Senior Outreach and Communications Specialist; Commuter Connections

Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments•Washington, DC

About The Position

The Senior Outreach and Communications Specialist will perform activities to support the National Capital Region Transportation Planning Board’s (TPB) Commuter Connections program at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG). The TPB is the region’s Metropolitan Planning Organization and prepares plans and programs to enable federal transportation funding to flow into the region, provides data to decisionmakers, and serves as a forum for coordination. It is staffed by the Department of Transportation Planning at the COG. This position leads program administration and project execution for employer outreach activities within the Commuter Connections program. The specialist independently manages multiple concurrent projects, serves as staff lead for stakeholder workgroups and committees, and drives program optimization efforts. The Senior Outreach and Communications Specialist demonstrates applied knowledge of transportation demand management (TDM) and exercises sound judgment with general supervision from senior management. The specialist leads project coordination, technical assistance, and stakeholder communication; participates in workgroups; assists with planning and presenting at committee meetings and training sessions; maintains records in a Client Relationship Management (CRM) database; contributes to process improvement initiatives; and manages other routine program tasks. This position proactively identifies and resolves challenges, makes informed decisions on project direction, and interfaces directly with external stakeholders. The Senior Outreach and Communications Specialist provides mentorship to junior staff and may carry supervisory responsibilities.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in marketing, communications, journalism, city and regional planning, public administration, public policy, environmental studies, business, or a closely related field and six (6) years of progressively responsible experience in public policy, transportation, urban planning, program management, non-commission sales, or a related field; OR
Master's degree in marketing, communications, journalism, city and regional planning, public administration, public policy, environmental studies, business, or a closely related field and four (4) years of progressively responsible experience in public policy, transportation, urban planning, program management, non-commission sales, or a related field.
Any equivalent combination of experience and training that provides the required knowledge, skills, and abilities will be considered.
Demonstrates advanced knowledge of outreach and engagement strategies to effectively promote programs and services to employers, network members, and the public.
Independently leads outreach initiatives and develops strategic engagement plans to build and sustain productive relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders, including business representatives, government officials, and community partners.
Identifies opportunities to expand program reach and proactively cultivates new partnerships to advance TDM goals across the region.
Demonstrates the ability to lead and facilitate stakeholder workgroups and committees, including building consensus among diverse participants, managing group dynamics, and driving productive dialogue among senior stakeholders and subject matter experts toward actionable outcomes.
Communicates with a high degree of clarity, professionalism, and persuasiveness in written and verbal formats across a variety of audiences and platforms.
Independently authors, edits, and oversees the production of professional materials including newsletters, case studies, reports, presentations, and promotional content.
Develops and implements communications strategies and editorial plans, ensures consistency of messaging and brand standards, and provides editorial guidance to junior staff.
Presents complex technical information accessibly to non-technical audiences and responds effectively to inquiries from members, regulatory agencies, community leaders, and the public.
Demonstrates working knowledge of program operations, including the ability to author, refine, and apply Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and Program Management Plans for outreach and communications functions.
Independently manages multiple concurrent projects, including those with contracted support and internal team members, while providing support to overlapping assignments within Commuter Connections.
Develops and refines statements of work, tracks project milestones and deliverables, and coordinates with support teams to issue contracts, conduct procurement, and process invoices.
Monitors budgets and ensures that work remains on schedule and within budget.
Works independently with minimal direction to determine priority deliverables, reports progress using project management tools, and provides regular guidance to junior staff on task implementation and best practices.
Identifies optimization opportunities and takes initiative to improve program and communications outcomes.
Proactively gathers, interprets, and applies data and research findings to inform outreach strategies, program planning, and stakeholder recommendations.
Identifies problems before they arise, draws well-supported conclusions to keep projects on track, and evaluates program effectiveness to adjust processes and improve outcomes.
Comfortable interpreting complex technical instructions and performing quantitative analysis to assess outreach impact and program performance.
Proficiency in the Microsoft 365 suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, SharePoint, Outlook, Teams) and web conferencing platforms (Webex, Zoom, Teams).
Proficiency in administering and leveraging a CRM database to track engagement, analyze stakeholder data, and inform outreach strategy.

Nice To Haves

Working knowledge of WordPress, Canva, and/or Adobe Creative Suite (Illustrator, InDesign, Photoshop) is desirable.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the Commuter Connections employer outreach program, developing and executing strategic outreach plans to grow TDM programs and policies at employer worksites across the region.
Oversee the use of a CRM database to direct engagement strategy, track relationship-building activities, and identify opportunities for program expansion.
Serve as staff lead for the Employer Outreach Committee and related workgroups, including drafting agendas, documenting meeting highlights, recruiting speakers, facilitating discussion, and delivering presentations and briefings to internal and external audiences, including subject matter experts and senior stakeholders.
Lead the administration of the annual goDMV Commuter Competition by directing the effort in collaboration with team members, establishing deliverables and timelines, overseeing employer recruitment and onboarding, supporting Employer Transportation Coordinators (ETCs) and local Employer Outreach Coordinators, guiding the development of outreach materials, and coordinating employer champion events.
Develop and oversee the editorial strategy for employer-focused newsletters, blog posts, and website content; author and edit content, adhere to editorial deadlines, and ensure timely publication on the Commuter Connections website.
Provide editorial direction and review to junior staff contributing to communications products.
Lead the development and implementation of a regional recognition program honoring employers that demonstrate strong commuter benefit approaches, including program design, stakeholder coordination, event management, and communications strategy.
Oversee the research, authorship, and publication of case studies documenting successful local employer outreach outcomes; ensure case studies reflect program goals and maintain high editorial standards.
Identify and develop training topics relevant to employer outreach; lead the recruitment of trainers and facilitate training sessions for network members.
Develop and maintain SOPs for assigned outreach and communications functions.
Author technical documentation and templates to support program implementation and ensure consistency across the team.
Represent Commuter Connections programs and services at employer worksites, community events, and regional forums; serve as a senior program ambassador to external audiences.
Engage in procurement activities for the program, including requesting vendor quotes and authoring Statements of Work for outreach and communications-related contracts.
Establish and maintain excellent contacts and working relationships with public and private sector agencies and organizations as appropriate.
This position may include supervisory responsibilities, including direct supervision and/or mentorship of one or two team members and/or interns.
Responsible for performance management, professional development, workload delegation, and team coordination.