to established protocols and leadership approval processes.
- Maintain consistent messaging across media, web, events, social platforms, and investor facing materials.
Qualifications
- Minimum 5 years of relevant communications experience within a publicly traded company (required).
- Hands-on experience in both internal and external communications, including media relations.
- Exceptional writing and editing proficiency across formats and audiences (employees, media, executives, partners).
- Demonstrated ability to collaborate with senior leaders and synthesize complex inputs into clear, cohesive messaging.
- Ability to flex tone and approach to engage shop floor teams, engineers, corporate staff, and C-suite leaders.
- Strong organizational and project management skills.
- Experience in aerospace, defense, or advanced manufacturing industries is a plus.
- Willingness to travel up to 50%.
- Facility with MS 365 tools (Teams, SharePoint, PowerPoint), CMS, media monitoring, social analytics
AI & Digital Tools Competency
- Experience using AI assisted writing, research, and productivity tools to enhance communication quality, speed, and efficiency.
- Ability to validate, refine, and humanize AI generated content for high stakes internal and external audiences.
- Familiarity with AI enabled enterprise systems, analytics platforms, and workflows; comfortable operating in an environment adopting AI driven tools and processes.
- Understanding of responsible and compliant AI use in a public company communications environment, including confidentiality, accuracy, and adherence to established approval protocols.
Ideal Candidate Profile
• Emotionally intelligent, relationship-oriented communicator.
• Comfortable navigating fast-paced, matrixed environments.
• Proactive, resourceful, and capable of identifying communication opportunities before they surface.
• Able to balance strategic thinking with hands-on content development.
• Passionate about storytelling.
ITAR REQUIREMENTS:
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful, permanent resident (aka green card holder), (iii) Refugee under 8 U.S.C. § 1157, or (iv) Asylee under 8 U.S.C. § 1158, or be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.
Karman is committed to equal employment opportunity. We will not discriminate against employees or applicants for employment on any legally recognized basis (“protected class”) including, but not limited to race; color; religion; genetic information; national origin; sex; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; age; disability; citizenship status; uniform servicemember status; or any other protected class under federal, state, or local law. Our management is dedicated to ensuring the fulfillment of this policy with respect to hiring, placement, promotion, transfer, demotion, layoff, termination, recruitment advertising, pay, and other forms of compensation, training, and general treatment during employment.