Director, Communications

City of Glendale • Glendale, AZ

1d

About The Position

The Communications Director plans, organizes, and directs the activities, programs, budget, and staff of the Communications Department. The role establishes strategic goals, service standards, and performance expectations; develops and implements the citywide communications strategic plan; and aligns priorities, resources, and messaging with City leadership goals and organizational needs. The Director advises the City Manager, elected officials, and department leadership on public information, community engagement, and communications strategies, and leads improvements to departmental structure, staffing, technology, and work processes.

The Director serves as the City’s Public Information Officer (PIO) and primary media contact. The role directs media relations, press conferences, proactive storytelling, crisis communications, digital content, branding, internal communications, community outreach, audience research, and communications performance measurement. The Director coordinates communications across departments, oversees project workflows and vendor relationships, and maintains collaborative relationships with elected officials, regional partners, business leaders, news media, and community organizations.

This executive-level position is based in an office setting and may require attendance at public meetings, community events, and emergency response locations. The Director must be available outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and emergencies, and ensure that a City PIO can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in communications, journalism, public relations, marketing, public administration, or a related field, and seven years of progressively responsible experience in communications, public relations, or a related field, including three years of management or supervisory experience. Equivalent combinations of education, training, and experience may qualify; one year of relevant experience may substitute for each year of required education.
• Knowledge of strategic communications, public relations, marketing, journalism, and public information.
• Knowledge of municipal government operations and the roles of elected officials, executive management, and staff.
• Knowledge of brand management, audience research, community engagement, and internal communications.
• Knowledge of media relations, news release standards, crisis communications, and emergency public information coordination.
• Knowledge of digital communications, website content strategy, social media, visual storytelling, and content production.
• Knowledge of communications measurement, research methods, and data-based evaluation of program effectiveness.
• Knowledge of organizational development, employee supervision, evaluation, and training.
• Knowledge of budget development, contract administration, project management, and customer service.
• Knowledge of accessibility, language access, public records, and other requirements applicable to government communications.
• Ability to direct comprehensive communications programs and multiple program areas, develop strategies connecting organizational goals with audience needs, and lead organizational change and cross-departmental cooperation.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, exercise initiative and sound judgment, demonstrate political sensitivity, adapt communications to audiences, and handle disagreement constructively.
• Ability to facilitate media access to knowledgeable staff, prepare employees for interviews, and coordinate timely responses consistent with City policy.
• Ability to translate complex or sensitive issues into accurate, clear, understandable information; exercise discretion in personnel matters and observe policy limits on discussing employee discipline with the media.
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing, including under pressure; evaluate results and recommend improvements.
• Ability to develop employees, delegate effectively, hold staff accountable, prepare and administer budgets, and direct consultants and vendors.
• Availability to respond to communications needs outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and emergencies.

Nice To Haves

• Experience leading communications across multiple departments or business units, directing organizational improvements, and advising executive leadership.
• Experience in municipal government or another complex public service organization.

Responsibilities

• Plan, organize, direct, and evaluate the Communications Department’s activities, budget, and personnel; establish strategic goals, service standards, and performance expectations.
• Develop and implement the citywide communications strategic plan, aligning priorities, resources, and messaging with City leadership goals and organizational needs.
• Advise the City Manager, elected officials, and department leadership on public information, community engagement, and communications strategies.
• Evaluate departmental structure, staffing capabilities, technology, and work processes to improve service delivery and accountability.
• Ensure consistent application of City branding, core messaging, and visual identity across departments, facilities, digital platforms, and marketing collateral.
• Direct media relations, press conferences, and proactive story development; serve as a primary spokesperson and prepare designated staff for media interviews.
• Lead crisis communications, serve as the official PIO in the Emergency Operations Center, and maintain emergency communications plans and protocols.
• Direct digital content strategy, including the City website, social media, video production, graphic design, and publication management in coordination with Information Technology.
• Direct internal communications in partnership with Administration and Human Resources.
• Oversee community outreach and public participation initiatives to promote accessible, transparent communication and meaningful community feedback.
• Direct audience research, analytics, and performance measurement; evaluate campaign reach, public perception, and engagement, and adjust strategies as needed.
• Establish a network of department communications liaisons and provide training, toolkits, and guidelines on media protocols.
• Oversee communications support and media coverage for civic events, ribbon cuttings, and groundbreakings; prepare speeches, presentations, and talking points for executive leadership.
• Oversee project workflow, editorial calendars, vendor and consultant contracts, language access standards, and public records compliance in coordination with appropriate departments.
• Build and maintain relationships with elected officials, regional partners, business leaders, news media, and community organizations.
• Ensure a City PIO can be reached 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and respond to communications needs outside normal business hours, including evenings, weekends, and emergencies.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Benefits

• The City observes 10.5 holidays per year.
• Full-time employees receive an additional 12 hours of holiday special leave per calendar year for cultural or religious holidays.
• Vacation leave accrues at 5.33 hours per pay period (138 hours per year), increasing to 6.12 hours after five years and 7.6 hours after ten years of service.
• Sick leave accrues at 4.4 hours per pay period (114 hours per year).
• Participation in the Arizona State Retirement System (ASRS); contributions are mandatory, with a stated current contribution rate of 11.98%.
• A generous benefits package with competitive rates, effective the first of the month following 30 days of employment.

What This Job Offers

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