Communications Officer

City of Alexandria (VA) • Alexandria, VA

33d

About The Position

Do you have a passion for communication and storytelling? Are you ready for a career move to work with a great team that's progressive and strategic in the way we approach our work, manage people, and service our community? If so, you are highly encouraged to apply for the Communications Officer position with the Department of Transportation & Environmental Services (T&ES) to support public engagement/outreach and communications efforts for the Department, with a focus on supporting the Environmental Services (ES) Branch of T&ES, which includes the Stormwater Management Division, Sanitary Infrastructure Division, and Environmental Quality Section. This position will work with the T&ES Communications Team to convey complex information in a clear, simple, and creative manner under the direct supervision of T&ES' Senior Communications Officer, in coordination with the Stormwater Management Division Chief to support the Flood Action Alexandria Program.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in related field and three years of experience in communications, public relations, public information and graphic production or publications editing work, desk top graphic publishing and experience with writing and editing information for wide distribution under deadlines; and completion of college-level courses in journalism, communications, multimedia production, public administration, government, or a related field; or any equivalent combination of experience and training which provides the required knowledge, skills and abilities.
• The employee must possess a valid driver's license issued by the state of their residence.

Nice To Haves

• Excellent communication skills, highly motivated, results driven, creative problem solver.
• Possessing a working knowledge of social media platforms and software (Facebook, X, and Instagram), creative software (Adobe Creative Suite, Canva, or similar), Microsoft Office Suite, website content management systems (Wordpress, Drupal, or similar), email marketing tools and platforms (Mailchimp, BEE, or similar), and web analytics tools (Google Analytics or similar).
• Experience with photography and videography is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Designs and produces creative social media and website content, including short-form video, to promote and highlight Department/Branch initiatives and staff;
• Develops and implements creative communication strategies to effectively convey key information about stormwater management, sanitary sewer systems, and other environmental programs, projects, events, initiatives, and services to Alexandria residents and employees. Creates and manages webpages, social media posts, newsletters, eNews, and other content, and leads public engagement for stormwater flooding issues, water quality issues, capital projects, sanitary sewer programs, climate change, and other environmental programs;
• Works with the team to plan, organize, and coordinate the production of eNews, webpage updates, community outreach efforts, and event planning logistics;
• Collaborates with other staff and consultants, as applicable, to develop and create content for multiple projects under tight deadlines;
• Assists with media requests and proactively identifies opportunities to engage reporters for news stories;
• Tracks and reports on metrics such as newsletter subscribers, website traffic, and media coverage; and
• Performs related work as required.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Industry: Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support
• Number of Employees: 1,001-5,000 employees