State of Maryland

A Public Affairs Specialist is the entry level of progressively responsible work in the field of public relations at the professional staff level.  Employees in this classification following a period of training and orientation serve as staff assistants in diversified public affairs programs and may be specialists in a particular phase of overall program activities. Employees in this classification do not supervise other positions.

Employees in this classification receive close and moderate supervision from a Public Affairs Program Chief, Chief Editor or higher-level administrator.  Following a period of training and orientation, employees will begin to work with increased independence in media relations and the preparation and distribution of informational, promotional and educational materials.

Positions in this classification are evaluated by using the classification job evaluation methodology.  The use of this method involves comparing assigned duties and responsibilities of a position to the job criteria found in the Nature of Work and Examples of Work Sections of the class specification.

The Public Affairs Specialist and Public Affairs Officer I are differentiated on the basis of the degree of supervisory control exercised by the supervisor over these employees.  The Public Affairs Specialist perform duties under close supervision at times and under moderate supervision at other times, depending on the complexity of the specific duty being performed while the Public Affairs Officer I performs the full range of duties and responsibilities under general supervision.

Gathers information regarding agency activities through personal contact and research of available records and files;

Prepares a variety of promotional and informational material such as news releases, pamphlets, bulletins, articles and booklets;

Distributes promotional and informational material to appropriate media outlets, individuals, groups or organizations;

Compiles and maintains files and records of resource information, photographs, mailing lists, historical and biographical information and technical information concerning agency activities, programs and personnel;

Serves as host for visitors to the agency and arranges for or conducts tours, news conferences or meetings;

Assists in the preparation, publication and distribution of occasional or regularly scheduled agency publications such as newsletters, monthly or annual reports, magazines or other material;

Edits statements, news releases, reports, articles or other information submitted for dissemination;

Prepares speeches, statements, scripts or other information designed for presentation by others;

Responds to inquiries from the public or media representatives regarding agency activities or programs;

Arranges for the dissemination of information to the public through appropriate media outlets;

Provides guidance to program officials regarding methods of presenting information and techniques of maintaining effective public relations;

May be independently responsible for the preparation and distribution of regularly scheduled publications of limited size, scope and complexity;

May operate cameras, tape recorders, projectors, or other similar equipment on occasion;

Performs other related duties.

Knowledge of the principles of communications;

Knowledge of English usage, grammar and composition;

Knowledge of the principles of public relations;

Ability to learn the characteristics, capabilities, basic functional processes and typical organizational structure of mass media organizations such as television, radio and newspapers;

Ability to learn the characteristics and capabilities of printing methods, lay-out, typography and composition;

Ability to apply the principles of communication theory in choosing appropriate mean and techniques of disseminating information to desired audiences;

Ability to arrange, compose or edit given information into a form appropriate to educate, inform or instill a desired image in the target audience;

Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with others;

Ability to present information in a creative, tasteful and effective manner.

Experience: Four years of experience in public information, public relations, journalism or other related experience in publicity or promotional work.

Notes:

1. Candidates may substitute the possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with at least 30 semester credit hours in one or more of the following subjects: English, journalism, public relations, writing or other similar and related areas of study for the required experience. 

2. Candidates may substitute U.S. Armed Forces military service experience as a commissioned officer in public affairs specialist classification or public affairs specialty codes in the information and arts field of work on a year-for-year basis for the required experience.

Class specifications are broad descriptions covering groups of positions used by various State departments and agencies. Position descriptions maintained by the using department or agency specifically address the essential job functions of each position.

This is a Skilled Service classification in the State Personnel Management System.  All positions in this classification are Skilled Service positions.  Some positions in Skilled Service classifications may be designated Special Appointment in accordance with the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 6-405, Annotated Code of Maryland.

This classification is assigned to Bargaining Unit G- Engineering, Scientific and Administrative Professionals classes.  As provided by State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 3-102, special appointment, temporary, contractual, supervisory, managerial and confidential employees are excluded from collective bargaining.  Additionally, certain executive branch agencies are exempt from collective bargaining and all positions in those agencies are excluded from collective bargaining.

Employees in this classification are eligible to receive overtime compensation.  An employee who works more than the normal workweek is entitled to be compensated for that overtime as provided by the State Personnel and Pensions Article, Section 8-305.

This classification is one level in a Non-Competitive Promotion (NCP) series. NCP promotions are promotions by which employees may advance in grade and class level from trainee to full performance level in a classification series.  In order to be non-competitively promoted to the next level in a NCP series, an employee must: 1) perform the main purpose of the class, as defined by the Nature of Work section of the class specification; 2) receive the type of supervision defined in the class specification and 3) meet the minimum qualifications of the classification.