Public Information Assistant

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.

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 Management benefits

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

To assist with a wide variety of county-wide or department specific communication projects in support of the county’s public information program; to plan, organize and implement comprehensive public information, media relations and communication programs; to write press releases and other public information materials; to serve as assigned department spokesperson; and to provide staff assistance to  management/executive level staff.

Receives general direction from assigned management staff.

May exercise direct or technical and functional supervision over assigned staff.

Depending upon assignment, duties may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Serve as spokesperson for print, television, radio, and/or social media; hold press conferences to brief the public providing essential information regarding critical incidents, emergencies, and community or department events.
• Research and write news releases, newsletter articles, brochures, fliers, and other materials in support of the public information effort.
• Assist in planning, organizing, staffing and managing logistical details of special events, community outreach activities, employee activities and significant projects.
• Take photographs, attend events, research, write copy and provide logistical support for newsletters.
• Update and maintain websites and other social media platforms.
• Provide logistical support to video and other media projects.
• Respond to a wide variety of questions from the public regarding technical topics or general inquiries on behalf of the County or assigned department.
• Assist with forecasting budget justifications for staff, equipment, materials and supplies; may monitor and control expenditures for unit.
• Attend occasional night or weekend meetings; provide public information in time of emergency or critical incidents; travel to any Placer County location for occasional work-related duties.
• Build positive working relationships with the public and other county employees, using principles of good customer service.
• Contact businesses, civic organizations and people in leadership positions in conjunction with county projects or issues.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

Experience: Two years of increasingly responsible professional level communications, media and/or public information experience including spokesperson responsibilities and/or developing and implementing public relations programs.

Training: Equivalent to a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in English, journalism, marketing, communication, public relations, or a 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.

Knowledge of:

• Principles and practices of communications and journalism.
• Principles of good customer service.
• Pertinent local, State and Federal rules, regulations and laws.
• Principles and practices used within a public information function.
• Budgeting procedures and techniques.
• Principles and practices of supervision, training and performance evaluations.
• Techniques used in preparing and delivering effective oral and written presentations.
• Photography, videography and audio production equipment and software.
• Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment.
• Computer software programs such as word processing, graphical design or layout programs, and/or internet web page maintenance or design.

Ability to:

• Operate modern office equipment including computers, copiers, document scanners, fax machines, cell phones and/or other electronic devices. 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 observe emergency conditions and/or provide on-site public information; intermittently twist to reach equipment surrounding desk; perform simple grasping and fine manipulation; use telephone and use a keyboard to communicate through written means.
• Interpret and apply County and department policies, procedures, rules and regulations; interpret complex information about a variety of County programs and issues.
• Perform moderately complex mathematical and statistical calculations accurately.
• Supervise, train and evaluate staff.
• Perform independent research, analyze and explain detailed information in a meaningful way.
• Effectively use photography, videography and other audio-visual tools.
• Gain cooperation through discussion and persuasion.
• Work on multiple project assignments simultaneously, analyze and establish priorities, and maintain the flexibility to change priorities often as required.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with reporters, news media, other agencies, the public county employees and all those contacted in the course of work.
• Work with various cultural and ethnic groups in a tactful and effective manner.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Work odd or unusual hours during emergency or disaster situations requiring Public Information services.

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 (including traits historically associated with race, including, but not limited to, hair texture and protective hairstyles such as braids, locks, and twists), color, ancestry, religion (including creed and belief), national origin, citizenship, physical disability (including HIV and AIDS), mental disability, medical condition (including cancer or genetic characteristics/information), age (40 or over),  marital status, military and/or veteran status, sex (including parental status, pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, and related medical conditions), political orientation, 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.