Public Information Officer

Broward County • Fort Lauderdale, FL

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Broward County Board of County Commissioners is seeking qualified candidates for a Public Information Officer in the Office of Public Communications (OPC). This announcement will remain active until a sufficient number of applications have been received and may close at any time. The Office of Public Communications (OPC) is a fast-paced information office that creates and distributes communications to members of the public and employees, about the Broward County Board of County Commissioners and the programs and services of more than 60 County agencies. Responsibilities of the Public Information Officer include: write and produce print and digital publications including brochures, newsletters and displays; develop and post website and social media content; develop video scripts; research and write news releases, speeches, talking points and proclamations; respond to media inquiries; plan and coordinate communications plans and high-profile special events including news conferences; perform quality assurance, ensure adherence to County’s branding standards and guidelines, and ensure communications projects are completed on time and to the satisfaction of clients and customers. Acts as the organization's spokesperson overseeing all public relations, media, advertising and promotions, website, presentations, special events, and community outreach. Works under administrative supervision, developing and implementing programs within organizational policies and reports major activities to executive level administrators through conferences and reports. During emergencies, this position is an integral part of Emergency Support Function (ESF) 14 – Public Information.

Requirements

• Requires a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in business or public administration or closely related field.
• Requires six (6) years in public relations, public information or media relations in area of assignment including two (2) years of supervisory experience or closely related experience.
• Ability to secure and maintain a valid Florida Driver's License at the time of appointment and for the duration of employment.
• Ability to work with high autonomy and manage multiple complex communication projects simultaneously.
• Strong leadership skills to collaborate with Office of Public Communications designers, call center, print shop, internal staff, and outside vendors.
• High degree of professionalism, tact, and judgment required when interacting with or representing elected officials and County Commissioners.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain aggressive marketing and public relations strategies for Broward County.
• Plan, manage, and implement multi-million dollar, multi-level media campaigns targeting different audiences.
• Manage information campaign budgets established by the Director and secure large ad buys across traditional and non-traditional channels.
• Coordinate media ad campaigns, providing direction and approval to media vendors on ad placement, creative, printing, and distribution.
• Write creative and attention-grabbing commercial copy for print/digital ads, bus placards/benches, billboards, radio, and TV.
• Draft executive communications, including the County’s annual report, special memos, talking points, speeches, editorials, and welcome letters.
• Serve as the administrator for all Countywide social media platforms, managing campaigns, monitoring sites, and responding to the public.
• Track, analyze, and report on social media metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to measure campaign success and audience growth.
• Monitor online public sentiment, respond to resident inquiries, and de-escalate online conflicts in a professional tone.
• Approve or reject Countywide social media user access requests and ensure platform compliance with County standards.
• Produce and coordinate short-form video content and stay updated on digital trends to keep the County relevant.
• Use social listening tools to track public conversations, identify emerging community concerns, and report insights to leadership.
• Ensure all digital content meets strict accessibility standards, including adding alt text, closed captions, and readable color contrast.
• Oversee and manage content updates for the public website, employee intranet, and emails.
• Perform quality assurance by reviewing agency websites to fix misspellings, repair broken links, and optimize design layouts for user experience.
• Act as a lead contact for media outlets, field inquiries, research responses, and coordinate interviews.
• Serve as the primary backup Public Information Officer (PIO) for County Commissioners, drafting statements and managing high-profile media inquiries in the primary PIO's absence.
• Prepare proclamations for county commissioners on a variety of topics and recognitions for county commission meetings.
• Deploy to the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) during activations to lead, coordinate, and manage Countywide emergency public information efforts.
• Coordinate the Joint Information Center (JIC) and serve as a key liaison to streamline communications.
• Create and disseminate rapid emergency messaging, press releases, and public safety alerts to the public, media, and employees during crisis events.
• Maintain daily situational awareness of current events and news coverage; report critical updates to the Director and County Administration.
• Manage rumor control protocols during emergencies to combat misinformation on digital and traditional platforms.
• Consult, guide, and support 70+ internal agencies on communication plans, content development, and web layouts.
• Review, proof, and suggest changes to agency products including flyers, news releases, displays, brochures, and web designs to ensure proper protocols are in place.
• Strategically communicate important information to 2.1 million residents and 7,000+ employees via weekly/monthly newsletters, websites, and campaigns.
• Direct, manage and implement corporate and community relations outreach and administer public outreach programs.
• Collaborate with agency staff and community stakeholders to plan and execute targeted initiatives, providing metrics to demonstrate impact.
• Partner with municipalities to increase knowledge of County initiatives and encourage sharing information with residents.
• Host webinar-type educational events and lead quarterly County Marketing and PR Professionals (CMPP) meetings to share tools and best practices.

Benefits

• Eleven (11) paid holidays each year
• Vacation (Paid Time Off) = 2 weeks per year
• Tuition Reimbursement (Up to 2K annually)
• Up to 40 hours of Job Basis Leave for eligible positions
• Paid Parental Leave
• Health Benefits
• High-Deductible Health Plan – bi-weekly premiums: Employee $10.90 / Family $80.79
• Includes a County Funded Health Savings Account of up to $2,000 Annually
• Consumer Driven Health Plan – bi-weekly premiums: Employee $82.58 / Family $286.79
• Florida Retirement System (FRS) – Pension or Investment Plan
• 457 Deferred Compensation
• County matches up to $2,000 a year

What This Job Offers

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