Communications Director

State of Oregon • Salem, OR

1d • $7,122 - $10,683 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Oregon House Speaker’s Office seeks an experienced communications professional to join the team as Communications Director. The individual in this position will lead the Speaker’s Office’s efforts to communicate externally and internally about the priorities of the Oregon House, including legislative and budget priorities that reflect Oregonians’ values. The individual in this position will also manage the Speaker’s communications, including speechwriting, press releases, social media, and written materials. The position requires exceptionally strong writing skills, experience with new and emerging communications media, and a track record of working with the press. A successful candidate for this position will recognize that Oregonians gain information from a diverse array of sources and will find innovative ways to reach people where they are. The House Speaker’s Office Communications Director will work full time at the State Capitol in Salem during sessions of the Oregon Legislature, with more flexibility for working outside the Capitol during interim months.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree and seven (7) to nine (9) years of experience.
• Basic principles of journalism
• Basic graphic design
• Oregon’s political landscape
• The legislative process
• Current news events
• Create content that is clear, well-written, and in the Speaker’s voice
• Write for diverse audiences and be comfortable navigating the ideological diversity within the legislature
• Condense complicated policy information into everyday language
• Navigate a variety of outreach channels and learn new software
• Manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment, under tight or shifting deadlines, while staying organized and on top of things.
• Work collaboratively with communications staff in other leadership offices as well as with the Speaker’s Office team
• Exercise independent professional judgment with a high degree of confidentiality

Nice To Haves

• The ability to communicate in multiple languages is a plus
• multimedia skills like photography and videography

Responsibilities

• Develop an innovative communications strategy to engage Oregonians as active participants in their democracy and inform them of the work of the legislature through: Strategic Communications Planning – Working with the Speaker and Chief of Staff to develop a communications plan for the legislative session and interim
• Crafting external messaging, talking points, press releases, media Q&As, speeches, opinion pieces, and other materials for the Speaker.
• Engaging other legislators in their communications around key legislative priorities.
• Creating press strategies, managing outreach to the media, developing relationships with reporters, and being responsive to their inquiries.
• Creating timely, compelling content to tell policy stories across a variety of channels and mediums.
• Translating complex policy goals into real world, accessible language.
• Working with the Speaker, Chief of Staff, and fellow staff to ensure that the Capitol community is kept up-to-date on key developments.
• Managing and optimizing the Speaker’s online presence and social media platforms, creating and publishing compelling timely content to facilitate transparency and foster engagement.

Benefits

• The salary in this job posting reflects the base salary without contributions to the Public Employee Retirement System (PERS). Employees eligible for PERS will have their salary increased by 6.95% and 6% will automatically be subject to a mandatory employee contribution to PERS.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level