Communications Specialist

GFT • Tampa, FL

34d • Onsite

About The Position

GFT is seeking a talented and highly motivated Communications Specialist to join our Transportation team in Fort Myers, Florida. In this client-facing role, you will work onsite alongside one of our public-sector transportation clients, providing communications and public engagement support for important transportation infrastructure projects and initiatives. Transportation projects affect how people travel, work, and connect with their communities. Clear, timely, and accessible communication is essential to helping the public understand what is happening, why it matters, and how projects may affect them. As a Communications Specialist, you'll translate complex project information into communications that are accurate, engaging, and easy to understand. You'll collaborate with client leadership, engineers, project managers, media representatives, and community stakeholders while supporting public information, media relations, digital communications, and community outreach.

Requirements

• Associate degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, English, Public Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of professional experience in communications, public relations, public information, community outreach, journalism, marketing, or a related discipline.
• Exceptional writing, editing, proofreading, and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to translate technical or complex information into clear and engaging content for nontechnical audiences.
• Experience developing communications materials across print, digital, social media, or other public-facing channels.
• Ability to communicate professionally with clients, members of the public, media, community stakeholders, and senior leaders.
• Strong research, organizational, and project management skills with the ability to manage multiple assignments, changing priorities, and quick-turn requests.
• Sound judgment and the ability to remain composed and professional when managing sensitive or time-critical communications.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and ability to learn digital communications, content management, and collaboration platforms.
• Ability to work onsite in Fort Myers, Florida and participate in occasional public meetings or project activities outside traditional business hours.
• Ability to provide communications support during emergency or incident-response situations as required.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor's degree in Communications, Public Relations, Journalism, Marketing, English, Public Administration, or a related discipline.
• Communications or public involvement experience supporting a Department of Transportation, transit agency, municipality, county, other government organization, or public-sector client.
• Experience supporting transportation, infrastructure, engineering, construction, or other technically complex projects.
• Experience with media relations and public or stakeholder engagement.
• Familiarity with public records requirements and digital accessibility/ADA standards.
• Experience with website content management, social media, photography, video, graphic design, or other multimedia communications.

Responsibilities

• Develop, write, and edit communications materials including press releases, media advisories, fact sheets, FAQs, newsletters, project updates, talking points, presentations, and other public-facing content.
• Translate technical information from engineers, project managers, and subject matter experts into clear, accessible communications for the public, media, elected officials, and other stakeholders.
• Support media relations activities, including researching and responding to inquiries, developing talking points, coordinating interviews, monitoring coverage, and preparing timely project information.
• Develop and manage content for websites, social media, e-newsletters, and other digital communications channels, ensuring information is accurate, timely, accessible, and consistent with client standards.
• Support the development of photography, video, graphics, presentations, and other multimedia content that helps communicate transportation projects and initiatives.
• Plan and support public meetings, hearings, workshops, open houses, press events, project milestones, and other community engagement activities.
• Engage professionally with community members and stakeholders, providing accurate project information, documenting questions and concerns, and coordinating appropriate follow-up.
• Collaborate with client leadership, project teams, consultants, government agencies, and community partners to develop communications strategies and consistent messaging for routine, complex, and sensitive issues.
• Assist with public records requests and maintain communications documentation in accordance with applicable public records, retention, and accessibility requirements.
• Provide responsive communications support during transportation incidents, emergencies, severe weather, or other time-sensitive events as required by the client.

Benefits

• GFT: Ingenuity That Shapes Lives™ is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veterans’ status or other characteristics protected by law.
• Unsolicited resumes from third party agencies will be considered the property GFT.
• GFT does require the successful completion of a criminal background check for all advertised positions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree