Deputy Public Information Officer

$143,018 - $178,772/Yr

City Of Sunnyvale - Sunnyvale, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Sunnyvale, CA

Administration of Economic Programs

About the position

The Deputy Public Information Officer is a key role within the City of Sunnyvale's Office of the City Manager, responsible for leading communication efforts and public outreach initiatives. This position involves managing a team, developing marketing strategies, and ensuring effective communication with the community regarding important city projects and initiatives. The role requires a proactive approach to public relations, media management, and community engagement, supporting the Chief Public Information Officer in various communication activities.

Responsibilities

• Develops, implements and supports the City's marketing, public information, community engagement, and internal and external communications activities.
• Supports the Chief Public Information Officer with media relations, responding to inquiries and initiating contact as required.
• Manages contracts and contractors to develop communications materials such as graphic design, photography, videography, and video editing.
• Supervises City website content manager and establishes policies and standards related to the workflow, content and look of website information.
• Serves as resource and consultant to City departments in the development of community engagement and marketing strategies and materials.
• Develops and supervises the delivery of outreach efforts that target specific population groups that may experience barriers in connecting with City services and programs.
• Coordinates, edits, and publishes a variety of City communication deliverables, including the Horizon Newsletter, Update Sunnyvale community newsletter, Insights employee newsletter, and other publications as necessary.
• Provides Citywide training in various aspects of community relations including media relations, public speaking, and presentations, and writing style.
• Supports City departments in the development of newsletters, letters to the community, project-based communications, focus groups or other methods of communicating with the public and news media.
• Supports and coordinates with the Chief Public Information Officer in responding to major incidents, including emergency response.
• Assists with emergency response preparedness by creating content templates and operating procedures for all relevant communications channels, such as emergency broadcast systems.
• Supports and works on the development, implementation, and updates of policies and procedures for community engagement, media relations, and public information.
• Coordinates City ceremonies, workshops, and meetings as assigned; plans special City events and celebrations as required.
• Prepares requests for proposals and evaluates proposals for contracted services.
• Plans, assigns, directs, reviews, and evaluates the work of staff; trains staff in work procedures; helps staff prioritize workload; ensures excellent customer services for client departments.
• Maintains strong working relationships and serves as a liaison to City client departments; tracks and monitors division performance metrics; seeks opportunities to improve metrics and internal customer satisfaction.
• May serve as representative to community meetings as well as to civic and neighborhood events on behalf of the City.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university in communications, public relations, journalism, or a related field.
• Four years of increasingly responsible experience in public communication, public relations, or other related municipal experience.
• Knowledge of public information and public relations concepts, principles, methodology and techniques.
• Knowledge of pertinent local, state and federal laws, ordinances and rules.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of marketing, graphic design, and media production.
• Knowledge of various forms of mass media including print, cable television, radio, and the Internet.
• Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including spelling, punctuation, grammar, rules of composition, and federal plain language guidelines.
• Knowledge of principles of equity, access, inclusion, and belonging.
• Knowledge of principles of supervision, coaching, training, emotional intelligence, and performance evaluation.
• Knowledge of principles and practices of budget development and monitoring.

Nice-to-haves

• An accreditation in Public Relations from the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA).
• A Master's degree in a related field of study.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage
• Dental insurance coverage
• Vision insurance coverage
• 401k retirement savings plan
• Paid holidays
• Paid volunteer time
• Flexible scheduling
• Professional development opportunities