Position Title: Health Communication Manager (JRR Partnerships Specialist), Full-Time
Contract Duration: 12-month base period with renewable option periods
Location: Bethesda, Maryland
Department: Veritas Management Group/NIH SOAR
Veritas Management Group (VMG) is a leading management consulting firm offering solutions to complex challenges involving public health, technology, and military domains. We serve government and commercial sector organizations, academic institutions, and non-profit organizations, domestically and globally. We are committed to transforming public health through equitable, data-driven solutions.
VMG is seeking a Health Communication Manager (JRR Partnerships Specialist) to support the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Office of the Director (OD), in launching and expanding the Journal of Replication and Reproducibility (JRR). This position is responsible for developing strategic partnerships across the replication and reproducibility research community, scholarly publishing organizations, academic institutions, and research stakeholders while supporting outreach, communications, stakeholder engagement, and program evaluation.
The ideal candidate will possess exceptional communication and partnership development skills, experience managing stakeholder relationships, and the ability to develop innovative outreach strategies that promote scientific collaboration, increase journal submissions, and establish JRR as a leading resource for verified replication studies.
- Develop and implement partnership strategies that strengthen engagement with the replication and reproducibility research community.
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships with academic institutions, scholarly publishers, scientific organizations, and other key stakeholders.
- Coordinate stakeholder engagement activities and evaluate partnership effectiveness through surveys, assessments, and summary reports.
- Research best practices used by scholarly journals and scientific publishing organizations to support replication science and reproducibility initiatives.
- Develop strategies that encourage institutions and researchers to complete sponsored studies for publication in the Journal of Replication and Reproducibility (JRR).
- Coordinate outreach initiatives, educational campaigns, workshops, meetings, and stakeholder engagement events.
- Prepare reports, presentations, briefing materials, and partnership metrics for NIH leadership.
- Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to support strategic planning, communications, and program implementation.
- Draft and coordinate Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) and other partnership agreements.
- Monitor program performance metrics and recommend improvements to strengthen stakeholder engagement and program effectiveness.
- Develop communication materials, marketing content, and outreach resources that support JRR initiatives.
- Maintain databases of stakeholder contacts, partnership activities, and program outcomes.
- Represent JRR at professional meetings, conferences, and stakeholder engagement events as appropriate.
- Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Public Health, Marketing, Journalism, or a related field.
- Experience developing and managing strategic partnerships and stakeholder engagement initiatives.
- Experience drafting, negotiating, or coordinating Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs).
- Strong relationship-building, communication, and collaboration skills.
- Experience planning outreach initiatives, communications campaigns, or community engagement programs.
- Proficiency with Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office applications.
- Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and project management skills.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities while working effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
- Experience supporting NIH or other federally funded scientific research programs.
- Knowledge of scholarly publishing, scientific communications, or research administration.
- Experience supporting journal development, scientific publishing, or research dissemination initiatives.
- Experience with stakeholder evaluations, partnership metrics, and program performance reporting.
- Familiarity with communications strategies supporting scientific research and open science initiatives.
- Experience developing outreach materials and managing digital communications campaigns.
- Full-time position (40 hours per week).
- Monday through Friday schedule.
- Position is located in Bethesda, Maryland.
- Telework is available in accordance with government approval.
- Professional office environment requiring frequent interaction with NIH leadership, researchers, publishers, academic institutions, and external partners.
- Position requires strong collaboration, communication, and relationship management skills in support of strategic scientific initiatives.
