Unclassified
To direct, manage, supervise, and coordinate the public and media relations activities, operations,
and programs within the Sheriff’s Office; to serve as spokesperson for the Sheriff’s Office; to provide
highly responsible and complex administrative support to the executive command staff; to provide
accurate and time sensitive public safety information to the community through the media and other
means during critical incidents or emergency response efforts in coordination with the Placer County
Office of Emergency Services; and to develop strategic planning and policy development in the
areas of communications, public relations, and media relations relating to public safety.
This classification functions at the manager level and as such recognizes a position that exercises full
line and functional management responsibility for employees for a program area and assumes
substantive and significant responsibility for Sheriff’s Office communications.
This classification is distinguished from the Public Information Assistant in that the latter assists with a
wide variety of countywide or department-specific communication initiatives and projects, as well as
department-specific programs. In contrast, the Sheriff’s Communications Manager is a specialized
classification that delivers time sensitive, on-call emergency response communications to the public.
During critical incidents or emergencies, under Unified Command with the Placer County Office of
Emergency Services, this position is responsible for providing advice and counsel on strategic
communication matters to unified commanders to foster confidence in response and recovery
operations, communicating critical safety instructions, pertinent status updates, and other information
to maintain public safety. The Sheriff’s Communications Manager must possess knowledge of public
safety-specific crisis communication strategies and manages all public and media relations activities
on behalf of the Sheriff’s Office in coordination with external agencies and emergency or critical
incident stakeholders. This classification is further distinguished from the Public Information Officer in
that the latter primarily plans, organizes, directs, and manages the preparation and dissemination of
information concerning the activities of Placer County as a whole and its respective departments.
Receives general direction from Sheriff or their designee.
Exercises direct supervision over professional, technical, and clerical staff.
Work is performed in both an indoor office environment with controlled temperature conditions and
in the field requiring travel to various locations throughout the County in a variety of outdoor weather
conditions and environmental factors related to law enforcement field work.
Experience and Training:
Any combination of experience and training that would provide the required knowledge and abilities
is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the required knowledge and abilities would be:
Experience: Four (4) years of increasingly responsible professional level communications, media, and/or
public information experience including spokesperson responsibilities and/or developing and
implementing public relations programs. Experience in crisis/emergency response situations is
preferred.
Training: Equivalent to a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course
work in English, journalism, marketing, communications, public relations, or a related field.
Required License or Certificate:
May need to possess a valid driver’s license as required by the position. Proof of adequate vehicle
insurance and medical clearance may also be required.
Length of Probation:
This classification serves at the pleasure of the Appointing Authority and has no specific term and no right
to continuous employment.
Bargaining Unit:
Management
FLSA Status:
Exempt