Early Careers Communications Advisory Services Specialist

WSP•Seattle, WA

2d•$63,000 - $80,000•Hybrid

About The Position

WSP is seeking an Early Careers Communications Advisory Services Specialist for its Seattle, Washington office. The position is part of WSP’s national Communications Advisory Services Practice and supports projects and clients with public involvement, outreach, and communications. The role involves engaging with communities both in person and virtually, including periodic client meetings and events in Seattle and throughout the Puget Sound region. The position follows a hybrid work format with an emphasis on flexibility. The specialist serves as a connection between projects and the community, supports public involvement activities, responds to public and media inquiries, and helps communicate project information in accessible ways. The role also includes researching and writing content for multiple channels, collaborating on visuals, tracking media coverage, evaluating outreach effectiveness, and managing outreach records. Applicants should demonstrate authentic, direct communication in applications and interviews; WSP asks applicants not to use AI tools or chatbots for these materials or interviews.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in Communications/Public Relations, Marketing, Journalism, English, Urban Planning, or a related field.
0–1 years of communications and/or outreach experience, which may include volunteer work, academic programs, community service, customer service, or a related field.
Interest in community outreach, public programs, and infrastructure projects.
Ability to work occasionally at events, including at night and on weekends.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Excellent organizational, time-management, and creative skills.
Strong attention to detail and proofreading skills.
Ability to meet deadlines, multitask, and adapt in a fast-paced environment.
Ability to work effectively with teams and adapt to changing priorities, project needs, or conditions.
Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Willingness to learn and use stakeholder-management software tools.
Enthusiasm for connecting with people across different communities, lived experiences, and perspectives.
Must be authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Work experience in public information, communications, community outreach and engagement, or a related field.
Experience using social media for outreach campaigns.
Proficiency in Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Amharic, Somali, Hindi, Korean, Tagalog, Russian, Ukrainian, or another language spoken in communities across the Puget Sound region and Washington state.
Experience with or comfort speaking publicly.
Experience writing content for websites, social media, and media notifications.
Ability to understand complex technical information and translate it into easy-to-understand content for public audiences.

Responsibilities

Serve as a liaison between projects and the community.
Coordinate and participate in public meetings and community events, including with underrepresented or historically marginalized communities.
Support public involvement activities to engage the public and solicit feedback and input.
Respond to public inquiries and escalated stakeholder issues.
Attend external project, agency, and community meetings to support public involvement objectives.
Assist with developing strategic messages that explain the purpose, need, benefits, and perceived impacts of projects and programs.
Work with project teams to align communications with client priorities and program messaging.
Research and write content for websites, social media, talking points, presentations, marketing materials, and media notifications.
Collaborate with creative professionals to develop visuals, including graphics, websites, video, and photography.
Research and develop timely responses to media requests.
Monitor, track, and escalate media coverage of project issues.
Analyze the effectiveness of outreach campaigns, including website and social media content.
Manage a community outreach database and provide regular reporting and updates.
Communicate clearly and approachably with diverse audiences.
Perform other duties as assigned or required by WSP USA Inc. and its clients.

Benefits

Medical coverage
Dental coverage
Vision coverage
Disability coverage
Life insurance
Retirement savings
Paid sick leave
Paid vacation or other personal time
Paid parental leave
Paid time off for bereavement, voting, and/or attendance at naturalization proceedings