Communications Specialist (Part-time)

Communications Specialist (Part-time)

Salary

$16.00 - $18.00 Hourly

Location

Decatur, AL

Job Type

Part-Time

Job Number

202600153

Department

Executive Office

Opening Date

10/13/2026

Closing Date

10/25/2026 11:59 PM Central

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Summary

Are you a creative storyteller with a passion for video, photography, digital content, and community engagement? The City of Decatur is seeking a part-time Communications Specialist to help share the stories, services, and events that connect our community. In this hands-on role, you'll produce multimedia content, support livestreams and social media, and help keep residents informed and engaged. This position offers up to 20 hours per week, primarily during afternoon and early evening hours, with occasional nighttime and weekend availability required to support City events and communications needs.

The part-time Communications Specialist supports the City of Decatur's efforts to provide accurate, timely, accessible, and engaging information to residents, employees, news media, and other audiences. The position serves as the Communications Department's primary multimedia producer and livestreaming specialist. Responsibilities include video production, photography, livestream operations, digital content creation, and support for the City's website, social media platform, public information efforts, and special events.

The part-time Communications Specialist also assists the Communications Manager with broader departmental responsibilities and receives cross-training in public information, media relation, emergency communications, website management, social media, and other communications functions.

Major Duties

Multimedia Production

• Plans, shoots, edits, and produces video content for City communications.
• Photographs City events, programs, facilities, infrastructure projects, employees, elected officials, and community activities.
• Produces short-form videos, feature stories, informational videos, public service content, promotional materials, and other digital media.
• Creates content for the Citys website, social media channels, video platforms, presentations, and other communications outlets.
• Identifies opportunities to visually tell the story of City services, projects, employees, and community initiatives.
• Maintains an organized and searchable archive of City photographs, video footage, graphics, and other multimedia assets.
• Assists with basic graphic design and visual content development as needed.
• Ensures that City-produced multimedia content adheres to established branding, accessibility, and quality standards.

Livestreaming and Video Operations

• Coordinates and operates livestreaming for City Council meetings, work sessions, press conferences, public meetings, special events, and other designated activities.
• Operates cameras, audio equipment, video switching equipment, encoders, streaming platforms, and related production systems.
• Monitors livestream quality and troubleshoots technical issues before and during productions.
• Ensures recorded meetings and programs are properly archived and made available through approved City platforms.
• Assists with captioning, accessibility, and video publishing requirements.
• Develops and maintains written procedures for livestreaming, recording, archiving, and multimedia production.
• Coordinates with Information Services and other departments on equipment, network, software, and technical needs related to City communications.
• Assists with evaluating future multimedia equipment and production needs.

Communications Support

• Assists the Communications Manager in developing content for City social media channels.
• Assists with writing and publishing website stories, announcements, public notices, and other digital content.
• Gathers information, photographs, video, and interviews from City departments for use in public communications.
• Supports communications efforts surrounding major City announcements, public meetings, community events, emergencies, and special projects.
• Assists with press conferences and media events, including staging, audio, video, photography, and supporting materials.
• Helps monitor City communications platforms for content needs and opportunities.
• Assists with internal communications projects as assigned.
• Supports City branding and ensures consistent visual and editorial standards across departments.

Professional Development and Cross-Training

The Communications Specialist will receive progressive cross-training in other Communications Department functions, including:

• Media relations
• Public information
• Crisis and emergency communications
• Website administration
• Social media management
• Public engagement
• Communications planning
• Writing and editing
• Executive and departmental communications
• As experience and proficiency increase, the Communications Specialist may assume additional communications responsibilities under the Communications Managers direction.

Minimum Qualifications

• An Associate or Bachelor's degree in communications, journalism, broadcasting, multimedia production, marketing, public relations, digital media, or a related field; or any equivalent combination of education, training, and experience, which provides the requisite knowledge, skills, and abilities for this job.

• Experience with video production, photography, livestreaming, broadcast operations, digital media, journalism, public relations, or governmental communications.

