People Matter

Head of External Communications

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Commonwealth Fusion Systems

Marketing & Communications
Devens, MA, USA
Posted on Apr 19, 2024
Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS) has the fastest, lowest cost path to commercial fusion energy.
CFS collaborates with MIT to leverage decades of research combined with groundbreaking new high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnet technology. HTS magnets will enable compact fusion power plants that can be constructed faster and at lower cost. Our mission is to deploy these power plants to meet global decarbonization goals as fast as possible. To that end, CFS has assembled a team of leaders in tough tech, fusion science, and manufacturing with a track record of rapid execution. Supported by the world’s leading investors, CFS is uniquely positioned to deliver limitless, clean, fusion power to combat climate change. To implement this plan, we are looking to add dedicated people to the team who treat people well, improve our work by adding multifaceted perspectives and new ways of solving problems, have achieved outstanding results through a range of pursuits, and have skills and experience related to this role.
As the Head of External Communications reporting to the CMO, this is a highly visible role responsible for bringing our groundbreaking fusion technology to the world stage. In this role, you will craft compelling messaging and differentiated positioning to drive broad comprehension of fusion's potential as a safe, sustainable power source. You will lead strategic storytelling and executive casting as CFS looks to be recognized as the industry juggernaut and industry statesman.
This role will be responsible for accelerating the growth of our global brand, managing our corporate reputation, and elevating CFS as a category-creator in clean, sustainable energy.

This team member will:

  • Company Narrative: Own the company narrative and be aggressive in capturing tailwinds from the global zeitgeist
  • Strategic Messaging: Develop an audience-specific messaging house and own the document on an ongoing basis
  • Co-founder Communications: Develop a proactive, strategic approach to earned media placement and co-founder communications
  • Issues & Crisis Management: Lead on building a rapid-response crisis communications team able to cover both issues management as well as crisis issues
  • Third-Party Influencers: Working with Open Innovation, Digital and Global Affairs, develop a third-party influencer campaign to identify, curate, manage and activate industry analysts, academics, and other key opinion leaders
  • Metrics: Manage the right set of tools to capture quality of earned media coverage, message pull through and tonality and benchmark against the competition

The ideal candidate will have most, if not all, of these requirements:

  • BA/BS degree in Communications, Marketing, Human Resources or related field
  • 15+ years of strategic communications experience in a tech or science-based organization
  • You convey complex technical topics in clear, compelling ways to both technical and non-technical audiences
  • Nothing scares you: you are cool and calm under pressure
  • You have intellectual curiosity and can quickly grasp complex scientific subjects
  • You enjoy delving into the technical details of fusion technology
  • Strong leadership abilities and experience managing high-performance teams
  • Boston-based role

Additional preferred experience and/or qualifications:

  • Agency experience
  • Perform activities such as typing, standing, or sitting for extended periods of time
  • Work in a facility that contains industrial hazards including heat, cold, noise, fumes, strong magnets, lead (Pb), high voltage, high current, pressure systems, and cryogenics
  • Willingness to travel or work required nights/weekends/on-call occasionally
  • #LI-Onsite
CFS team members thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and have demonstrated exceptional results through a range of different pursuits. We all tightly align with our company values of integrity, execution, impact and self-critique. As we grow, we are looking to add talented people who are mission driven and bring diverse perspectives and new ways of solving problems.
At CFS, we deeply value diversity and are an equal opportunity employer by choice. We consider all qualified applicants equally for employment. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, protected veteran status, religion, physical or mental disability, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, or any other basis protected by law, ordinance, or regulation.