Digital Communications Specialist

Placer County is comprised of over 1,400 square miles of beautiful and diverse geography, ranging from the residential and commercial areas of South Placer, through the historic foothill areas of Auburn, Foresthill, and Colfax, and to the County's jewel of the North Lake Tahoe basin. Placer is a great place to live, work, play, and learn! For more information about Placer County, please visit www.placer.ca.gov.

This recruitment will remain open until filled, and applications will be reviewed and forwarded to the hiring manager for consideration on a continuous basis until a selection is made.

The Placer County Executive Office currently has one vacancy for a Web Designer/Developer (Digital Communications Specialist) to work in the Communication and Public Affairs Office. This position is primarily responsible for managing multiple website development and design projects to communicate with external and internal audiences.

The ideal candidate should be a strong collaborator who is accustomed to team projects and should have a deep understanding of HTML, CSS, Java Script, PHP, and other web design coding languages. This individual should be able to provide ongoing insight into the latest web trends, create navigation for an intuitive experience, understands UX and UI design, and is familiar with reporting website analytics.

This candidate must demonstrate a strong understanding of branding standards and possess effective communication skills to assist with web content development. The position requires constant communication with colleagues and executive management and is responsible for designing, coding, modifying, and creating websites from layout to function. The ideal candidate will be able to communicate in HTML as well as the written word.

A qualified candidate should be able to demonstrate good visual design sense and be proficient using Adobe Creative Cloud design software. This position will be required to build survey forms and edit in the Civic Plus Content Management System. Familiarity with integrating GIS elements is desirable.

Placer County offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees. The following information represents benefits currently available to permanent Placer County employees and may be subject to change. Applicants should inquire as to the most current benefit package during hiring interviews or by contacting the Human Resources Department. Click here to view Professional benefits.

For more information regarding the benefits Placer County has to offer please visit Placer County's Human Resources website.

To inform, promote, and market Placer County to internal and external audiences using digital communication tools; to develop high-quality digital content for the County website and other social media platforms; to plan, develop, coordinate, and oversee the day-to-day digital media communication strategies of Placer County.

The Digital Communications Specialist level recognizes a single position classification that assumes digital communication activities on behalf of the County Executive’s Office.

Receives direct supervision from the Director of Communications and Public Affairs or other management staff.

May exercise technical and function supervision over technical and clerical personnel.

Duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• In support of the County Executive’s Office, coordinate and manage digital communication to internal and external audiences.
• Oversee design and layout of the County website; develop media branding image and digital marketing efforts.
• Prepare marketing and outreach strategies in a digital environment including social media, digital advertising, web-based communication, and digital newsletter preparation.
• Identify, create, and deliver digital messages to the public and employees via internet and intranet.
• Create digital applications for community engagement and outreach.
• Direct, research, and manage the development of messages and graphics for internet and intranet web pages.
• Plan, organize, develop, and direct the activities of communications made available on the County website and other social media sites.
• Write, proofread, edit, and update external and internal County website and social media sites to provide clear, brand-consistent, strategically driven County messages.
• Build and maintain positive working relationships with co-workers, other County employees, and the public using principles of good customer service.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

It is the responsibility of applicants to identify in their application materials how they meet the minimum qualifications listed below.

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: Three (3) years of increasingly responsible professional work experience in digital communications.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in communications, video production, advertising, computer science, business or public administration, or related field.

NOTE: Relevant, equivalent experience (performing the same or similar job requiring similar knowledge, skills, and abilities) may be substituted for the required education as determined by the Human Resources Department.

NOTE: Applicants receiving their degree outside the United States must submit proof of accreditation by a recognized evaluation agency.

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.

Knowledge of:

• Web content management systems, including text and embedded graphics, photos, video, and audio that displays content and/or interacts with the user.
• Principles and practices of digital communication systems.
• Principles and practices of emerging trends related to digital communication.
• Mobile application development and related technology.
• Software applications including website development, graphic design, word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Pertinent local, state, and federal laws, rules, and regulations.
• English usage, spelling, grammar, and punctuation.
• Modern office procedures, methods, and computer equipment.

Ability to:

• Keep up to date on cloud-based digital communication trends and technologies.
• Keep abreast of digital trends and new technology.
• Analyze data and recommend strategies.
• Work closely with other County departments to coordinate media information for internal and external audiences.
• On a continuous basis, sit at desk and in meetings for long periods of time.  Intermittently walk, stand, bend, squat, climb, kneel, or twist to reach equipment; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone and communicate through written means.
• Interpret and apply department, County, State, and Federal policies, procedures, rules, and regulations; interpret complex information regarding County programs and issues.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Write, edit, and proofread content.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Training & Experience Rating (100%)

Based upon responses to the supplemental questionnaire, the applicant’s education, training, and experience will be evaluated using a pre-determined formula. Scores from this evaluation will determine applicant ranking and placement on the eligible list.

Prior to the date of hire, applicants must undergo a fingerprint test by the Department of Justice, pass a medical examination (which may include a drug screening and possibly a psychological evaluation), sign a constitutional oath, and submit proof of U.S. citizenship or legal right to remain and work in the U.S.  For some positions, applicants may also be required to submit proof of age, undergo a background investigation (which may include a voice stress analysis and/or a polygraph), and/or be bonded. Additionally, positions in law enforcement classifications and those supporting law enforcement functions will be required to complete a conviction history questionnaire prior to or during the interview process. Applicants for positions with access to Medi-Cal billing software or who are licensed providers must clear the Federal Exclusion List, credentialing, and social security verification. Failure to clear these requirements may result in an employment offer being withdrawn.

The eligible list resulting from this recruitment may be certified as a substitute list for a substantially similar classification.  For this purpose, a substantially similar classification is one at a lower level in the same classification (example: entry level vs. journey level) and/or a similar classification (similar work performed, similar training and experience qualifications required). If you are contacted for an interview by a County department, you will be informed of the classification and other relevant information. If you choose not to interview for a substantially similar classification, you will remain on the eligible list for which you originally applied.

Placer County offers an expedited process for qualifying certain applicants for interviews. Candidates currently employed, or employed within the last year, by a public agency operating under a personnel civil service or merit system may be eligible to be placed on a Public Agency Eligible List and certified as eligible for appointment to a similar job assignment without going through the examination process. For more information on the Public Agency Eligible List, to download forms, or to apply, please click here.

Thank you for your interest in employment with Placer County. Placer County is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to an active nondiscrimination program. It is the stated policy of Placer County that harassment, discrimination, and retaliation are prohibited and that all employees, applicants, agents, contractors, and interns/volunteers shall receive equal consideration and treatment. All terms and conditions of employment, including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, transfer, and promotion will be based on the qualifications of the individual for the positions being filled regardless of gender (including gender identity and expression), sexual orientation, race, color, ancestry, religion, national origin, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over), marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions), or any other classification protected by federal, state, or local law. Please contact the Human Resources Department at least 5 working days before a scheduled examination if you require accommodation in the examination process. Medical disability verification may be required prior to accommodation.

For questions regarding this recruitment, please contact Lindsay Killian, Human Resources Analyst, at lkillian@placer.ca.gov or (530) 886-4678.