Public Information Officer

Public Information Officer

Salary

$37.21 - $40.93 Hourly

Location

City Hall - 101 North Court Street, Frederick, MD

Job Type

Full-Time

Job Number

202600070

Department

Communications

Opening Date

07/21/2026

Closing Date

8/4/2026 11:59 PM Eastern

FLSA

Exempt

Work Schedule

Monday - Friday 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.; with some weekend and evening work as necessary.

• Description
• Benefits
• Questions

Job Summary

JOB SUMMARY:

Working under general supervision of the Manager of Public Affairs, the Public Information Officer is responsible for collaborating with diverse public and community representatives to plan, coordinate and direct a comprehensive approach to communications and public relations activities. The Public Information Officer is a key contributor to the creation of communication materials and channels that promote transparency, education, and openness with the City of Frederick, especially with the Frederick Police Department. This position will engage and inform residents, property and business owners, and regional and non-profit organizations. The work requires excellent communication and customer service skills due to considerable public contact; the ability to perform assignments independently; and sound judgment.

Special Selection Criteria: Must possess an excellent moral character and background that will withstand a comprehensive background investigation and subsequent polygraph(s).

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Drafts and edits key external communication materials for the Office of Public Affairs, Frederick Police Department, and other City departments as assigned, using a style that is engaging, concise, and appropriate in tone for the organization and audience while ensuring the accuracy of information.
• Assists in managing the Frederick Police Departments social media presence by creating content, monitoring public engagement, responding as appropriate, and supporting strategic communications and crisis messaging in coordination with the Manager of Public Affairs and Chief of Police.
• Coordinates and tracks public and media inquiries, ensuring timely, accurate, and appropriate responses through collaboration with Police Department personnel, the Office of Public Affairs, and other City departments.
• Monitors community concerns, public sentiment, and emerging issues affecting the Police Department and communicates relevant trends and recommendations to department leadership.
• Develops and maintains a variety of written and digital communications, including news releases, media advisories, website content, briefing materials, reports, social media content, and other public information resources.
• Assists with community engagement initiatives that strengthen relationships between the Frederick Police Department and residents, businesses, neighborhood organizations, and community partners.
• Promotes a positive, transparent, and professional image of the Frederick Police Department and the City of Frederick through responsive, accurate, and proactive public communications.
• Assists in developing and implementing communications strategies, policies, and best practices that support public information, transparency, and community engagement initiatives.
• Maintains and updates media contact lists, community partner databases, communication calendars, and outreach resources to support departmental communications efforts.
• Assists in the preparation and dissemination of news releases, media statements, and emergency public information, serving as a communications resource and backup during critical incidents as directed.
• Assists in coordinating press conferences, media briefings, community meetings, public events, and other outreach opportunities in support of the Chief of Police, the Frederick Police Department, and the Office of Public Affairs.
• Leads the planning and coordination of the Frederick Police Departments annual National Night Out event and supports other community outreach initiatives that strengthen relationships between the Police Department and the community.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

REQUIRED EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in journalism, communications, marketing, business administration, public administration, public relations or a related field; equivalent experience will be accepted in lieu of post-secondary education.
• Two (2) years of experience in public relations, community development, marketing and communications, public information, or a related field.

REQUIRED CERTIFICATES AND/OR LICENSES:

• Vehicle Operator's license with satisfactory driving record that meets insurability standards of the City's insurance carrier is required. The employee must maintain the license for the duration of their employment.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Knowledge of and ability to use effectively several social media platforms and understanding of successful social media campaigns.
• Working knowledge of Canva to develop professional-quality visual communications, including social media graphics, flyers, infographics, presentations, and other public outreach materials.
• Ability to effectively communicate in writing in the English language.
• Ability to effectively communicate orally via telephone, in face-to-face meetings, and to groups in the English language.
• Exhibits strong proofreading and editing skills.
• Organizational, planning, and project management skills.
• Knowledge of various software programs, including MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), Adobe software, e-mail marketing systems and social media platforms operating in a Windows environment.
• Communication and customer service skills sufficient to deal effectively with the public, vendors, and staff, using written and/or verbal communication.
• Time, project management and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to adapt to frequent changes in workload.

OTHER DESIRABLES:

• Bilingual/multi-lingual, with Spanish language skills highly preferred.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by the incumbent to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to move about in an office type setting, to remain in a stationary position for extended periods of time, to compile and retrieve information from computers, phones, etc., to draft and write, to handle paperwork and position self in the course of work. The employee is occasionally required to lift and/or move up to 20 lbs. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.

Talking: The incumbent must have the ability to express or exchange ideas in the English language by means of the spoken word; those activities where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed to other workers accurately or quickly.

Hearing: The incumbent perceives the nature of sounds at normal speaking levels with or without correction and having the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication and making fine discriminations in sound.

WORK ENVIRONMENT/CONDITION: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to work in a typical office setting with an open workspace shared with others and occasionally is exposed to varying outdoor weather conditions.

The City of Frederick offers competitive benefits to eligible employees including a variety of insurance plans and competitive paid leave offerings. View a summary of employee benefits.

INSURANCE AND VOLUNTARY BENEFITS:

Medical Plans: Eligible City employees may choose from three medical insurance plans through Cigna. View the Employee Medical Plans.

Dental Plans: Eligible City employees may choose from three (3) dental insurance plans through Cigna.

Vision Plan: Eligible City employees may elect vision plan coverage through Eye Med.

Premium Rates effective July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026: Employee Bi-Weekly Premiums / Officer Bi-Weekly Premiums

Holiday Schedule: View the

You can find additional information regarding The City of Fredericks benefits here: Human Resources Department: Employee Benefits

01

How many years of experience do you have in public/business/government relations, community development, marketing and communications, public information, or a related field?

• O to less than 1 year
• 1 to less than 2 years
• 2 to less than 3 years
• 3 to less than 4 years
• 4 to less than 5 years
• 5 years or more

02

Are you familiar with computer programs such as Office 365, including Word, Outlook, Excel, PowerPoint, Access and Teams? Please share what experience you have.

03

What is your professional and personal experience engaging and working with diverse populations?

04

Do you possess a bachelors degree in Journalism, Communications, Marketing, Business Administration, Public Administration, Public Relations or a related field?

• Journalism
• Communications
• Marketing
• Business Administration
• Public Administration
• Public Relations
• Other Related Field
• I do not have a bachelors degree

05

Do you have a vehicle operators license with satisfactory driving record? This must be maintained for the duration of your employment.

• Yes
• No

06

Do you have experience using Microsoft applications to include Word, PowerPoint and Excel?

• Yes
• No

Required Question

Employer The City of Frederick

Address 101 North Court Street

Frederick, Maryland, 21701

Phone 301-600-1872

Website http://www.cityoffrederickmd.gov