Public Communications Director

City of Clearwater•Clearwater, FL

2d•Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the City Manager’s office, the Public Communications Director is responsible for leading the Public Communications Department and maintaining a management framework that supports the City’s strategic direction in a sustainable manner. This role involves providing expectations, leadership, and guidance to direct reports, maintaining a departmental strategic plan consistent with the city's direction, and coordinating with external stakeholders. The position also requires participation in strategic planning, fostering a culture of accountability, and ensuring accuracy in reports and presentations to City Council. A key aspect is managing the departmental administrative framework, including budget preparation, personnel matters, and public records, as well as defining and communicating project milestones and resource allocation. The director will prioritize and schedule work, manage staff recruitment and performance, and perform other duties as assigned.

Requirements

A valid State driver's license is required.
Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Business Administration, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, or related field and eight (8) years of professional-level communications management experience; or an equivalent combination of education, training, and experience may be considered.
Knowledge of best practices in creating a healthy organizational culture.
Knowledge of principles and practices of public communications management to include professional journalism, marketing, advertising, print, graphic, electronic, television broadcast development, production, and editing.
Knowledge of administrative practices and general management principles.
Knowledge of City organizations, operations, and resources.
Knowledge of principles and practices of public administration.
Knowledge of personnel management and supervisory techniques.
Skill in creating and maintaining an organizational culture.
Skill in engaging with the public and determining public perception.
Skill in formulating, proofreading, and editing news releases, scripts and information material.
Skill in personnel management.
Skill in managing a large, multi-site organization with a varied set of programs and responsibilities.
Skill in establishing and maintaining good collaborative relationships.
Skill in effective internal and external communications.
Skill in policy and data analysis.
Skill in preparing and creating various presentations.
Skill in employee mentorship.
Skill in change management.
Skill in operating a computer and generalized software.

Responsibilities

Providing expectations, leadership, and guidance to all direct reports.
Maintaining a departmental strategic plan which is consistent with the strategic direction of the city.
Coordinating with other members of the Senior Executive Team to ensure that departmental operations and strategies are consistent with the City's strategic direction, charter, policies and procedures, and ordinances.
Coordinates with external stakeholders to support operations and long-term strategies.
Participation in long and short-term strategic planning both at the departmental and city levels.
Maintaining a culture of accountability within the department.
Ensures that reports, documents, and presentations before City Council and advisory boards are accurate and appropriate.
Management of a departmental administrative framework that is consistent with and supportive of city-wide administrative activities including but not limited to preparation of annual budget, personnel matters, and the keeping of public records.
Defines, evaluates, and communicates project milestones, service level agreements, and resource allocation to executive team, department leads, support staff, and end users.
Prioritizes and schedules work assignments for assigned staff; manages the recruitment, hiring, and termination of all department staff; provides performance evaluations, feedback, and possible discipline.
Must work the necessary schedule to meet the requirements of the position.
Performs other duties as assigned.