Senior Communications Specialist, Visual Storytelling and Community Engagement

Connecticut Water Service, Inc.•San Jose, CA

3d•$95,000 - $117,000•Onsite

About The Position

Founded in 1866, San Jose Water Company is an investor owned water company headquartered in Silicon Valley. With a service area of 140 square miles, it is one of the largest and most technically sophisticated urban water system in the United States. We serve over 1 million people with high quality, life sustaining water, with an emphasis on exceptional customer service. We are actively seeking talented, driven and highly-productive applicants for the position of Senior Communications Specialist, Visual Storytelling and Community Engagement to join our dynamic team. We offer a challenging and rewarding work environment along with a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package. Position Summary The Senior Communications Specialist, Visual Storytelling & Community Engagement, serves as San Jose Water's lead field storyteller and community engagement coordinator, responsible for capturing and sharing stories about our people and operations, and for planning and executing public-facing experiences, in order to strengthen our audiences’ understanding of the company's water supply infrastructure, water quality commitment, environmental stewardship, and community impact. This role combines visual storytelling, content development, community outreach, educational programming, event activation, and stakeholder engagement. Working closely with the President of San Jose Water, Public Affairs, Engineering, Operations, Water Quality, Customer Service, and Corporate Communications leaders, the position identifies and develops compelling stories from the field while coordinating opportunities for customers, community organizations, select schools, elected officials, and other stakeholders to engage directly with San Jose Water's people, facilities, and operations. The role is based in San Jose and spends substantial time in the field capturing content, supporting community events, coordinating facility tours, managing educational outreach activities, and developing multimedia content for use across digital, social, customer, and community communications channels. At San Jose Water, our mission is simple: to deliver affordable, reliable and sustainable water that puts customers first. Everything we do is evaluated through this lens, from infrastructure planning and partnerships, to financing decisions. With over one million customers in the greater San Jose area, we invest in critical infrastructure to protect and strengthen the water supply for generations to come. For over 160 years, we've safeguarded what's precious. Now, as part of H20 America, we're committed to continuing to invest in the long-term, well-being of the communities we serve.

Requirements

Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to translate technical water, infrastructure, engineering, and environmental topics into clear, accessible content for customers, community groups, schools, business organizations, and public audiences.
Strong visual storytelling skills and video & graphic design and production skills using relevant software tools (including editing video content, designing materials for presentations, handouts, video graphics, etc.), including experience capturing or coordinating photography, video, interviews, field content, and multimedia assets. Understanding of video production, photography, editing workflows, accessibility considerations, and brand standards.
Familiarity with social media, internal communications, customer communications, and digital content planning.
Ability to prepare briefing materials, talking points, presentation content, post-event summaries, and follow-up materials for leaders, subject matter experts, ambassadors, and external-facing employee partners.
Strong project coordination skills, including the ability to manage calendars, timelines, vendors, logistics, stakeholder inputs, and competing priorities across multiple internal teams.
Demonstrated ability to plan, coordinate, and support community engagement events, facility tours, public presentations, sponsorship activations, and external speaking opportunities.
Sound judgment in identifying when issues should be elevated, particularly those involving media, elected officials, public policy, permitting, regulatory matters, legal considerations, reputational risk, or executive messaging.
Ability to build effective working relationships with internal partners across Public Affairs, Operations, Engineering, Water Quality, Environmental Planning, Customer Service, and executive offices.
Comfort representing the company in public-facing settings with professionalism, preparation, and customer/community focus.
Minimum of 3-6 years of progressive experience in communications, community engagement, public relations, public affairs, marketing communications, nonprofit outreach, government relations support, or a related field.
At least 2-3 years of experience planning or supporting public-facing events, presentations, tours, community outreach activities, sponsorship activations, or educational programs.
At least 2 years of experience developing communications materials for varied audiences, including employees, customers, community stakeholders, leaders, and external partners.
Experience supporting executive or senior leader participation in external events, business organizations, community meetings, or thought leadership opportunities.
Experience coordinating across multiple internal departments or subject matter experts to gather information, align messaging, and support execution.
Experience managing multiple projects or engagement activities simultaneously with attention to deadlines, details, logistics, and follow-up.
Requires a valid CA driver's license and having satisfactory driving record

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of stakeholder engagement practices involving community organizations, local government, business associations, economic development organizations, schools, nonprofit partners, neighborhood groups, etc.
Experience developing communications and engagement programs for public-facing organizations (for-profit, non-profit or civic) or customers of a company or organization serving paying customers.
Experience supporting executive visibility, thought leadership, panel participation, community briefings, or public education programs.
Ability to maintain trackers or simple reporting tools for memberships, sponsorship benefits, event participation, story ideas, stakeholder contacts, and follow-up actions.
Spanish or other multilingual communication skills relevant to San Jose Water’s service area are helpful but not required.
Preferred 2 or more years of experience creating or coordinating visual content in field settings, including construction sites, facilities, events, interviews, or community activities.
Experience maintaining engagement calendars, membership or sponsorship trackers, post-event reports, or stakeholder follow-up systems.
Preferred experience working in or with a regulated utility, water agency, infrastructure organization, public agency, civic organization, or community-based organization.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary field-based content creator for San Jose Water.
Capture video, photography, interviews, and supporting assets from construction sites, treatment facilities, operational environments, community events, and executive appearances.
Maintain an editorial calendar aligned with company priorities and key initiatives.
Coordinate with external vendors and internal communications partners to support production needs.
Own content planning and field content collection related to infrastructure investment, water system reliability, water quality, engineering projects, construction activities, environmental stewardship, and other core narrative themes important to San Jose Water.
Identify stories that demonstrate SJW’s role as a community partner, economic contributor, infrastructure investor, environmental steward, and trusted local water provider in the communities it serves.
Working with other Communications team members, develop annual and quarterly storytelling plans that align with company communication priorities.
Own with SJW leaders the scheduling, planning, coordination, and continuous improvement of facility tours across San Jose Water operations.
Working with administrative assistants and others, coordinate off-site, public and semi-private presentations with San Jose Water Ambassadors and SJW leaders.
Working with Communications team members, coordinate materials for external speaking opportunities, panel participation, sponsorship activations, executive appearances, and community presentations, including briefing notes, talking points, visuals, and supporting content.
As needed, deliver presentations to schools, civic organizations, community groups, neighborhood associations, and professional organizations.
Lead community activation planning for San Jose Water's Direct Potable Reuse (DPR) mobile demonstration unit.
Support the San Jose Water Ambassador Program through materials development for Ambassadors including the SJW President, public and customer communications about engagements, and post-engagement reporting with the Public Affairs team and SJW President strategic leadership of the program.
At the direction of the Director, Communications, (who owns the community giving strategy) manage execution of the company's community giving and sponsorship programs under the leadership of Communications and Public Affairs teams, as well as SJW’s President.
Working with various senior leaders, coordinate San Jose Water's community engagement calendar, including educational presentations, facility tours, community meetings, sponsorship activations, and public outreach opportunities.
Working with the Public Affairs team, SJW President and other members of the Communications team, support activation of SJW memberships in business, civic, economic development, and community organizations by preparing materials and identifying ways to convert engagements (meetings, events, etc.) into storytelling opportunities.
Help SJW leadership and the Communications team and Public Affairs team build and maintain relationships with schools, community organizations, business groups, neighborhood associations, and nonprofit partners.
Engagement opportunities identified and acted upon.
Stakeholder follow-ups completed.
External presentations, tours, or events supported.
Story ideas generated from community and membership activity.
Sponsorship and membership benefits tracked and utilized.
Increased visibility for SJW in priority communities and organizations.