Director of Public Affairs and Communications
About The Position
The Boston Region Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) seeks a Director of Public Affairs and Communications. The director serves as a member of the leadership team at the Boston Region MPO. This division-leading position is responsible for developing and implementing comprehensive strategies that enhance the visibility, transparency, and impact of the transportation, research, and engagement work carried out by the agency. The Director of Public Affairs and Communications oversees multiple functions, including communications, public engagement, branding, web and digital content, and is one of several staff members responsible for building and maintaining stakeholder relationships. The director will help strengthen the agency’s public voice, improve the coordination of engagement practices across projects and programs, and guide major agency-wide initiatives related to visibility, identity, and stakeholder understanding. This role collaborates with other members of the leadership team on short- and long-term strategic planning; the establishment of agency-wide goals, policies, and procedures; and the overall management and operations of the agency. Key relationships of the Director of Public Affairs and Communications include the four other directors on the leadership team, the Executive Director, and the Deputy Executive Director, to whom the role reports.
Requirements
- Expertise in public sector communications, branding, marketing, public relations, editorial processes, and visual design principles
- Experience managing teams
- Project, campaign, and meeting management skills, especially for complex, multi-stakeholder projects
- Experience with community and employee engagement
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively and engage diverse audiences
- Experience developing budgets and managing resources
- A bachelor’s degree in communications, public policy, public management, business, planning, or a related field with at least 10 years of relevant experience, including progressively more responsible managerial experience for at least five of those years; or a master’s degree in one of these fields with at least 8 years of relevant experience, including progressively more responsible managerial experience for at least five of those years.
Nice To Haves
- Experience leading large-scale initiatives and projects
- Experience working with public sector agencies
- Experience serving as a spokesperson
- Experience managing a brand or monitoring brand compliance
- Familiarity with the Boston region and its transportation systems and stakeholders
- Ability to effectively manage and collaborate with external consultants, partners, and vendors
- Familiarity with accessibility standards and best practices
- Familiarity with Office 365, Google Workspace, and Asana or related software
- A sense of humor and a sense of adventure
Responsibilities
- Lead and promote innovation in communications, engagement practices, editorial standards, and visual presentation.
- Oversee the managers of the Editorial, Graphics, and Communications and Engagement teams, developing their leadership capacity while fostering a collaborative, innovative, and high-performing public affairs and communications division.
- Develop processes and monitoring tools that maintain and enhance external communications, brand strategy, engagement strategy, and visual identity for the agency.
- Analyze and improve workflows for products, publications, and other public-facing content; collaborate with directors, managers, and authors to identify enhancements and efficiencies.
- Develop and execute communications plans to introduce and promote agency studies and accomplishments to staff, stakeholders, partners, industry peers, and the public.
- Provide strategic communications counsel in support of selected executive and internal communications initiatives and help prioritize activities based on agency needs and available resources.
- Strengthen and support relationships with external stakeholders, including community organizations, government agencies, and media outlets.
- Work closely with other directors and managers to ensure the integration of communications, editorial, and design strategies across all agency initiatives.
- Collaborate with other directors to shape the agency's public voice and ensure consistency in messaging across all departments.
Benefits
- excellent Massachusetts state employee benefits
- a flexible, supportive work environment
- a commitment to ongoing professional development
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Manager