• Must possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

• The successful candidate should have knowledge of or the ability to develop proficiency in:

• Video production and editing

• Digital photography

• Uvestreaming and broadcast production

• Audio and video equipment

• Social media content creation

• Digital storytelling

• Website content management

• Basic graphic design

• Writing and editing

• AP style

• Public-sector communications

• Digital accessibility practices

• File management and digital asset organization

• The position requires the ability to:

• Communicate clearly and professionally.

• Exercise sound judgment in a public-sector environment.

• Manage multiple assignments and deadlines.

• Work independently and collaboratively.

• Adapt quickly during live events and changing situations.

• Maintain professionalism while working with elected officials, City employees, residents, news media, and community partners.

• Handle sensitive or time-critical information appropriately.

• Work evenings, early mornings, weekends, and other hours required for meetings, events, emergencies, and City operations.

• Preference may be given to candidates with experience using:

• Professional or prosumer video cameras

• Digital photography equipment

• Nonlinear video editing software

• Livestreaming and video switching systems

• Audio production equipment

• Content management systems

• Social media publishing platforms

• Adobe Creative Cloud or similar production software

Supplemental Information

Guidelines

• City Policies.

Complexity/Scope of Work

• The Communications Specialist will strengthen the City's ability to communicate directly with the public through professional multimedia production, reliable livestreaming, and expanded digital content.
• The position also creates additional organizational capacity within the Communications Department by helping to develop a second employee who can support core city communications functions, and through training, provide back-up.

Contacts

• Contacts are typically with co-workers, other city employees, elected and appointed officials, members of the community, and members of the general public.
• Contacts are typically to exchange information, motivate persons, negotiate matters, resolve problems, and provide services

Physical Demands/Work Environment

• The position includes work in an office environment and at locations throughout the City of Decatur. Assignments may require outdoor work, travel to City facilities and events, standing for extended periods, carrying production equipment, and working outside normal business hours.

Supervisory and Management Responsibility

• None.

This position is not eligible for benefits.

01

Are you available to work up to 20 hours per week, primarily in the afternoon and early evening, with occasional nights and weekends as needed?

• Yes
• No

02

Do you have hands-on experience setting up and operating equipment for live video production or livestreaming?

• Yes
• No

03

Have you personally operated professional or prosumer video camera equipment, including a DSLR or mirrorless camera, in a work, academic, freelance, or production environment?

• Yes
• No

04

Do you have hands-on experience with live audio production, including setting audio levels, monitoring audio, and troubleshooting audio issues during a recording or live production?

• Yes
• No

05

Do you have experience setting up and using wireless microphone systems, including lavalier or handheld wireless microphones?

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have experience setting up and using video lighting equipment for interviews, events, or other video productions?

• Yes
• No

07

Are you proficient with Apple macOS and comfortable performing video, audio, photography, and file-management tasks on a Mac computer?

• Yes
• No

08

Do you have working knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud and hands-on experience with Adobe applications or another professional platform used for video, photography, or graphic production?

• Yes
• No

09

Do you have hands-on experience editing video using Adobe Premiere Pro or another professional nonlinear editing platform?

• Yes
• No

10

Can you provide examples or a portfolio of video, photography, livestream, or multimedia production work that demonstrates your technical abilities?

• Yes
• No

11

If you answered Yes to Question #10, please provide us the website/link(s) to view these examples:

12

Briefly describe your experience with live video production or livestreaming. What equipment have you personally operated?

13

Briefly describe your experience with Adobe Creative Cloud. Which Adobe applications do you use, and what do you use them for?

14

Describe one video production you completed from start to finish. What was your role, what equipment and software did you use, and what did you personally produce?

15

Have you personally been responsible for operating or troubleshooting a live video production while the program was actively being broadcast, streamed, or recorded? If yes, briefly describe the production and your responsibilities.

16

Do you currently possess a valid Alabama driver's license?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer City of Decatur, AL

Address 610 4th Avenue SE

Decatur, Alabama, 35601

Phone 256-341-4890

Website cityofdecatural.com