OTIS Communications Manager

City of Philadelphia • Philadelphia, PA

13d • $75,000 - $85,000

About The Position

The Communications Manager will lead day-to-day communications for the Managing Director’s Office of Transportation and Infrastructure Systems (OTIS) and will be responsible for working with OTIS leadership and staff to develop and implement the communications strategy, including media relations, for the planning, policy, workforce, concession, and other work led by the OTIS staff. This position will report to OTIS’s Director of Policy and Strategic Initiatives with dotted line reporting to the Senior Director of Communications in the Managing Directors Office and in collaboration with other Communications Managers and staff within the City.

Requirements

• Writing/Content Development
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to take complicated information and make it readable and understandable for the general public.
• Media Relations
• Experience writing press releases, media alerts, Q&A, talking points, and other media materials
• Background in dealing with journalists and understand how the news is delivered in today’s digital, 24/7 news cycle.
• Experience organizing press events, including but not limited to press conferences and media briefings.
• Planning and Organization
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize multiple tasks across portfolio of work.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent self-direction and the ability to take ownership and see responsibilities through to completion.
• Technical Expertise
• Experience with WordPress, Mailchimp or other website management tools.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office programs (especially Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint ) and design tools such as Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, etc.
• Proficient in social media management and managing platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.
• Experience creating digital graphics and supervising the design of print materials.
• Stakeholder Engagement / Relationship Building and Management
• Ability to conduct outreach to diverse community groups and deliver public-facing presentations.
• Ability to establish and foster relationships with cross-sector partners and to work as part of a collaborative team.
• Bachelor's degree preferably in Communications, Journalism or a related field.
• Five or more years of experience in the field of communications.

Nice To Haves

• Experience and interest of transportation, infrastructure, and government.
• Bilingual proficiency is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Communications Strategy and Management
• Create and implement a communications strategy for OTIS, highlighting the important work and projects of OTIS and its partner agencies. The communications strategy includes but is not limited to press, social media, website content, collateral materials and direct communications to residents.
• Handle day-to-day communications responsibilities for OTIS programs and projects, including Complete Streets, Infrastructure Solutions Team, Indego, Vision Zero, and other initiatives. Coordinate with OTIS staff to prepare and implement program and project communications, marketing, and events.
• Represent OTIS and participate in citywide communications and interdepartmental projects. Coordinate meetings with Mayor’s Office of Communications, Managing Director’s Office, 3-1-1, and social media working groups, assisting with citywide public relations as needed.
• Serve as primary City point of contact with communications teams from partners including Bicycle Transit Systems, SEPTA, DVRPC, and PennDOT. Collaborate on press conferences, press releases, blog posts, social media, and launch events.
• Build strong agency and community relationships and seek opportunities to create long-lasting, reciprocal, and open partnerships. Position will support events and citywide communications which may occur during evenings or weekends.
• Grant-funded project communications
• Prepare and implement communications strategies for federal and state grant announcements, working with the Director of Federal Infrastructure Strategy and Transportation Grants Manager.
• Plan press conferences and other communication strategies for ground breakings and ribbon cuttings for federal and state funded infrastructure projects.
• Liaise with communications teams from elected officials’ offices on press conferences and launch events.
• Media relations and events
• Write press releases, blogs, and talking points about OTIS initiatives.
• Organize and manage OTIS press conferences, events, and briefings with partner departments, agencies, and organizations. Represent OTIS at partner press conference and provide input and quotes for their press release.
• Work with MDO and Mayor’s Communications offices during crisis communications situations that involved OTIS.
• Cultivate and maintain relationships with reporters; respond to media requests and proactively pitch stories.
• Track, review, and report on media coverage.
• Digital Communications
• Develop social media toolkits for community and agency stakeholders.
• Manage social media strategy and implementation in coordination with OTIS initiatives.
• Analyze and create reports based on social media and ad campaign metrics.
• Maintain webpages on phila.gov and serve as OTIS main point of contact for City web development team.

Benefits

• City employees get unlimited FREE public transportation all year long through SEPTA’s Key Advantage program. Employees can ride on SEPTA buses, subways, trolleys, and regional rail for their daily commute and more.
• The City offers its employees 8 weeks of paid parental leave.
• We offer Comprehensive health coverage for employees and their eligible dependents.
• Our wellness program offers eligibility into the discounted medical plan
• Employees receive paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays
• Generous retirement savings options are available
• As a qualifying employer, City of Philadelphia employees are eligible to participate in the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program.
• The City of Philadelphia has forged partnerships with over a dozen esteemed colleges and universities in the area, ensuring that our employees have access to a wide range of tuition discounts and scholarships. Experience savings of 10% to 40% on your educational expenses, extending not only to City employees but in some cases, spouse and dependents too!

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees