Communications Senior Program Manager

City of Boulder • Boulder, CO

5d • Hybrid

About The Position

Under limited direction, the Communications Senior Program Manager supports the Utilities Department with the creation and implementation of an annual strategic and coordinated communications plan designed to keep customers and community members informed about services, projects and policies that impact them. The position also collaborates with department leadership to provide proactive and transparent communications around emerging issues or challenges related to Utilities’ core functions. The Utilities Department provides water, wastewater, stormwater and flood management services to protect human and environmental health through efficient management of fiscal and natural resources.

Requirements

• Ability to be detail-oriented, proactive, curious and engaged.
• Ability to collaborate and synthesize an array of inputs to deliver successful strategic communications.
• Ability to deal with ambiguity and effectively cope with changes in work plans and priorities.
• Ability to deliver effective information and storytelling through print, web and social media.
• Comfort with drafting scripts for video and podcasts.
• Ability to demonstrate excellent skills in verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to demonstrate flexibility and excellent organizational skills, including the ability to meet deadlines, respond to requests for information in a timely manner and manage multiple tasks simultaneously.
• Ability to establish good working relationships with the media to facilitate timely, accurate and positive coverage.
• Ability to manage projects, achieving objectives within the timeline and budget specified.
• Ability to relate to all levels of city staff to build effective relationships.
• Ability to resolve issues using own initiative, under time pressure, and in difficult and/or stressful situations.
• Ability to respond positively to critiques and feedback and change approaches when warranted to meet the needs of the team or the community’s needs.
• Ability to respond to requests for information in a timely and customer service-oriented manner and to use discretion with confidential information.
• Ability to work effectively on a team, foster collaboration, manage conflict effectively, and build a high-trust, high-teamwork environment.
• Ability to work independently but also as part of various teams spanning multiple disciplines and departments.
• Ability to work professionally with senior management and staff and to provide objective feedback and counsel on communication strategy.
• Knowledge of and familiarity and comfort with web content management and social media systems as communications tools.
• Skill in and demonstrated experience exercising political savvy.
• Must hold and maintain a valid drivers' license.
• Must successfully pass a background check before first day of work and maintain acceptable screening.
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, public relations, marketing, or related field; or equivalent of eight (8) years related experience may substitute for the education requirement only.
• Five (5) years of professional experience in public information, journalism, communications or utilities-related field that includes three (3) years of professional experience planning, coordinating and implementing communications strategies across multiple departments, colleagues and team.

Nice To Haves

• Ability to communicate fluently in English and Spanish.
• Ability to demonstrate experience setting and tracking outcome measurements.
• Ability to demonstrate experience working as part of an on-call team.
• Ability to demonstrate experience working in a public-sector setting.
• Ability to demonstrate experience working in the utilities communication space.
• Ability to strategically anticipate potential outcomes and consequences related to communication and political issues.
• Knowledge of and familiarity and comfort using basic graphic design tools beyond basic templates.
• Master’s degree in Communications, Public Affairs, Utilities or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Serves as a contributing member of the city’s Communications & Engagement Department.
• Embeds day-to-day with Utilities leadership and staff, performing core communications duties and providing counsel to subject-matter colleagues in a collaborative team environment.
• Serves as a communication strategy lead for the assigned department(s), in this case Utilities.
• Develops and implements an annual strategic communication plan each year for Utilities to ensure communications goals are achieved and aligned with department and city goals, including a focus on proactive communications and foundational education about water utilities functions.
• Works collaboratively as part of a team and attends Utilities staff meetings and leadership/management team meetings as necessary and advises on all communications matters.
• Understands the Utilities mission/services and actively shares them with the community through a variety of communications methods, and in collaboration with communication colleagues who support other relevant departments.
• Remains aware of sensitive or political issues and provides communications counsel to Utilities leadership.
• Assists Utilities leadership in drafting and may respond directly on behalf of the department to community correspondence to City Council, city leaders or Utilities leadership.
• Assists Utilities leadership in developing and sharing internal department-specific communications messaging as needed.
• Identifies opportunities for communication connections on cross-departmental, high community impact and/or citywide projects and may be assigned to help coordinate effective cross-departmental communications strategy and execution, particularly on public safety topics such as floods, droughts, or other water-related issues.
• Monitors city communications channels to understand and respond to community sentiment.
• Keeps informed about and implements innovative and useful methods of communication with a focus on trends in social media and external public relations.
• Seeks to leverage local, regional, national and sometimes international media to share Utilities-related stories, projects and successes from Boulder.
• Advises and coaches subject-matter experts in Utilities on how to respond effectively to media inquiries, share messaging and on public and council presentations.
• May sometimes serve as Utilities Department spokesperson.
• Works closely with the Community Engagement Senior Project Manager – Flood and Stormwater Outreach to ensure outreach and communication efforts are complementary.
• Works closely with other public safety communications staff, including the city’s two Public Information Officers, to connect issues within the Utilities department to broader citywide messaging about public safety preparedness, incidents or emergencies.
• Helps advise Utilities staff on outreach strategies.
• Explores best practices in Utilities-related communications areas such as service delivery and water usage.
• Creates and maintains Utilities department and project messaging across all city communication platforms (web, social media, print, TV, audio).
• Writes news releases, social media posts, utility bill inserts, newsletters, brochures, flyers, public service announcements, scripts, talking points and other communications materials.
• Serves as an occasional communication responder and support during critical response and large-scale emergency situations, based on a rotating, on-call schedule and as assigned.
• Uses city-branded graphic design templates to create visual storytelling materials.
• Coordinates with colleagues in the Communications & Engagement Department for more complex graphic needs, for video storytelling, website design support, and podcast content.
• Helps gather information using surveys and online tools as needed.
• Answers information requests from the media and public, either directly or through coordination with subject matter experts in the Utilities and/or leadership in the Communications & Engagement Department.
• Coordinates media briefings as needed.
• Provides editorial support to ensure written materials from Utilities reflect the standards of the city.
• Provides feedback to assigned department on any potential contracts and relationships with outside vendors that provide communication services.
• Coordinates paid advertisement placement and purchasing as needed.
• Supports language access and racial equity goals as they relate to inclusive communication.
• Performs related duties as required to meet the needs of the city.
• Knows and complies with all city and department policies and participates in professional training and development.

Benefits

• Benefit Eligibility Group: Non Union (30+ Hours) Locate the Benefit Eligibility Group value on the Employee Benefit Eligibility document to identify the benefits offered for this job.

What This Job Offers

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