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The City of Oak Harbor is looking for a creative, dedicated and collaborative individual to join our team of talented and valued employees. This is an opportunity to be an influential key partner in sharing the City of Oak Harbor's story through electronic media platforms and our connection with employees and the community.
At the City of Oak Harbor, we demonstrate our excellence by modeling our mission statement: "The City of Oak Harbor is committed to creating a vibrant community by delivering quality services, enhancing the quality of life, and fostering economic opportunities", and we welcome all who share these values to apply for this position.
Why Work for Oak Harbor?
Be involved with a positive team atmosphere by creating meaningful communication between City staff, City Council and the community.
- Make a difference in the lives of people every day
- Help promote a positive brand for the City
- Foster a sense of civic pride in our diverse community
- Work with a great group of people
- Live on a beautiful island with endless outdoor adventure opportunities
- Competitive total compensation package with great benefits
Position Summary
The goal of this position is to generate positive recognition of the City; promote awareness of how the City works, strengthen the public image of the City, encourage citizen participation in City processes and programs, foster a sense of civic pride in the community using enhanced communications, provide accessible information, increase revenue, and coordinate meaningful interactions between the City Council, the City staff, community organizations and members, and regional entities. In addition, this position may provide executive level assistance in support of the Mayor and City Administrator.
This position provides proactive, accurate, and timely communications with the news media; functions as the City's spokesperson; develops and implements Citywide public information strategies consistent with City goals and objectives; and manages the City's cable access channel, website(s) and social media platforms. This position is responsible for developing, implementing, and distributing marketing and promotional materials for the City.
We will conduct ongoing screenings of applications as they are received; as soon as we determine to have a qualified pool of applicants, this position may close quickly and without notice.
Essential Job Functions:
- Collaborates with City officials and staff to develop and implement a Citywide communications strategy including public information and education, media relations, and emergency communications; provides expertise and oversight for external and internal messaging to citizens, community groups, the media, external organizations, the general public, and City employees.
- Performs a variety of public relations and marketing activities, including preparing public service announcements, news releases, audio-visual materials, and video productions to enhance the City's public image and facilitate dissemination of information to promote Citywide issues and/or events.
- Represents the City as a public speaker and/or spokesperson in general public events and interactions with news media representatives. May represent the City as a member of community or regional groups or committees as assigned.
- Prepares a variety of public informational materials across print and electronic communications platforms, including fact sheets, brochures, display boards, photographs, Power Point presentations and more, about City operations and services, including controversial public policy issues, and to support executive and management special projects.
- Develops content and updates City's website(s), maintains social networking platforms and prepares electronic communications to provide public informational updates to citizens and to market events and activities. Authors, writes, generates content, takes photographs, and publishes City's electronic newsletter.
- Provides in-house consultation to and assists elected officials and City staff with public involvement and public information activities; leads or assists in the planning, design, and implementation of these activities; assists in seeking community participation in the City's decision-making processes by identifying groups/organizations affected by City actions, notifying them of opportunities for public input and involvement on City task forces and committees.
- Researches and recommends methods for improving the community's access to City government; designs or leads design of public surveys; and reviews news media, social media and community conversations to monitor public sentiment about City programs and services and recommends and implements strategies to encourage public understanding and participation.
- Oversees and coordinates operations and programming of the City's community television channel, including establishing and administering policies regarding their use by the City and other entities; locating, editing, and scheduling broadcast programs; and preparing bulletin board messages.
- Responds to inquiries from the general public and the news media about City processes, programs, and activities; ensures response by appropriate department as necessary.
- Coordinates public relations and community events such as ribbon-cutting ceremonies, and City related functions. Serves as official City photographer.
- Leads internal cross-departmental committee of City staff to share information and best practices. May train staff on communications topics and practices.
- May direct work products of staff or contractors to complete priority work as needed.
- Participates in negotiations for City's cable franchise agreements and helps monitor franchisees' compliance with terms of agreement.
- Maintains record-keeping of City's publications, photographic, and video archives
Associated Job Functions:
1. Attend various workshops and continuing education meetings.
2. Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.
Performance Requirements (Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities):
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Knowledge of:
- Principles and practices of communication plan development, public relations, marketing, media relations and public involvement strategies and techniques.
- Principles and practices of municipal government organization and operations.
- Knowledge of web editors, graphic design authoring tools, and content management systems.
- Preferred knowledge of cable channel operations.
Ability to:
- Effectively create a variety of communications materials for a variety of audiences using written, audio, visual, print, and electronic formats.
- Design, plan, prioritize, implement, and evaluate public information programs.
- Provide technical and policy expertise within program area to elected officials and City management.
- Prepare and deliver presentations to community groups, citizen advisory committees, and other audiences.
- Operate personal computer, including word processing, spreadsheet, database, web content management, graphic design, and other related software applications that support the information officer function.
- Operate equipment, such as photographic and video equipment, used to perform the essential duties.
- Establish and maintain effective working relationships with a variety of people, including media representatives, citizen groups, City staff, outside agencies, and the general public including situations involving emergencies and potentially controversial public policy issues.
- Apply professional knowledge and expertise as well as established guidelines and alternatives to make judgments and recommendations regarding public information issues and activities.
- Maintain confidentiality of business records and other information.
Qualifications & Requirements:
Education and Training:
Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, public relations, marketing, mass media, public administration, or closely related field.
Experience:
Three (3) years of increasingly responsible experience in the public information field, preferably within the public sector, responsible for designing, planning, implementing, and evaluating public information programs. Experience with web content management, graphic design or other related software applications.
Licenses or Certificates:
Valid Driver's License at the time of hire or within one (1) month of hire date.
Ability to successfully pass a comprehensive employment background verification with a clean driver's abstract.
An equivalent combination of education, training and experience that provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities will be considered.
Working Environment & Physical Demands:
The physical demands and characteristics of the work environment described here are representative of those occurring in the performance of the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the essential functions of this job, the employee is frequently required to stand; walk; sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel objects, tools, or controls; and talk or hear. The employee is occasionally required to reach with hands and arms and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift to 10 pounds; occasionally lift and/or move 10 to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include color vision, close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.
This position works primarily in an office where the noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate; however, incumbent may occasionally work outside in a variety of weather conditions. The incumbent regularly travels to events within or near the city.
This position works a regular schedule; however, incumbents will be required to work some evening or weekend hours to attend public meetings or other events.
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