Introduction
This position is responsible for educating
the public, the news media, and other stakeholders about their department’s
activities, initiatives, and priorities. Appointed position; employee serves at the pleasure of the Mayor.
Nature Of Work
An employee in this class, under general supervision in his or
her department and working closely
with Marketing & Communications
Department, plans, coordinates, a
comprehensive communications strategy to educate and
public and City of Tampa employees about that department’s
work. This employee will keep
abreast of activities in their department and proactively seeks
opportunities to communicate about them directly
to the public or through the news media. The
employee will respond to media inquiries, write news
releases, organize events, generate social media
content, and communicate internally. Work is of average difficulty and requires
the exercise initiative and independent judgment in determining what, when and
how to communicate to best serve the needs of the department/division/City.
Tact, discretion, and courtesy are extremely important in
discharging assigned duties. Work involves liaison and coordination with
department, division, other city personnel, news media and
the general public. Work is reviewed through conferences, observations, reports
submitted, and results obtained. This is an unclassified position.
Examples of Duties
Responds to requests from news reporters, and from the
general public, often online; provides responses to
questions and complaints from the public concerning departmental/divisional
operations and facilities.
Initiate press outreach
per citywide communications plan/expectations to increase positive messaging on
a more routine basis.
Support and initiate visibility for department activities
and major projects; lead messaging for projects prioritizing the benefit to the
public.
Plans and organizes news
conferences, writes press releases, assists other employees with
news interviews, public presentations, and other communications opportunities.
Coordinates requests for department/division personnel for
participation in public events; provides department/division employees to
schools, science fairs, etc.
Provides educational materials and opportunities on request;
maintains library of relevant materials; makes brochures and handouts related
to the department/division available for dissemination to interested parties.
Ensures communication plan is executed properly; prepares and
distributes department newsletter; provides continuous improvement program
updates; provides informational video announcements; provides communications to
external
stakeholders.
Primary point of contact and liaison to the Communications
Director; ensures established departmental compliance with established
communications policies, procedure and directives.
Generates, edits, publishes and shares content (original text, images,
video or HTML) to all applicable social media outlets.
Maintain department
website; review websites for content accuracy and navigation improvements.
Provides the following services to the department/division: brand
identity and graphics development; strategy to achieve their goals through
print and digital media; image/photo enhancement and/or manipulation; design
and execution of creative, high-quality, print-ready publications.
Assist in planning, facilitating, and executing public outreach
activities including neighborhood and community feedback sessions as needed.
Track City Council requests and initiatives and provide greater visibility
and affirmative positive coverage of progress.
Guide the
publication and release of reports, including community outreach as needed.
Provide support for all public engagement and
outreach as needed.
Performs related work as required.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Advanced
knowledge of: effective writing and communication skills; familiarity all types of media.
Intermediate knowledge of: department programs and portfolio;
methods, principles, and practices utilized in graphic design.
Advanced ability
to: professionally represent the department/division and the city; exercise
independent judgment in determining what, when, and how to effect
communications; communicate effectively to a wide variety of stakeholders.
Intermediate ability to: utilize written and oral communications
in an effective manner; deal with the public in an effective manner.
Advanced skill in: organization of communications and public
relations materials and programs; use of computers (Access, Word, Excel,
PowerPoint); the programs utilized in graphic design and video production
including Adobe Photoshop CC, InDesign CC, Illustrator CC, and Premiere Pro CC;
interpersonal relations; writing and summarizing complex materials for
publication.
Intermediate Skill in: scheduling, photography
Minimum Qualifications
Graduation from an accredited college or university with a
bachelor’s degree in public relations, advertising, journalism, or a related
field and 1 year of experience as the primary communications person with
responsibility for external communications to include media interaction.
OR
An equivalent combination of education (not less than possession of a high school diploma/GED), training and experience that would reasonably be expected to provide the job related competencies noted above.
Licenses or Certifications
Possession of a valid drivers’ license
required.
Comments
Employees
may be required to work rotating shifts, including nights, weekends, holidays
and overtime as needed. During periods when the Mayor issues an emergency
declaration for the City of Tampa, all employees may be required to work in
preparation, response or recovery activities related to the stated emergency.