Location: Raleigh,NC, USA
The City of Raleigh is hiring an exceptional communicator, coach and strategist to lead storytelling for the City, create cohesion across department communications, and drive strategy for paid, owned and earned media channels.
Communications Department:
The Communications Department guides the overall messaging and visual brand for the City. The department of roughly 30 staff is led by a director and two assistant directors. The assistant directors oversee two units, strategic communications and public affairs.
This is one of two assistant director positions in the department. She/He/They will lead the strategic communications team which aligns strategy, content and production in support of multiple
departments' efforts to tell a more cohesive and accessible story for Raleigh's nearly 500,000 residents.
This position works in partnership with the public affairs team, which coordinates media relations, public records, and social media and the Raleigh Television Network. It works with Emergency Management to plan communications for weather, public safety, and other emergency incidents.
A Day in the Life:
Day-to-day, the successful candidate works with a team of Communications Administrators to align department communications with overall City goals, its strategic plan, and Communications Department goals. This includes leading creation and execution of communications for high-level and cross- department projects in a way that connects with residents, businesses, visitors, community leaders and other stakeholders.
This person is savvy in branding, marketing channels, campaigns and their metrics, audience targeting, project management, and overall communications strategy. The team includes oversight of our external website, our intranet, and print services, and understanding of these efforts is important. This position should also be a strong writer. Skill in naming new initiatives or crafting ad copy will complement the existing team.
Raleigh's recent growth into a large city is providing new challenges, making this a pivotal time in Raleigh's history. The Communications Department and key services were repositioned over the last year to better tell the stories of City services and the top issues facing Raleigh. This position is a critical part of that shift and will help Raleigh set a new standard for government communications.
Please include a cover letter with your application. As this is a communications position, applications without cover letters will not be considered.
* Provides leadership to the strategic communications team in implementing the Communications Director's vision for communications. Ensures high-quality, targeted, and on-brand communications that clearly deliver specific messages to the intended audiences. Guides and coaches communications administrators (direct reports) and broader group of department communicators (by influence) in these day-to-day efforts.
* Works directly on the highest-level campaigns, including communications around top City issues, action from City Council meetings, and the annual City budget process
* Works proactively to develop and drive communications strategies that meet City leadership goals, dovetail with the Strategic Plan, and achieve Department goals. Identifies new opportunities and tools to deliver key messages to key audiences, evolving and enhancing the City's approach to storytelling and brand. May include identifying new tools for City communicators
* Directly manage Communications Administrators, web team, and print services team to make sure they have the support and resources needed. Manages team to achieve objectives within larger Communications Department goals. Trains, coaches and develops staff in department and influences communicators in other departments
* Measures and reports results of communications efforts across the Department and the City. Guides the adjustment of tactics accordingly. Recommends new areas and approaches for communications tactics and strategies based on data analysis and research. Manages budget for general City campaigns and contracts with external vendors that support assigned activities
* Leads continuity of operations for the department and manages related operational tasks and processes. Participates in department budget development and crisis response when needed
This is a hybrid person that must be in-person for Council meetings two Tuesdays per month and for various work sessions on Mondays and Tuesdays during the year.Education and Experience:
Bachelor's Degree and eight years of experience in communications, plus one year of supervisory experience is required
OR
An equivalent combination of education and experience sufficient to successfully perform the essential duties of the job such as those listed above, unless otherwise subject to any other requirements set forth in law or regulation.
Preferred Qualifications:
* Experience in leadership development and/or training
* Previous local, state or federal government experience
* Experience in journalism, public relations, marketing and/or an agency environment
* Strong record as both a team leader and team player, with the ability to adapt depending on the situation
Please include a cover letter with your application. As this is a communications position, applications without cover letters will not be considered.
Knowledge of:
* Brand and how to work to flex it to meet specific needs
* Internal and external politics, and ability to navigate them
* Marketing campaigns from start to finish, including tools and channels used as tactics
Skill In:
* Superb communicator, with creativity in both writing and verbal presentation of information
Ability to:
* Develop relationships across departments and with outside organizations and media agencies
* Measure, optimize and report on campaigns is critical
ADA and Other Requirements:
Positions in this class typically require: fingering, grasping, talking, hearing, seeing and repetitive motions.
Sedentary Work:
Exerting up to 10 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects including the human body. Sedentary work involves sitting most of the time. Jobs are sedentary if walking and standing are required only occasionally and all other sedentary criteria are met.
Working Conditions:
Work is routinely performed in an indoor, office environment.
Note:
This job classification description is intended to be generic in nature. It is not necessarily an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. The essential duties, functions and responsibilities and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) designation may vary based on the specific tasks assigned to the position.