Vice President, Culture & Communications

Why RTI

RTI International is an independent, scientific research institute dedicated to improving the human condition. Our vision is to address the world's most critical problems with technical and science-based solutions in pursuit of a better future. Clients rely on us to answer questions that demand an objective and multidisciplinary approach—one that integrates expertise across social, statistical, data, and laboratory sciences, engineering, and other technical disciplines to solve the world’s most challenging problems.

We believe in the promise of science and technical solutions, and we push ourselves every day to deliver on that promise for the good of people, communities, and businesses in the US and around the world. If you are looking for the opportunity to make a real difference, RTI is the place for you.

About the Hiring Group

We are seeking an accomplished and strategic Vice President, Culture and Communications to lead an integrated enterprise portfolio spanning culture and belonging, employee experience and listening, learning and leadership development, organizational development, internal and executive communications, RTI Insider, and Community Affairs. This highly visible leadership role will shape how employees experience RTI, how leaders communicate and engage, and how the organization builds the culture and capabilities required to advance its mission and strategy.

The Vice President will champion a One RTI culture that strengthens connection, inclusion, trust, and shared purpose across the institute. By aligning culture, communications, employee experience, and organizational development, this leader will help employees understand how their work contributes to RTI's mission, strategy, values, and impact. The Vice President, Culture and Communications will lead the portfolio's teams and hold accountability for enterprise strategy, operating plans, budget, talent, service delivery, and measurable outcomes, while serving as a trusted advisor and influential partner to senior leaders across the organization.

Culture and Organizational Development

• Sets and delivers an integrated enterprise strategy for culture, belonging, employee experience, learning and development, leadership development, and organizational development, aligned with RTI's strategic plan, People Strategy, values, and employee value proposition.
• Advances a One RTI culture by strengthening inclusion, trust, connection, leadership effectiveness, career growth, organizational capability, and team performance.
• Leads employee listening and organizational assessment, translating data and stakeholder insight into clear priorities, interventions, and measurable improvements in culture, employee experience, and organizational health.

Internal Communications

• Sets the strategy and provides oversight for internal, executive, and employee communications and RTI Insider, ensuring clear, timely, coordinated, and audience-relevant communications.
• Advises executives and leaders on communication strategies, leadership messaging, employee narratives, and engagement approaches that connect employees to RTI's mission, strategy, decisions, values, and impact.
• Partners across Human Resources, Corporate Communications, and the institute to align communication priorities, channels, and resources and deliver a coherent employee experience.

Community Affairs

• Leads RTI's Community Affairs strategy, including charitable giving, memberships and sponsorships, community partnerships, employee volunteerism, and communications supporting community impact.
• Establishes a long‑term, measurable approach that advances RTI's mission and demonstrates meaningful commitment to the communities in which employees live and work.

Portfolio Leadership

• Leads the Culture and Communications leadership team and is accountable for portfolio strategy, operating plans, budget, talent, governance, service delivery, and measurable outcomes.
• Builds an integrated, high‑performing team; develops leaders and talent; aligns resources and capabilities with institute priorities; and applies relevant leading practices and technologies to improve outcomes.
• Serves on the HR executive team and as a trusted advisor to the Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer and other senior leaders on matters within the portfolio.

To succeed in this role, you will bring strong business acumen, sound judgment, and exceptional consulting, facilitation, and problem‑solving skills. You will translate data and employee insights into practical improvements and navigate complex challenges with curiosity, creativity, and a growth mindset. Digital agility is essential, along with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office and relevant communications, learning, listening, analytics, and collaboration platforms.

What You’ll Need

• Bachelor's Degree and 20 years of directly related experience, Master's degree and 15 years of directly related experience, or a PhD and 10 years of directly related experience.
• Demonstrated experience in two or more of the following are
  • Successful development and delivery of culture programing and organizational development in an organizational transformation context.
  • Leading organizational communications to include internal and executive communications, employee communications, and integrated communications planning, intranet, and employee value proposition.
  • Senior leadership across an integrated portfolio that includes culture and belonging, employee experience, learning and leadership development, organizational development, internal communications, and/or Community Affairs in a complex organization on a growth trajectory.
  • Expertise in culture, employee experience, organizational development, leadership development, and internal, executive, and employee communications.
• Proven ability to set enterprise strategy, translate it into operating plans and measurable outcomes, and manage budgets, governance, resources, and service delivery.
• Demonstrated success advising C-suite and senior leaders and translating complex issues and varied inputs into clear decisions, communications, and organizational action.
• Experienced in internal communication partnerships.
• Experience leading multi‑channel employee communications, including an enterprise intranet or comparable digital platform, and Community Affairs programming, including giving, sponsorships, partnerships, and volunteerism.

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EEO & Pay Equity Statements

For San Francisco, CA USA Job Postings Only: Pursuant to the San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance, we will consider for employment qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records. Further information is here.

RTI accepts applications to our job openings from candidates with criminal histories or conviction records in accordance with all applicable laws, including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act.

For Applicants in Massachusetts Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.

The anticipated pay range for this role is listed below. Our pay ranges represent national averages and may vary by location as a geographic differential may be applied to some locations within the United States. RTI considers multiple factors when making an offer including, for example: established salary range, internal budget, business needs, and education and years of work experience possessed by the applicant. Further, salary is merely one element to our offer.

At RTI, we demonstrate our commitment to rewarding individual and team achievement through a total rewards package. This package includes (among other things) a competitive base salary, a generous paid time off policy, merit based annual increases, bonus opportunities and a robust recognition program. Other benefits include a competitive range of insurance plans (including health, dental, life, and short‑term and long‑term disability), access to a retirement savings program such as a 401(k) plan, paid parental leave for all parents, financial assistance with adoption expenses or infertility treatments, financial reimbursement for education and developmental opportunities, an employee assistance program, and numerous other offerings to support a healthy work‑life balance.

Equal Pay Act Minimum/Range

$267,000.00K - $330,000.00