Public Information Officer 1/2-OCOS-Comm

State of Louisiana•Baton Rouge, LA

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The Louisiana Department of Education's Division of Communications is seeking a Public Information Officer 1/2 to serve as a Communications Specialist, supporting the Office of Early Childhood and other program offices. This role focuses on translating complex policy into clear, accessible information for families, educators, and the public through various channels including newsletters, social media, the LDOE website, and event communications. The specialist will ensure messages are clear, accurate, accessible, and consistent. A key responsibility includes partnering with the Office of Early Childhood to develop content, newsletters, and website updates. Additionally, the role supports public engagement tools like the LDOE call center and the Ask LDOE Zendesk portal. Success requires strong writing and editing skills, a focus on plain language and accessibility, comfort with digital content tools, and a collaborative, service-minded approach. This position offers an opportunity to make an impact by transforming technical information into usable content for a statewide audience.

Requirements

Three years of experience in public relations, journalism, marketing, content creation, social media management, or graphic design; OR Six years of full-time experience in any field; OR A bachelor's degree.
Experience producing public-facing communications such as newsletters, press releases, talking points, memos, and FAQs.
Strong plain-language writing and editing skills, including translating technical or policy content for public and educator audiences.
Experience managing organizational social media and creating platform-appropriate content.
Proficiency with website content management systems and applying web accessibility standards (e.g., WCAG).
Experience creating basic graphics, photos, and short video clips for digital outreach.
Familiarity with customer-support or public-engagement tools (e.g., a call center or help-desk/ticketing platform such as Zendesk).
Proficiency with Google Workspace (Google Suite) and Microsoft Office.
Proficiency with Constant Contact.
Experience supporting communications in a government, education, or other public-sector environment.
Accepting Direction: The ability to be open and willing to follow guidance or instructions.
Communicating Effectively: The ability to convey information, ideas, and emotions using structured communication methods that promote understanding and engagement.
Thinking Critically: The ability to analyze information objectively, identify connections across sources, and form logical, well-supported conclusions.
Driving Results: The ability to set and pursue goals, maintain focus amid competing demands, and deliver results.
Thinking Strategically: The ability to anticipate trends, understand context, and align actions with long-term priorities.

Responsibilities

Draft, edit, and distribute public-facing content including newsletters, press releases, talking points, memos, FAQs, and internal updates.
Create and update LDOE website content, ensuring clarity, accuracy, accessibility (WCAG and LDOE standards), and organization.
Develop, schedule, and publish social media content aligned with agency priorities, and monitor channels and engagement.
Translate technical or policy content into accessible, plain-language materials for public and educator audiences.
Partner with the Office of Early Childhood to identify messaging gaps and develop proactive outreach strategies.
Provide support for the LDOE call center and the Ask LDOE Zendesk portal during high-volume periods, and summarize inquiry trends for leadership.
Create basic graphics, photos, and short video clips for digital outreach.
Coordinate with program offices, IT, and Communications leadership to maintain content accuracy, consistency, and brand alignment.
Perform routine website audits to identify outdated or missing content and post time-sensitive updates.
Track and report on engagement metrics, flagging emerging topics or misinformation.