Industry & Media Relations Director

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

The Director of Industry & Media Relations serves as a critical bridge between AV and key external and internal stakeholders. This role leads coordination with Public Affairs Officers (PAOs) across U.S. Armed Forces customers, engages directly with Tier-1 media organizations and ensures alignment across Investor Relations, Washington Operations, and internal business units. Working alongside the Senior Communications Strategist, this position helps shape and deliver clear, consistent messaging to external audiences that advances AV's strategic priorities and corporate reputation.

Key Responsibilities

External Engagement, Media & PAO Coordination

• Serve as primary communications interface with U.S. military Public Affairs Officers (PAOs)
• Ensure compliance with DoW communication protocols, sensitivities, and operational security considerations
• Interface with top-tier media organizations, primarily television, broadcast or network level media orgs, to support high-visibility engagements, including those involving the Office of the CEO
• Support and help manage executive media interactions, including interviews, briefings, site visits, speaking engagements, and press events
• Support press on site at trade shows or product launch events

Internal Alignment & Cross-Functional Integration

• Work closely with the Senior Communications Strategist & Head of Narrative to align messaging for external audiences across media, investor, and policy channels
• Act as liaison between Marketing/Communications, Investor Relations, and Washington Operations, Business Development, Operations and other internal stake-holders to ensure message consistency
• Translate technical and operational inputs into clear, externally facing messaging
• Create and maintain Public Affairs Guidance documents and utilization
• Support executive communications with coordinated talking points and stakeholder-specific messaging

Media Relations & Strategic Communications

• Develop and execute media engagement strategies tied to key programs and customer activity
• Manage sensitive or high-visibility communications with sound judgment and discretion
• Monitor media coverage and provide insights to inform proactive and reactive communications, supporting the Senior Communications Strategist & Head of Narrative

Content Development & Messaging

• Maintain message discipline across platforms, ensuring consistency in tone, positioning, and accuracy
• Support thought leadership initiatives, including op-eds, speeches, and digital content

Qualifications

• 15+ years of experience in communications, public relations, or public affairs
• Experience working with DoW, military stakeholders, or government communications environments
• Demonstrated experience interfacing with national or top-tier media outlets
• Proven ability to support executive-level communications, including CEO visibility
• Exceptional writing, editing, and storytelling skills
• Strong understanding of media relations and defense industry landscape
• Ability to operate effectively in fast-paced, high-stakes environments

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and message alignment
• Executive presence and media fluency
• Stakeholder management across internal and external audiences
• Sound judgment in sensitive or regulated environments
• Attention to detail and operational discipline
• Collaborative mindset with strong interpersonal skills

What Success Looks Like

• Seamless coordination with PAOs , industry, and media resulting in timely, aligned, and compliant communications
• Strong, consistent CEO-level media engagement with top-tier outlets
• Unified messaging across Communications, Investor Relations, and Washington Operations
• Elevated quality and impact of external storytelling and media coverage
• Trusted partner to the Senior Communications Strategist and advisor to internal stakeholders

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$175,000 - $257,250

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ("ITAR") and/or the Export Administration Regulations ("EAR"). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment's business requirements. A "U.S. person" according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn't for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don't just build defense technology-we redefine what's possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian-but we're not building history, we're building what's next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters-with speed, scale, and purpose-there's no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required