Director of Communications

State of Nebraska • Lincoln, NE

4d • Onsite

About The Position

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED) seeks a Director of Communications to lead and manage the agency’s Communications Division, including marketing, communications, advertising, and public relations strategies, policies, and programs. The role operates under administrative direction and has full supervisory responsibility for professional and support staff. The Director provides expert consultation and support to senior administrators on complex, rapidly changing, and potentially critical or controversial communications and public relations issues.

The Director coordinates with agency management to develop, implement, and evaluate strategies that support agency objectives and positively influence public opinion. The position oversees public information and educational programs, advises agency divisions on communications and editorial matters, works with news media and advertising vendors, manages unit operations and resources, and develops cooperative relationships with community and government representatives. Duties also include agency annual reporting, public presentations, and event planning and marketing for the Nebraska Governor’s Summit. This position requires travel and regular, reliable attendance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, public administration, political science, government management, economics, accounting, marketing, teaching, or another job-related field.
• Five years of job-related experience.
• Valid driver’s license or another form of reliable transportation, due to required travel.
• Regular and reliable attendance.
• Knowledge of journalism, public relations, English-language usage and grammar, preparation of informational materials, public-information dissemination, marketing and advertising, agency operations and programs, media sources and operations, publicity methods, strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership, and coordination of people and resources.
• Ability to communicate effectively with news media, government and program officials, agency staff, and the public; apply public-relations and journalism practices; use appropriate electronic hardware and software; write and edit copy; review finished products for errors; evaluate and develop public-information materials and dissemination approaches; assess communications effectiveness; develop and apply policies and procedures; assign and review others’ work; plan and organize a public-information function; coordinate design; and plan events of varying scale.

Nice To Haves

• Bachelor’s degree in journalism, communications, marketing, or public relations.
• Previous supervisory experience.
• Event-planning experience.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate with key management to identify, develop, implement, and evaluate marketing, communications, advertising, and public-information/public-relations strategies.
• Directly supervise the Department’s communications team and oversee the work of marketing and communications staff and related technical production and office support staff.
• Develop and implement agency informational and educational programs, communicating agency programs and activities through media releases, audio-visual materials, correspondence, social media, the website, and direct contact.
• Assign, coordinate, and review staff activities on special projects and public-information work, ensuring accuracy and completeness of written, photographic, layout, printing, and typesetting materials.
• Advise agency management and divisions on editorial matters, technical communications assistance, anticipated reactions to information releases, and alternative ways to disseminate information.
• Confer with news media representatives, maintain contacts, and facilitate dissemination of agency and program information through mass media.
• Negotiate with media vendors and/or contracted advertising agencies to determine the agency’s annual advertising budget.
• Plan, organize, coordinate, and control work-unit operations and programs; establish priorities and standards and ensure objectives align with agency goals.
• Develop and direct operational plans, goals, and action steps for managed programs.
• Determine and request staff, materials, and equipment needs and contribute to agency budget requests.
• Maintain cooperative relationships with community representatives, state and local government officials, business officials, and public-interest groups.
• Write, design, compose, edit, research, compile, or select copy and layouts for publications, audio-visual materials, media releases, displays, exhibits, and speeches.
• Attend events and present information to community groups, individuals, and government officials.
• Prepare the agency’s annual report.
• Plan events and marketing for the Nebraska Governor’s Summit.
• Perform other duties assigned within the scope of the classification.

Benefits

• Stable employment opportunity.
• Career development and learning opportunities.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• 156% match on the first 4.8% contribution to the Retirement Plan.
• 13 paid holidays.
• Generous leave accruals and benefits.
• Opportunity to be part of a caring organization.
• Comprehensive package of pay, benefits, paid time off, retirement, and professional development opportunities.

What This Job Offers

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